RE: Question 2: Community College Governance

As a former member of the California Postsecondary Education Commission and now as Chair of the Assembly Committee on Higher Education I have been concerned with the governance of the current community college system.  This is due in part to the fractured system of governance where the state board does not have the same authority as the CSU or UC boards. 

I believe that the Master Plan recommendations could help the community colleges address several of the major concerns that the Legislature has had with transfer, statewide articulation of general education courses, expanding enrollments in key areas such as nursing, and dealing with funding issues.

While it is important to strengthen the role of the Board of Governors to achieve these efficiencies, we must allow local district to tailor programs for their communities.  For example, in Silicon Valley our community colleges have developed great relationships with local industry - they train a large part of the high tech workforce.  I would not want to take away the local control that allows districts to meet these regional needs.