Our colleges:Peralta’s four (4) colleges (Laney College, Merritt College, Berkeley City College and College of Alameda) provide essential opportunities for education and growth. And, our colleges can be so much better!
– Students First! – Peralta’s first priority must be students. This means offering classes and student support services as a first priority. The administration must be streamlined and wherever possible, existing faculty and staff should be provided with the support and training needed to accomplish functions that are now routinely delegated to costly administrators and high-priced consultants. This would not only keep administrative decisions grounded in the daily realities of Peralta’s classroom and direct services, but this model would also reduce administrative turnover and greatly reduce costs.
– Real Student Success – We must consider and support the needs of students where they really are and not just focus on a narrow set of numerical measures for “success.” We must find creative ways to address even the most basic needs of students from food and housing to academic achievement and transfer. We must provide better access to instructional equipment and online learning opportunities, as well as other essential tools only available through today’s internet. We should support faculty in moving to no-cost and low-cost textbooks without compromising the pedagogical process, which may include the provision of a platform for faculty to write and produce educational materials. We must advocate for fully free access to higher education, fulfilling the original intent of California’s educational master plan. And, finally, we must meaningfully empower our students with the tools for citizen advocacy. It will not be enough for students to study hard, transfer and then get a job if these jobs do not pay enough to support their families. Only a fully empowered community can fulfill the promises of a democratic society and an educated citizenry.
– Financial Priorities and Accountability – While Peralta’s faculty and staff work hard to support their students, unfortunately, that work is being undermined by poor administrative decisions. As noted in numerous articles in the East Bay Times and San Francisco Chronicle, financial chaos along with poor spending priorities and weak enrollment management has led to reduced course offerings, low enrollment, hiring freezes, downgraded financial ratings, budget cuts and general conflict within the District.
The District administration made a $10 million accounting error that led to months of worry and chaos, and then hired back the very same administrator who oversaw much of this chaos as a private consultant making over $20K per month! Other private consultants are milking the District dry. The District has $8 million in generous supplementary parcel tax funding from our voters, which should allow the colleges to offer many classes. Sadly, again reported in the East Bay Times, the Administration for two years in a row failed to follow its own budget plans and spent barely anything on class offerings or faculty– putting at risk the vital parcel tax and bond measures on the November ballot. But this is just the tip of the iceberg. Peralta has wasted literally millions of dollars as a result of cronyism, mismanagement and poor financial planning as noted in the East Bay Times/Oakland Tribune in their endorsement of our campaign. As a Trustee I will be my community's voice insisting on an end to these practices.
Below is a listing of some of the key newspaper articles chronicaling Peralta's poor management and other conflicts and challenges facing the District:
Working People:
Corean is a fierce, life-long advocate for working people. First as an Area Rep for the Communication Workers of America (Local 9415) in her twenties and continuing with work as a union steward for Teamsters Local 2010 at UC Berkeley. “The first time I sat across from corporate managers to support a fellow worker in a grievance process, I learned very quickly that our power to advocate for workers was completely grounded in our collective ability to organize and act together. That, along with a good contract, completely leveled the playing field against those with more money. I became a life-long advocate for worker’s rights and collective bargaining.”
As a Trustee, Corean is committed to ending unfair treatment of part-time, temporary and hourly workers in the District who receive less pay and reduced or no medical benefits, even when they do the same work as full time and permanent workers. Board members must make it a priority both at the local level and at the state level, to advocate for stronger funding and more equitable treatment of these important members of our community.
Families and Children:
Corean Todd served as the Oakland Chapter president of Parent Voices, a statewide advocacy group fighting for affordable child care, early childhood education and other support services for working families. As the mother of two sons, she understands first-hand the struggles of working families to get ahead. Whether knocking doors in Oakland or lobbying in the halls of Sacramento, Corean has been a consistent and powerful voice for our communities. “I have also worked professionally in both the fields of subsidized child care placements (Oakland Licensed Day Care Operators’ Association, the Contra Costa Childcare Council) and affordable housing (Berkeley Housing Authority). My perspective and passion to help others arise from a lifetime of experience and years of real work on the ground. I know what it is like to struggle. And I also know how much it means to get a hand up that allows one to break the cycle of poverty, to be independent, and to then to help one’s children get ahead too.”