Steve Ngo - Issues

By Steve Ngo

As a Trustee, Steve will push for a K through Life Partnership between the City College, the Unified School District and the City and County of San Francisco to focus on Green Jobs, strategic workforce development, re-entry programs, and issues of affordability, access and retention. He will also continue to advocate for the construction of the Chinatown campus and fight for fair and adequate funding for the college and its programs.

Education is a civil and human right and represents an unfinished legacy of the Civil Rights Movement. This is a crisis that has been unresolved for decades.

We are also facing a labor shortage in the next twenty years as the baby boomer generation begins to retire. Economists call this the "Creeping Crisis." We not only have to replace these workers, but also prepare workers for an economic environment defined by intense global competition and emerging industries, including the clean technology industry.

We have to replace the largest and most educated workforce in our country and we have to do it now. Now more than ever, we must demand that everyone has access to and receives the best education and training.

The City College of San Francisco provides workforce training and basic skills education, such as English as a Second Language courses, prepares students for transfer to four-year institutions and offers opportunities for personal enrichment and lifelong learning.

City College, therefore, plays a vital role in keeping our economy competitive and ensuring educational opportunities are available to everyone who seeks them.

As a policymaker for the City College Board of Trustees, these social justice and economic growth imperatives shape my policy priorities. Here are some areas that I will focus on as a Trustee:

GREEN JOBS TASK FORCE

One day every job will be a green job.

The solar industry in the United States is projecting 30-40 percent annual growth in the next decade. In California, the solar industry is expected to create 5,000 new jobs in the next 12 months, with 1,900 of those jobs in the Bay Area, according to a recent study by the Center of Excellence at City College. A solar panel rebate program by the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission will also increase demand for workers here in San Francisco. Three out four surveyed solar industry businesses in the Bay Area reported having difficulty recruiting entry-level employees with adequate training and education.

We should create an inter-district trustee-level Task Force on Green Jobs. It will work with the County, local Building and Construction Trades Council, industry leaders, regional collaboratives, faculty, students, and other stakeholders, to build on and coordinate existing efforts focused on sustainability directives and green jobs curricula. Working in partnership with other community college districts and local governments will be key to securing a wave of state, federal, and foundation monies devoted to this area.

STRATEGIC WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

A K through Life partnership should also focus on the 34 percent of San Francisco residents who possess a high school diploma or less to ensure that they are competitive for the local and regional job markets. The College's Office of Career and Technical Education (CTE) provides coursework in 140 areas designed to prepare students for entry-level employment. The partnership should align the College's expertise and infrastructure with those labor market sectors identified in San Francisco's Economic Plan, as well as other sectors as may be determined by Workforce Investment San Francisco, the City's local workforce investment board established under federal law.

AFFORDABILITY, ACCESS & RETENTION

Cost of Books. In addition to rising tuition costs, other hidden costs, namely the cost of textbooks, place a tremendous burden on students. A study found that for community college students, textbooks account for 70 percent of tuition. I support recent state legislation that would require textbook companies to explain the difference in new edition books compared to the previous edition. But we need to do more. I will work with students, faculty, and administrators to focus on this area as a Trustee.

Outreach. The College can do more to partner with and reach out to San Francisco Unified School District students. One way is by increasing its student ambassador program to include Alumni Ambassadors, who can also speak at local high schools to discuss the importance of going to college and the opportunities available at City College. The College can save money during these tough fiscal times while providing a means for alumni to give back to the college and their community.

Academic Support & Counseling. Providing adequate academic and administrative support is vital to ensuring that students stay in school and are put on the right path. The American School Counselor Association recommends one counselor for every 100 students. In some programs at City College, the ratio of students to counselors is 212 to 1. I will work to expand counseling services through the counseling departments and academic centers, while supporting the efforts of the College's Extended Opportunity Program and Services (E.O.P.S.), which assists low income at risk students by facilitating their enrollment at the community college and providing services to promote their retention, graduation, transfer and employment.

RE-ENTRY PROGRAMS

I will work to expand funding and resources for the College's Second Chance Program, which provides support and counseling for individuals who have served their time, but need help in staying on track and building their lives. The number of such individuals seeking assistance at City College has increased 34 percent in the last year so it is even more important that we match the demand with adequate resources.

As we do this, it is critical that we demand that the State of California, and the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation in particular, provide its fair share of funding to support re-entry programs. State funding for the construction of prisons have grossly outpaced money for pre-release and rehabilitation services, which partially explains our state's 75 percent recidivism rate, the worst in the nation.

I will continue and expand our partnership with the District Attorney's Back on Track and Changing the Odds programs, as well as the Public Defender's Clean Slate program. Providing educational opportunities and supportive services are crucial in tackling the recidivism rate and helping providing this student population with a real second chance. City College plays a vital role in addressing this problem.

COMPLETION OF THE CHINATOWN CAMPUS

Not only do we have to see through the completion of the campus in this current lawsuit and to ensure adequate funding for the process, but we have to make sure that in the construction of the campus we adequately prepare all who live in the neighborhood and surrounding communities the opportunity to adequately prepare for those valuable jobs, including an on-ramp to eligibility for the work by making sure Vocational English as a Second Language (VESL) classes and other soft and hard skill courses are made available in enough time to make people competitive for the jobs.

FIGHTING FOR MORE FUNDING

As a Trustee, I will work with, and be an advocate for, the College's efforts to secure state, federal, and foundation funding. I applaud the success of the Foundation of the City College of San Francisco. I also believe that it would be a good investment to increase staffing for our Office of Research, Planning and Grants to help faculty and administrators apply for funding that the state or federal government cannot otherwise provide.