by Sam Hatch, Lodi
EDITOR,
Besides the budget crisis, the public should know a second storyline is unfolding at Delta College: the reshaping of the college’s mission without much reflection by faculty and staff.
The state budget crisis has become an opportunity to jettison support services for Delta’s most vulnerable students. This summer, the Economic Opportunity Programs and Services and Disabled Student Programs and Services suffered reductions of 31 percent because of cuts in state funding for the programs. Despite carrying over $10 million dollars from the most recent fiscal year, the college used none of that money to help students in these programs.
Although some funding has recently been restored, the college appears to be hedging on its commitment to ensure educational access to all students.
The current round of so-called “strategic” budget cuts have been focused on basic skills — reading, ESL, developmental writing — services for the college’s most vulnerable students.
Of course, judicious cuts to all programs are a financial necessity. However, balancing the budget by slashing these programs so deeply does a disservice to the majority of our students.
Roughly 38 percent of Delta’s students read at or below the sixth-grade level, and another 46 percent read between the sixth- and ninth-grade levels. Without a sound core of support services, many of our students won’t have a reasonable chance of success.
With more “strategic” cuts expected in the spring, the college will soon help many fewer students looking for an educational second chance.
• Sam Hatch is a San Joaquin Delta College faculty member.
Thanks for reading!
Tracy Press - News, events, classifieds and businesses in Tracy, Calif.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Candidates for Quote of the Week
Please vote for only "one" of these four IN THE POLL.>>>>
1. One of those in support [of cuts to basic skills], Delta Trustee Ted Simas wants the issue taken to the board for a vote once and for all.
"It just gets frustrating to hear the same thing over again," Simas said, referring to the parade of instructors and students who have protested the cuts in recent weeks. "I want this to become an action item so that this Board of Trustees can make a decision and we can get on with the business of the college."
Record, 10/09/09
2. “This public servant business is over-rated. And the voice of the people is the voice of God—gimme a break! The voice of the people is a dogfight in a back alley over butcher’s scraps. The guys with the juice decide what the public needs.” Boss Pendergast, Kansas City philanthropist and civic leader.
3. “Funny how everything sounds like ‘blah, blah, blah,” when you’ve already made up your mind and some sap keeps on talking when he never had a snowball’s chance in hell of influencing the decision.” Quoted in Sigmund Freud, Civilization and Its Discontents
4. “Who knew the business of a college wasn’t educatin’ people who need some learnin’? Sounds like déjà vu all over again. Tough decisions gotta be made, and I say when you come to a fork in the road, take it.” Yogi Berra, philosopher and Hall of Fame catcher
1. One of those in support [of cuts to basic skills], Delta Trustee Ted Simas wants the issue taken to the board for a vote once and for all.
"It just gets frustrating to hear the same thing over again," Simas said, referring to the parade of instructors and students who have protested the cuts in recent weeks. "I want this to become an action item so that this Board of Trustees can make a decision and we can get on with the business of the college."
Record, 10/09/09
2. “This public servant business is over-rated. And the voice of the people is the voice of God—gimme a break! The voice of the people is a dogfight in a back alley over butcher’s scraps. The guys with the juice decide what the public needs.” Boss Pendergast, Kansas City philanthropist and civic leader.
3. “Funny how everything sounds like ‘blah, blah, blah,” when you’ve already made up your mind and some sap keeps on talking when he never had a snowball’s chance in hell of influencing the decision.” Quoted in Sigmund Freud, Civilization and Its Discontents
4. “Who knew the business of a college wasn’t educatin’ people who need some learnin’? Sounds like déjà vu all over again. Tough decisions gotta be made, and I say when you come to a fork in the road, take it.” Yogi Berra, philosopher and Hall of Fame catcher
Basic Skills Program Violates International Non-Proliferation of Non-Feasible Learning Treaty
Sam Hatch, reporting
Stockton, CA 10/12/09
The college's aim has been to provide "everything to everybody," said Trustee Teresa Brown. "I don't think that's feasible. I don't think that's practical." Record, 10/09/09
Many students in Basic Skills courses have acquired knowledge and skills they could not possibly have learned through a practical and feasible course of instruction, Delta College officials revealed today.
