League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
	Santa Clara, Santa Cruz County, CA November 2, 2010 Election
	Candidates Answer Questions on the Issues Trustee; West Valley-Mission Community College District; Trustee Area 1

The questions were prepared by the Leagues of Women Voters of Santa Clara County and asked of all candidates for this office.     See below for questions on Experience, Negotiations, Goals Click on a name for candidate information.   See also more information about this contest. 1. What experience and training would you bring to this office? Answer from Joe Pandit: With experience in teaching for eight years at three recognized universities, 11 years of experience as an elected Director of Santa Clara Valley Water District and a 30-year long career as a professional engineer in California, I am uniquely qualified for this position. As a college instructor, I developed both under-graduate and post-graduate courses and taught students at both the levels. I have first hand experience with the issues and challenges for both, teachers and students. By serving as an elected Director at SCV Water District, I have worked through the challenges of making difficult budget and policy decisions. My experience as a professional engineer has given me abilitity to understand community needs. I will be able to draw from government, teaching and engineering experience to make the tough decisions facing our education system during these challenging times. Answer from Jack Lucas: I bring a wealth of governmental and educational experience to the Board of Trustees and to the College District. I have served the City of Monte Sereno for five terms as a City Councilmember and five terms as the City's Mayor. In this capacity, I represented the City on many regional commissions and boards. After 35 years, I served the Los Gatos-Saratoga High School District as a teacher, coach, principal of the District's alternative high school, and District Director of vocational and alternative education. Following retirement I joined the Fremont Union High School District as an adult education instructor teaching in the District's High School Diploma program. I am currently employed as a contracted consultant for the Los Gatos-Saratoga High School District. I continue to rely on my past educational experiences in dealing with many Community College issues. 2. What do you see as the role of the board in labor negotiations? Answer from Jack Lucas: (1) To select the best possible members of the Administration to serve as the Board's negotiating team (2) To provide supplementary information to its Negotiating Team which reflects the Board's commitment to best serve our students and our constituents within the Negotiated Agreement (3) To develop an understanding of the Unions' positions throughout negotiations (4) To understand those issues where a compromise could resolve one, or more, particular items "on the table" Answer from Joe Pandit: In labor negotiations, the Board should attempt to achieve what is best for the community and not for a specific group. Instead of rubber-stamping the actions of the administrators, the Board should actively participate right from the beginning of the negotiations. 3. What are your goals for the college? Are students, faculty and staff currently meeting those goals? Answer from Joe Pandit: My goal as Board member would be to ensure that the study programs offered by our colleges, prepare the students to meet the challenges faced by the Silicon Valley businesses and corporations.I would like to see that our colleges partner with the local businesses in creating part-time jobs for our students that would be mutually beneficial to both. Answer from Jack Lucas: My major goal for the West Valley-Mission Community College District is to support all programs designed to meet he needs of our students. These programs are A.A. Degree programs, Certificate programs which lead to the development of new skills for future employment, Programs for students who have been redirected from four year college programs due to over crowding of these institutions, and life-style enrichment programs. I strongly believe that the faculty, staff, administration, and the Board, in working as a team, is currently meeting the goals which support these programs. Responses to questions asked of each candidate are reproduced as submitted to the League.  Candidates' responses are not edited or corrected by the League. Answers must not refer directly or indirectly to another candidate. The order of the candidates is random and changes daily. Candidates who did not respond are not listed on this page.