Candidate for
Trustee; Miracosta Community College District; Trustee Area 2

Thanks for taking the time to get to know me, Rick Cassar.

• I have been a Community College Counselor and Professor for over 29 years, more than half my life.

• Budget Experience: As an elected member of the Cardiff Union School District (CUSD), I oversee a $7 million budget that has allowed us to put ipads in the hands of every child from kindergarten through the sixth grade while paying teachers competitive salaries and maintaining a 25% budget reserve. Additionally, I have served on numerous community college governance committees including the San Diego Community College District (SDCCD) Budget Committee, which oversees a budget of more than 250 million dollars.

• No Layoffs: I am proud to say that, in my 29 years working with the SDCCD and 2 years governing in the CUSD, we have never had to lay off full time teachers or staff members. We have never had furlough days and we have been able to offer quality education to students without labor strife.

• I have shared ideas that have saved the SDCCD millions of dollars while not hurting students or employees.

• I have the knowledge and creativity to turn difficult situations into win-win situations.

• I am a consensus builder and a team player.

• I am well-liked and respected by the faculty, staff, administration and board of the CUSD as well as the SDCCD Governing Board, SDCCD Administrators, and, of course the faculty, staff and students.

• Advocacy Skills: I have been a member of a team that has negotiated collective bargaining agreements for faculty and staff. I have been on both sides of the table in my roles as a faculty member and as a board member. These agreements ensured job stability and equitable pay while keeping the districts fiscally solvent. It is rare to find someone with my unique experience.

• Campus Safety: I am a founding member of SD Miramar College's Behavioral Intervention Team. I have vast experience dealing with campus safety issues ranging from bullying to the unthinkable. I am committed to not only keeping campuses safe, but to creating an environment in which our students, professors, administrators and staff feel completely safe at all times.

• Respect: I deeply respect and value everyone in the districts and the feeling is mutual. With a degree in Multicultural Counseling I understand the importance of students feeling comfortable and safe on campus.

• As a testimony to this, I can tell you that the custodian at San Diego City College invited me to his son's wedding after I had mentored his son from his junior year in high school. This son, Julio, graduated from high school, attended City College, transferred to UCSD, earned his PhD from Cornell and came back to teach at City before moving on to a job with a 6 figure salary. This is not an isolated situation. I have been blessed to have been able to touch the lives of so many kids who have gone on to be successful adults. I volunteered to be the first CalWorks Counselor at SD City College and have helped many students to break the cycle of multi-generational welfare. These students have gone on to careers that enable them to support themselves, pay taxes and to keep our Social Security Administration solvent. Most of all, these students find a sense of self-worth and pass that on to their children. We are transitioning, not merely from welfare to work, but from dependence to self-sufficiency.

• Commitment: Now, I have decided to bring my expertise home and to do everything within my power to make MiraCosta Community College best community college in California. I think the current board has done a tremendous job and I look forward to bringing some new ideas and perspectives in order to make us an even stronger board.

• I believe that my big picture perspective, knowledge, expertise and consensus building skills will make me a valuable asset to the MiraCosta Community College Board and...

• I hope I can count on your vote Tuesday, November 4, 2014.