Proliferation of impractical and non-feasible learning is a serious problem because many basic skills students have failed to transfer, earn an associate’s degree, or earn a certificate. Instead, they have left the college seeking better jobs or promotion in their current workplaces, thus straying from their appointed path and proliferating impractical and non-feasible learning. There is also anecdotal evidence that even more dangerous second-generation proliferation is increasing: former basic skills students are helping their children with homework. However, it’s
not easy to know what to do to stop it.
The Office of Destitutional Research is looking into the practical and legal ramifications of a region-wide effort to recover learning from students who acquired it under false pretenses because they later failed to meet any of the benchmarks of success recognized by the Chancellor’s Office. Former basic skills students, who declined to be identified, justify their bootleg learning with vague references to “improved quality of life” and “greater earning power.” In a telephone interview, Professor James Hartwig, who holds joint appointments at the UC Berkeley Schools of
Education and Business, observed that “Region-wide mental repo is basically unexplored territory. Way outside the envelope. Some attempts have been made using consultants trained in VMMT [for non-initiates, Vulcan Mind-Meld Techniques]. But the costs have been prohibitive.
You’ve got to admire the Delta leadership for thinking outside the box. They have a vision, and they aren’t shy about hiring consultants.”
A source at the college, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the press, commented, “The mantra here is that we can’t provide ‘everything to everybody.’ So I guess that means we’re still providing ‘something to somebody,' otherwise we'd be out of business. The students who are somebodies seem to be adapting well to getting some of the things they want.”
He lamented that “the real sticking point in our transformation of the college is really those balky former somebodies, the Basic Skills students. And of course, their myopic allies among the faculty. Under current policy these students are being phased out and must adapt to being nobodies. For some reason, they can’t seem to get with the reverse Jesse Jackson thing. You know, ‘I am--Nobody, I am—Nobody.‘ Hello, can’t they see it? It’s as plain as the nose on your face. In a down economy, in a
down budget year, these people just aren’t economically viable, they aren’t practical and most of all, they aren’t feasible, and unfortunately, they are going down, too.”
However, he said the college would “remain flexible. I mean, hey, enrollment. We need quite a few of them until the census date. We do the Emma Lazarus thing until the census date. It’s sad. They all have stories that tug at your heart strings--if you listen. But money talks, level 1 walks. We’ve got a responsibility to the long-term solvency of the college and the transfer and voc. ed. students.”
Stockton, CA 10/12/09
The college's aim has been to provide "everything to everybody," said Trustee Teresa Brown. "I don't think that's feasible. I don't think that's practical." Record, 10/09/09
Many students in Basic Skills courses have acquired knowledge and skills they could not possibly have learned through a practical and feasible course of instruction, Delta College officials revealed today.
Proliferation of impractical and non-feasible learning is a serious problem because many basic skills students have failed to transfer, earn an associate’s degree, or earn a certificate. Instead, they have left the college seeking better jobs or promotion in their current workplaces, thus straying from their appointed path and proliferating impractical and non-feasible learning. There is also anecdotal evidence that even more dangerous second-generation proliferation is increasing: former basic skills students are helping their children with homework. However, it’s
not easy to know what to do to stop it.
The Office of Destitutional Research is looking into the practical and legal ramifications of a region-wide effort to recover learning from students who acquired it under false pretenses because they later failed to meet any of the benchmarks of success recognized by the Chancellor’s Office. Former basic skills students, who declined to be identified, justify their bootleg learning with vague references to “improved quality of life” and “greater earning power.” In a telephone interview, Professor James Hartwig, who holds joint appointments at the UC Berkeley Schools of
Education and Business, observed that “Region-wide mental repo is basically unexplored territory. Way outside the envelope. Some attempts have been made using consultants trained in VMMT [for non-initiates, Vulcan Mind-Meld Techniques]. But the costs have been prohibitive.
