Lt. Governor Garamendi Visits Campus, Addresses the State's Higher Education Challenges and Workforce Development

On a stop at California State University, Dominguez Hills on February 25 as part of his “Listening Tour” of the CSUs, Lieutenant Governor John Garamendi brought together a team of leading experts to discuss ideas for addressing the state’s higher education challenges. Garamendi’s day on campus included a morning visit to Professor Kate Fawver’s History 101 class to talk about the budget crisis the state is facing and the affect it could have on higher education and an afternoon panel discussion in the Loker Student Union about workforce development.

In Fawver’s class, the lieutenant governor introduced a panel of local leaders, educators and advocates including CSU Dominguez Hills President Mildred García; Ifeanyi Ebigbo, president, Associated Students, Inc.; David Bradfield, Dominguez Hills chapter president, California Faculty Association; and Marty Hittelman, president, California Federation of Teachers.

Bradfield introduced the formation of the “Alliance for the CSU,” a grassroots campaign to stem the tide of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s proposed budget cuts of $386 million. Bradfield exhorted the assembled students to participate in the campaign.

“The solution to California’s economic problems is the CSU,” said Bradfield, a professor of music and digital media arts. “It’s also clear that all sectors of public education must band together to stop the de-funding of this public trust. We will work together as we urge the governor and the legislature not to cripple the very economic engine that can drive the state to better economic times.”

President García also urged the students to help fight the budget cuts by describing how as a college student in her home state of New York, she participated in a student movement to stop budget cuts.

“This affects the future and every single one of you,” she said. “You need to text message; you need to write letters, go to a rally. You need to go back to your neighborhoods. You’re the educators for your communities to sign petitions, call the governor, call your legislators. All of you will be the leaders of this state.”

For the afternoon panel, Garamendi heard from local business, labor, education and economic development leaders about the CSU’s role in preparing California for the future and developing the workforce of tomorrow, with a focus on the next generation of professionals in nursing and education. Garamendi acknowledged the critical role CSU Dominguez Hills plays in addressing shortages in these essential growing fields.

After a welcome by President García, Garamendi opened the panel by speaking of the major challenges facing California and expressed concern about how we will finance our “intellectual infrastructure investments.” Addressing the audience of over 200, he thanked CSU Dominguez Hills and President García for hosting his visit and acknowledged Carson Mayor Jim Dear, who was also present.

Garamendi introduced CSU Dominguez Hills Director of Nursing Carole Shea, who spoke of increased needs for registered nurses due to changing demographics brought on by the aging “Baby Boomer” population and increases in chronic illness, changes in economics and healthcare systems, the nursing profession and workforce. She discussed the educational routes to become a nurse and how Dominguez Hills offers critical nursing programs that meet the region’s need for nurses. Shea also stressed how budget cuts would affect the university’s ability to hire faculty, build additional labs or purchase necessary equipment, and limit our ability to offer nursing programs to students who would become part of this important workforce.

Referencing the proposed budget cuts, CSUDH College of Education Dean Lynne Cook addressed the challenges that the state will face in providing teachers to replace the increased numbers of those retiring if its ability to do so is further reduced. CSU Dominguez Hills is one of the top three producers of teachers in the CSU, even though the university is one of the smaller campuses, says Cook.

“These folks change lives.” says Cook, “If we don’t prepare teachers well, they don’t prepare [K-12] students well for college.”

Jonathan Mooney, director of the Teacher Pathway Project at the South Bay Center for Counseling, talked about the need for “wraparound” community social services that support career pathways for students. Janet Young, associate professor of teacher education programs (TEP) at El Camino Community College, focused on elementary education programs at the community college level and how partnerships between community colleges and universities effectively prepare teachers for the workforce. Joe Aro, executive director, South Bay Economic Development Partnership, talked about the growing industries in the South Bay that include defense, high technology, recreation, manufacturing, international trade, transportation and auto industries. Aro emphasized the importance of partnerships between business, government and academia in addressing the need for qualified job candidates in those fields. Others on the panel who spoke included Dr. David Bradfield, music professor and president of the CSU Dominguez Hills Chapter of the California Faculty Association; Ifeanyi Ebigbo, president, CSU Dominguez Hills Associated Students Inc.; Jan Vogel, executive director, South Bay Workforce Investment Board; Dr. Linda Spink, president, Los Angeles Harbor College; and Julie Washington, elementary vice president, United Teachers Los Angeles.

Garamendi noted that a theme was developing that could be traced in all of the speakers presentations – the integration of the education system into the community and the necessity for student preparation to address the workforce requirements of the state.

Garamendi concluded the event by summarizing some of the principles that were apparent: “Education is the most critical of all our infrastructures [in California] and an investment we must make. We have to spend money on our children and our success rates are woefully inadequate.”

He pointed out the importance of the existing partnerships between community entities and academia. He encouraged those in attendance to visit their local legislative offices and to “speak up and speak out” against the proposed budget cuts to higher education.

- Brenda Knepper and Joanie Harmon