Specific Issues Facing Ohlone Community College District

By Greg Bonaccorsi

The three (3) top priorities moving forward involves maintaining fiscal stability, to be an active partner with the President/Superintendent in the renewal of our accreditation, and continue to lead in the implementation of our bond projects on both the Fremont and Newark campuses along with the development of the Frontage Property adjacent to the Fremont campus.

Second, we must not forget that the community college can be a gateway to providing students with career and vocational training. In a period of economic uncertainty, the community college must be the choice of those who need to be retrained so that they can be productive members of our society. Again, Proposition 98 funding, specifically, and education funding, in general, really constrains a Board of Trustees from addressing these vital community needs. I believe my background in working with elected representatives in Sacramento may help in spotlighting these challenges. It is also important that local business entities play a role in making career and vocational training an attractive path to those seeking these objectives. In the meantime, the Board has a duty to see to it that the bond projects and the frontage property are developed on time and on budget so that there is an infrastructure in place to make this work possible.

Third, good governance relies on the collective goodwill of all stakeholders to work together to come up with solutions to the difficult problems that will confront the Board of Trustees over the next four years. I have a history of working with students, parents, instructors, administrators, and business entities to see that many views are considered before decisions are made. I view myself as a Trustee who listens to input, seeks information from various sources, and is available whenever and wherever needed by the community members who helped to elect me to the Board. Forging a cohesive Board that works as a unit in tandem with the President/Superintendent will help in this area.