You’ve got to admire the Delta leadership for thinking outside the box. They have a vision, and they aren’t shy about hiring consultants.”
A source at the college, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the press, commented, “The mantra here is that we can’t provide ‘everything to everybody.’ So I guess that means we’re still providing ‘something to somebody,' otherwise we'd be out of business. The students who are somebodies seem to be adapting well to getting some of the things they want.”
He lamented that “the real sticking point in our transformation of the college is really those balky former somebodies, the Basic Skills students. And of course, their myopic allies among the faculty. Under current policy these students are being phased out and must adapt to being nobodies. For some reason, they can’t seem to get with the reverse Jesse Jackson thing. You know, ‘I am--Nobody, I am—Nobody.‘ Hello, can’t they see it? It’s as plain as the nose on your face. In a down economy, in a
down budget year, these people just aren’t economically viable, they aren’t practical and most of all, they aren’t feasible, and unfortunately, they are going down, too.”
However, he said the college would “remain flexible. I mean, hey, enrollment. We need quite a few of them until the census date. We do the Emma Lazarus thing until the census date. It’s sad. They all have stories that tug at your heart strings--if you listen. But money talks, level 1 walks. We’ve got a responsibility to the long-term solvency of the college and the transfer and voc. ed. students.”
Saturday, March 28, 2009
President Rodriguez's Comments on Probation @ SJDC
Good afternoon everyone,
On February 6th I received notification from the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges that they have placed Delta College on probation. Additionally, the Commission is asking us to provide a second report by March 15, 2009.
As you know, the college has been on warning status since June of 2008. Since that time, we have accomplished a great deal toward addressing the recommendations provided to us by the Commission. We provided evidence of this continuing work to the Commission in the form of a follow-up report dated October 21, 2008. Being placed on probation was clearly not the result that we hoped for or expected for our efforts. However, that work did have some positive results. That is, the Commission has now reduced the number of recommendations on which we have to report from eleven down to six. Without downplaying the significance of the remaining recommendations, the good news is that we have been consistently working on these recommendations since we submitted the last report. This does not mean that there is not work to be done. There is a lot yet to be done and we will have to redouble our efforts to get it done. We will have to make this our top priority and marshal our resources to make improvements that remedy our deficiencies and that satisfy the Commission.
It is of little solace that we have plenty of company across the state. A number of colleges are already on warning, probation, or show cause status and a number of others have just been placed into those categories. There is a general consensus across the community colleges that the Commission is taking a hard line on colleges that deviate from the accreditation standards and recommendations. There are a number of reason posited for this change. Among these are pressure from the federal government for greater accountability and to bring our colleges in line with the standards imposed by the other major accrediting agencies. Whatever the reason for this change might be, it is not really of concern at this point. Our task now is to focus on how to fully comply with the remaining six recommendations and to change our status so that we are not on the negative list. As one step in that direction, I will be speaking with Dr. Beno, the president of the Commission,this afternoon to get more specific information about the remaining recommendations and the Commission action.
Next week we will begin the task of reconvening the accreditation task force to help resolve the remaining issues. Our accreditation liaison officer, Dr. Hart, will be sending out information about that process. To jump start that work, I have attached the letter from the Commission and the team report. Please take the time to read both documents. In the days ahead, we will all need to work together as we aggressively respond to the Commission's recommendations. To do so, everyone needs to be fully informed.
Raul
On February 6th I received notification from the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges that they have placed Delta College on probation. Additionally, the Commission is asking us to provide a second report by March 15, 2009.
