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the telescope Palomar College’s Independent Newspaper Vol. 66, No. 6 • Monday, Nov. 5, 2012 1140 W. Mission Rd, San Marcos, Calif.
GOVERNING BOARD
“Budget”
“Accountability”
“Cutting classes” “Broader concerns”
“Shortfalls” “Fewer resources” “Best interestS of the students”
the issues at hand
“Decision-making process”
“State fiscal crisis”
“Lack of leadership”
“Honest dialogue” “Bottom line” Governing Board elections are upon us and candidates are discussing matters of importance to students, faculty, staff The All-Candidates Forum featured Darrell McMullen, RoseMarie Dishman, and Nancy Chadwick. • Courtesy Melinda Finn/Palomar College
Trustees go unchallenged at candidates’ forum IAN HANNER
Editor’s note: As the elections close in, Palomar students, faculty and staff have important decisions to make with three candidates up for Governing Board re-election and three challengers. We at The Telescope know that all the political information thrown at us during this season can be overwhelming. We decided that we needed to hear from the candidates themselves, so we asked them each five questions that we think will help you decide who is best to represent the population of Palomar on the Governing Board.
Q: What is the biggest problem facing Palomar?
THE TELESCOPE
Three Palomar Board of Governors trustees went unchallenged when the contenders to their seats didn’t show up to an All-Candidates Forum on Oct. 23. Trustees Darrell McMullen, Rose Marie Dishman and Nancy Chadwick are seeking reelection during this November’s voting cycle. In a move to unseat the incumbents, the Palomar Faculty Federation endorsed Challengers John Halcon, Nancy Ann Hensch and Roberto Rodriguez. The All-Candidates forum is an event open to all contenders and traditionally held at Palomar during an election cycle. The event is intended to allow audience members to better understand the policies of the candidates. This year the forum was devoid of much debate when Halcon, Hensch and Rodriguez failed to respond or attend. “They never responded to the invitation,” said Greg Larson, the president of the Palomar Faculty Senate and one of the forum moderators. “They were contacted by mail and by telephone. As far as I know there was no response from any of them.” The forum was planned primarily by Palomar spokeswoman Laura Gropen and co-hosted by the Palomar Faculty Senate and the Associated Student Government. According to Gropen, included in the invitation sent to each candidate was a phone number they were asked to call if they were attending or if they could not make it. Gropen said the three Challengers did not respond to indicate they would not be particpating. Some lamented that it was unfortunate the challengers did not attend, especially in a year when the political rhetoric has been high.
TURN TO FORUM, PAGE 3
John Halcon: I know everyone is focused on the budget, but the biggest problem plaguing the college is a lack of leadership, accountability, and honest dialog. The only way we are going to get through the state fiscal crisis is if all campus groups work together through a shared understanding of the problem and trust that everyone is working for the best interests of the students. Over the course of this campaign I have met with dozens of students, faculty, and staff members. The common theme I hear from each group is a feeling of exclusion from the decision-making process, a history of being ignored by the Governing Board, and a sense that college administrators are acting to protect their own interests above others. Darrell McMullen: Budget cuts, as is the problem with all educational institutions now This takes an experienced board to make tough decisions. Roberto Rodriguez: As I mentioned above, the biggest problem facing Palomar College is budgetary. Given the possibility of mid-year budget cuts and further state budget cuts in the future, it’s important that we look at the bottom line in conjunction with the
core mission of the college. How do we maintain the highest level of education for our students with fewer resources at a time when four-year colleges are becoming more competitive and the job market more demanding? Rose Marie Dishman: State-funded budget cuts. Planning to mitigate shortfalls is a primary strength of the current Governing Board. Nancy Ann Hensch: If Proposition 30 doesn’t pass, the budget will be a challenge, but there are many other significant problems with the current leadership. The incumbents will say that the ending fund balance is proof of the college’s success. This is an extremely myopic view of their responsibilities. For example: What about students’ access to classes? One of the main reasons the District has been able to amass such a savings is because they’ve drastically cut the ability for students to get the classes they need for success. There are so many factors to consider when making important decisions, yet this board does not consider anything other than the bottom line. Palomar College needs thoughtful leadership that takes into consideration broader concerns by members of the community. Nancy Chadwick: Clearly, the biggest problem facing Palomar is the reduction of state funding over the past several years. This situation has created a crisis that we must deal with using the existing process on the campus (shared governance). This process must be transparent. We have to focus on doing the most we can for students in our community with the resources we have.
TURN TO GOVERNING BOARD, PAGE 2
THE CANDIDATES INCUMBENTS: Darrell McMullen - MBA from CSUSM - BS from SDSU - Board trustee since 2000 - President of the board (2003, 2008, 2012) - Palomar Foundation, six years
Rose Marie Dishman
- Ph.D. from UC Riverside - MS from UC Riverside - MBA from SDSU - Trustee at Palomar and Ocean Beach Planning Board
Nancy Chadwick
- Master’s from CSU Sacramento - Master’s from Catholic University - Bachelors from University of Kansas - Trustee at Palomar in 2004, 2008 - President of the board in 2004, 2008 - Secretary of the board 2003, 2007
CHALLENGERS: John Halcon - Ph.D. from UC Santa Barbara - MA from Loyola Marymount - BA from Loyola Marymount - Secretary of the California Faculty Association - Professor at CSU San Marcos
Nancy Ann Hensch
- Public school special education teacher
Roberto Rodriguez
- MA from University of San Diego - BA from University of San Diego - Teacher at Chula Vista High School