Q&A: Adrienne Grey, Candidate for West Valley-Mission Community College District Board

Four candidates are vying for your support in the West Valley Mission Community College District Board of Trustees election Nov. 6, 2012 where there are two seats up for grabs, which represent areas 2 and 6.

They are:

• Incumbent board of trustees president Adrienne Grey
• Incumbent trustee Robert T. Owens
• Ben Hernandez
• Ron Bonhagen

The California League of Women Voters asked the candidates the following questions and these are Grey's responses.

What experience and training would you bring to this office?

Grey: I bring excellent listening and problem-solving skills accumulated in my 30-year management career, along with a familiarity with the district that I have gained in serving four years on the West Valley-Mission Board. I also bring my passionate enthusiasm for protecting public higher education in California to empower the lives of our citizens and fuel a healthy ecomony.

What do you see as the role of the Board in labor negotiations?

Grey: The Board provides guidance to the district negotiating team, and ultimately votes whether or not to accept negotiated contract terms with each of the bargaining units. Issues of Board concern are ensuring the continued fiscal stability of the district, while balancing the interests of students, employees, and community stakeholders.

What are your goals for the college? Are students, faculty and staff currently meeting those goals?

• Balanced budget and responsible fiscal stewardship in a challenging funding climate. The immediate past Chancellor of WVM has done an excellent job assembling a fine administrative team and process for careful and thorough budgetary control. Our budget is balanced, though of course still dependent on funding from the state, and particularly on whether or not Proposition 30 passes. Regardless, our Board and our new Chancellor are committed to maintaining a balanced budget.
• Protecting our core mission of student success: college transfer, career/technical ed, and basic skills. In order to meet the needs of business in the growing high-tech economy, California Community Colleges will need to increase their number of graduates by 1 million students by the year 2020. The Student Success Taskforce assembled by the Community College League of California to take on this challenge has developed a list of recommendations to focus and prioritize courses and support services that lead to student success. These recommendations are now being addressed in the State Legislature and will take shape as laws that effect our colleges. Trustees across the state have been closely watching and preparing their institutions for pending changes.
• Fostering alternate funding sources, so our colleges remain fiscally sound and affordable for all. I have been and will continue working with the WVM Advancement Foundation to explore ways to increase our District endowment. Thanks to Measure C, the new and refurbished buildings on both campuses, along with our upcoming 50th Anniversary celebrations, will provide excellent opportunities for naming rights, memorials, and other giving opportunities for those who value the education our colleges provide.