As you know, the college has been on warning status since June of 2008. Since that time, we have accomplished a great deal toward addressing the recommendations provided to us by the Commission. We provided evidence of this continuing work to the Commission in the form of a follow-up report dated October 21, 2008. Being placed on probation was clearly not the result that we hoped for or expected for our efforts. However, that work did have some positive results. That is, the Commission has now reduced the number of recommendations on which we have to report from eleven down to six. Without downplaying the significance of the remaining recommendations, the good news is that we have been consistently working on these recommendations since we submitted the last report. This does not mean that there is not work to be done. There is a lot yet to be done and we will have to redouble our efforts to get it done. We will have to make this our top priority and marshal our resources to make improvements that remedy our deficiencies and that satisfy the Commission.
It is of little solace that we have plenty of company across the state. A number of colleges are already on warning, probation, or show cause status and a number of others have just been placed into those categories. There is a general consensus across the community colleges that the Commission is taking a hard line on colleges that deviate from the accreditation standards and recommendations. There are a number of reason posited for this change. Among these are pressure from the federal government for greater accountability and to bring our colleges in line with the standards imposed by the other major accrediting agencies. Whatever the reason for this change might be, it is not really of concern at this point. Our task now is to focus on how to fully comply with the remaining six recommendations and to change our status so that we are not on the negative list. As one step in that direction, I will be speaking with Dr. Beno, the president of the Commission,this afternoon to get more specific information about the remaining recommendations and the Commission action.
Next week we will begin the task of reconvening the accreditation task force to help resolve the remaining issues. Our accreditation liaison officer, Dr. Hart, will be sending out information about that process. To jump start that work, I have attached the letter from the Commission and the team report. Please take the time to read both documents. In the days ahead, we will all need to work together as we aggressively respond to the Commission's recommendations. To do so, everyone needs to be fully informed.
Raul
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Editorial's inaccuracy harms Delta College status
February 28, 2009 6:00 AM
The Record editorial of Feb. 20 titled "Time to get serious; Probation a prospect not to be taken lightly by Delta College" left me with several concerns.
The most important of these is your contention that San Joaquin Delta College has ignored or put off action on more than half the suggestions of the accrediting commission. This has no basis in fact. Significant efforts began immediately to address all 11 recommendations mentioned by the commission in its initial report in July, and these efforts continue today. The latest report from the commission contains only six recommendations and has allowed us to adjust our focus and to accelerate our responses to the remaining issues.
Make no mistake: Accreditation weighs heavily on everyone's mind at Delta College. While being placed on probation is indeed a serious matter, it nonetheless serves no positive purpose to suggest that anyone at Delta College is taking this issue lightly.
Further, I find it dispiriting that The Record correctly printed in an article by Alex Breitler on Feb. 18 that the college Board of Trustees took definitive action to resolve a key accreditation issue: namely, to establish and adopt a code of ethics governing their actions. Then, two days later, The Record inexplicably wrote in an editorial that the Board of Trustees had failed to adopt a code of ethics.
While such inaccuracies may appear insignificant to your editorial board and perhaps even to those who read your paper, you may find it interesting to note that a contributing factor to the accrediting commission's decision to place the college on probation had to do with its continuing examination of local media coverage as it pertains to the Delta College Board of Trustees.
The November election resulted in the replacement of four of seven seats on the San Joaquin Delta College Board of Trustees. Since that time, another seat has been vacated and filled. The five new board members are working diligently with the two remaining members on a wide variety of inherited challenges as well as current issues raised by the financial crisis facing California and the rest of the country.
At Delta College, we recognize and support the media's responsibility to shine the light of public scrutiny on the operations of public agencies. When we err, we stand ready to accept any deserved criticism for our actions. However, given the seriousness of the college's accreditation situation, it is more important now than ever before that The Record's coverage of these issues be both accurate and fair.
Raúl Rodríguez
Superintendent/president, San Joaquin Delta College
» NOTE: We erred in our editorial. The news story of Feb. 18, "Delta College placed on probation by peer group," does indeed say the new Board of Trustees has adopted a code of ethics.
The Record editorial of Feb. 20 titled "Time to get serious; Probation a prospect not to be taken lightly by Delta College" left me with several concerns.
The most important of these is your contention that San Joaquin Delta College has ignored or put off action on more than half the suggestions of the accrediting commission. This has no basis in fact. Significant efforts began immediately to address all 11 recommendations mentioned by the commission in its initial report in July, and these efforts continue today. The latest report from the commission contains only six recommendations and has allowed us to adjust our focus and to accelerate our responses to the remaining issues.
Make no mistake: Accreditation weighs heavily on everyone's mind at Delta College. While being placed on probation is indeed a serious matter, it nonetheless serves no positive purpose to suggest that anyone at Delta College is taking this issue lightly.
Further, I find it dispiriting that The Record correctly printed in an article by Alex Breitler on Feb. 18 that the college Board of Trustees took definitive action to resolve a key accreditation issue: namely, to establish and adopt a code of ethics governing their actions. Then, two days later, The Record inexplicably wrote in an editorial that the Board of Trustees had failed to adopt a code of ethics.
While such inaccuracies may appear insignificant to your editorial board and perhaps even to those who read your paper, you may find it interesting to note that a contributing factor to the accrediting commission's decision to place the college on probation had to do with its continuing examination of local media coverage as it pertains to the Delta College Board of Trustees.
The November election resulted in the replacement of four of seven seats on the San Joaquin Delta College Board of Trustees. Since that time, another seat has been vacated and filled. The five new board members are working diligently with the two remaining members on a wide variety of inherited challenges as well as current issues raised by the financial crisis facing California and the rest of the country.
At Delta College, we recognize and support the media's responsibility to shine the light of public scrutiny on the operations of public agencies. When we err, we stand ready to accept any deserved criticism for our actions. However, given the seriousness of the college's accreditation situation, it is more important now than ever before that The Record's coverage of these issues be both accurate and fair.
Raúl Rodríguez
Superintendent/president, San Joaquin Delta College
» NOTE: We erred in our editorial. The news story of Feb. 18, "Delta College placed on probation by peer group," does indeed say the new Board of Trustees has adopted a code of ethics.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Time to get serious
Probation a prospect not to be taken lightly by Delta College
By The Record
February 20, 2009 6:00 AM
It was disappointing to learn that San Joaquin Delta College has been placed on probation by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges.
In June, the same group issued a warning to the college telling officials there to bring things up to an acceptable level or face probation and the possibility of losing accreditation.
Losing accreditation is no slap on the wrist. Among many other things, it could undermine the availability of financial aid to students and jeopardize the academic future of students wanting to go on to four-year schools.
Like last summer, college officials seemed to say don't worry about the threat. It's not uncommon for colleges to be given warnings or even placed on probation, they said.
Maybe so, and it's true that last summer, the commission issued warnings to about 20 other colleges in the West. But just because being threatened is common doesn't mean it isn't embarrassing.
In the fall, Delta officials did send the commission a 250-page report outlining the progress they felt had been made addressing the commission's concerns. They hoped that would be the end of it.
Apparently not.
Probation indicates the college "deviates significantly" from standards, commission President Barbara A. Beno told Delta President Raul Rodriguez in a Feb. 3 letter.
In fact, of 11 recommendations to the commission, six still have not been addressed. Ignoring - or at least putting off action on - more than half the things suggested by an accreditation commission is not the way to make the group happy.
To be sure, there has been a huge change in the trustee leadership at Delta. In November, district voters swept from office the two incumbents on the ballot and elected two other new trustees in districts where the incumbents did not run. A fifth was replaced last month after she resigned during an embezzlement case. Five of the board's seven trustees are new.
That might slow progress. But it's troubling that one of the commission's continuing concerns is the lack of a trustee code of ethics.
The problems the district has faced in the past will not be cured overnight. But the time to begin working on them is before the sun gets any higher in the sky.
Source...
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Mountain House Residents Looking Out for #1
Written by Mountain House Press
Thursday, 15 January 2009
Mountain House's board sets up committee to watch Delta's doings.
MOUNTAIN HOUSE — Getting San Joaquin Delta College to Mountain House is a strong priority in this small, windswept community.
The Mountain House Community Services District board of directors Wednesday night voted to create a Delta College advisory committee to keep its citizens informed of what transpires during Delta’s board of trustees meetings in Stockton.
The committee will be chaired by board member Matt Balzarini and will include Bernice King-Tingle and three other Mountain House residents picked by the board.
New Delta Board trustees who campaigned on the promises of moving the proposed campus from Mountain House to Tracy prompted the urgent formation of the committee.
“We think this is a very important committee, and that’s why it showed up so quickly on your agenda,” MHCSD General Manager Paul Sensibaugh told the board. “The idea here is to have the community involved in a level of authority or at least recognition for some people who can go to the Delta board of trustees and express Mountain House’s concerns on certain items.”
The board will also ask Delta College trustees to keep them informed when an issue of importance to Mountain House comes up.
The board had some debate on the size of the committee, but decided to go with five members.
“I think that it would be good to have two people from the board and from the community at large, three people,” director King-Tingle said. “It shows that Mountain House as a board and a city are interested in that project.”
Mike Klinkner was one of many concerned citizens of Mountain House who voiced concerns about a Delta College campus in Mountain House.
“We have to stand up for this campus,” he said. “We have to keep the campus here.”
A safety advisory committee was also formed Wednesday night that will work jointly with the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Department to address the community’s law enforcement needs.
The board’s next meeting will be on Jan. 22 to discuss the 2009 Mountain House budget.
Source
Thursday, 15 January 2009
Mountain House's board sets up committee to watch Delta's doings.
MOUNTAIN HOUSE — Getting San Joaquin Delta College to Mountain House is a strong priority in this small, windswept community.
The Mountain House Community Services District board of directors Wednesday night voted to create a Delta College advisory committee to keep its citizens informed of what transpires during Delta’s board of trustees meetings in Stockton.
The committee will be chaired by board member Matt Balzarini and will include Bernice King-Tingle and three other Mountain House residents picked by the board.
New Delta Board trustees who campaigned on the promises of moving the proposed campus from Mountain House to Tracy prompted the urgent formation of the committee.
“We think this is a very important committee, and that’s why it showed up so quickly on your agenda,” MHCSD General Manager Paul Sensibaugh told the board. “The idea here is to have the community involved in a level of authority or at least recognition for some people who can go to the Delta board of trustees and express Mountain House’s concerns on certain items.”
The board will also ask Delta College trustees to keep them informed when an issue of importance to Mountain House comes up.
The board had some debate on the size of the committee, but decided to go with five members.
“I think that it would be good to have two people from the board and from the community at large, three people,” director King-Tingle said. “It shows that Mountain House as a board and a city are interested in that project.”
Mike Klinkner was one of many concerned citizens of Mountain House who voiced concerns about a Delta College campus in Mountain House.
“We have to stand up for this campus,” he said. “We have to keep the campus here.”
A safety advisory committee was also formed Wednesday night that will work jointly with the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Department to address the community’s law enforcement needs.
The board’s next meeting will be on Jan. 22 to discuss the 2009 Mountain House budget.
Source
Friday, January 9, 2009
Delta trustees up to task of challenges ahead
Written by Steve Castellanos
Tuesday, 06 January 2009
The new president of the San Joaquin Delta College board of trustees say its time for the college administration and the board to mend the college's reputation.
On Nov. 4, [2008] voters of the San Joaquin Delta Community College District elected me along with C. Jennet Stebbins, Mary Ann Cox and Teresa Brown, to positions on the college’s board of trustees. On Dec. 10, we were sworn in, and on Dec. 16, my fellow board members appointed me as their president.
It is now time for the college administration and the board to roll up our sleeves and collectively begin the difficult work of mending the reputation of this college that is so vital to the economic and cultural strength of the region.
During the past several months, Delta has been the subject of intense public scrutiny and criticism. This is unfortunate, but with a new year upon us and a renewed spirit of cooperation in the air, it is now our challenge to replace the public’s suspicion and frustration with optimism and trust. We will do this by consistently making well-informed, student-centered decisions in the full light of public scrutiny.
As the president of the board, I commit to the public that we will move quickly while learning from the past to make sure that it is good policy and not political concerns that guide Delta College to a much brighter future.
As an architect, I am acutely aware of how important it is to build on a solid footing. While it is no secret that the college has some challenging issues it must immediately address, it does, however, have an unshakable foundation.
Simply put, the faculty, staff and administrators I’ve met in my short time at the college get up in the morning and go to work determined to change lives. They understand and hold sacred the extraordinary role they play in the well-being of the more than 20,000 students who place their dreams of a better future in the college’s hands each semester.
Also, Measure L controversies notwithstanding, Delta has a long tradition of making responsible financial decisions dating back to its first days as a public institution. Accordingly, the college has prudent reserves, has very little long-term debt and, in relation to its peers, is well prepared to navigate the difficult financial issues we all know lay ahead.
But perhaps the greatest reason for my optimism about Delta’s future is the fact that members of the public have demonstrated time and time again that they place enormous value on the work of the college and are unwilling to accept anything less than excellence from those of us who have the privilege of serving such a fine school. Seldom does one get to build on a stronger foundation than that.
I understand that when the public trust is strained, sentiment means little, and words mean even less.
Action is what counts, and I think it is important to state publicly that the board and the administration are fully aware that we have a great deal of work to do if we want to restore the college to its rightful place in public opinion — and we intend to do just that.
• Steve Castellanos, a resident of Valley Springs, is the new president of the San Joaquin Delta College board of trustees.
Source
Tuesday, 06 January 2009
The new president of the San Joaquin Delta College board of trustees say its time for the college administration and the board to mend the college's reputation.
On Nov. 4, [2008] voters of the San Joaquin Delta Community College District elected me along with C. Jennet Stebbins, Mary Ann Cox and Teresa Brown, to positions on the college’s board of trustees. On Dec. 10, we were sworn in, and on Dec. 16, my fellow board members appointed me as their president.
It is now time for the college administration and the board to roll up our sleeves and collectively begin the difficult work of mending the reputation of this college that is so vital to the economic and cultural strength of the region.
During the past several months, Delta has been the subject of intense public scrutiny and criticism. This is unfortunate, but with a new year upon us and a renewed spirit of cooperation in the air, it is now our challenge to replace the public’s suspicion and frustration with optimism and trust. We will do this by consistently making well-informed, student-centered decisions in the full light of public scrutiny.
As the president of the board, I commit to the public that we will move quickly while learning from the past to make sure that it is good policy and not political concerns that guide Delta College to a much brighter future.
As an architect, I am acutely aware of how important it is to build on a solid footing. While it is no secret that the college has some challenging issues it must immediately address, it does, however, have an unshakable foundation.
Simply put, the faculty, staff and administrators I’ve met in my short time at the college get up in the morning and go to work determined to change lives. They understand and hold sacred the extraordinary role they play in the well-being of the more than 20,000 students who place their dreams of a better future in the college’s hands each semester.
Also, Measure L controversies notwithstanding, Delta has a long tradition of making responsible financial decisions dating back to its first days as a public institution. Accordingly, the college has prudent reserves, has very little long-term debt and, in relation to its peers, is well prepared to navigate the difficult financial issues we all know lay ahead.
But perhaps the greatest reason for my optimism about Delta’s future is the fact that members of the public have demonstrated time and time again that they place enormous value on the work of the college and are unwilling to accept anything less than excellence from those of us who have the privilege of serving such a fine school. Seldom does one get to build on a stronger foundation than that.
I understand that when the public trust is strained, sentiment means little, and words mean even less.
Action is what counts, and I think it is important to state publicly that the board and the administration are fully aware that we have a great deal of work to do if we want to restore the college to its rightful place in public opinion — and we intend to do just that.
• Steve Castellanos, a resident of Valley Springs, is the new president of the San Joaquin Delta College board of trustees.
Source
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