Q&A with Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District Board Candidate Lee Quinn – San Diego Union-Tribune

Lee Quinn, a homemaker and former high school teacher, is running for the Area 4 seat on the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District board of directors.

The San Diego Union-Tribune asked all candidates running in the community college districts around San Diego County about their policies, plans and priorities. This is what Quinn told us about her.

Why are you running for school board? What makes you a good candidate?

My original reason was to give a voice to all unvaccinated students and staff. I would also vote against any potential future mandates that would endanger medical freedom. Currently, there are many reasons to speak on behalf of the students and residents of East County because I feel they are not being properly heard and served.

Having a husband who has taught at Grossmont College for over twenty years has taught me a lot about the district. I believe there is a need for new ideas and for the board to have at least one trustee who is not directly affiliated with the AFT teachers union nor politically influenced. DEI has run its course and it’s time to focus on merit and skill, rather than the endless DEI and woke influences.

What is the most important issue your community college district is currently facing?

There are many problems, but the most important thing is that we must be able to adapt to changes in society. Examples include: balancing classes to meet transfer needs; providing up-to-date skills to meet the needs of the changing labor market; working with fluctuating budgets. Changes in the sector are a major concern. Examples include: online versus on-campus classes, artificial intelligence tools such as ChatGPT, and how they impact teaching and learning.

What are the top three specific things you would like to accomplish on the school board?

1. Mandates that affect individual freedoms will be voted against. The COVID-19 years provided a challenging example.
2. Much less dependence on the teachers’ union AFT in establishing policy. Yes, the council can listen and communicate with all relevant parties, but is not beholden to anyone in particular.
3. Less money is spent on general administration costs.

What would be your approach to budget planning and expenditure? What would you do if your district had a budget deficit?

A budget guideline I would follow would be to operate within budget or expand revenues. I also welcome input from responsible community members. I realize that I don’t have all the answers, and that they likely exist within our community. I plan to be available to hear ideas from students, staff, administrators, and community members.

If we were to have a budget deficit, there are many ways to temporarily cut costs, which are not easy, such as streamlining course offerings between colleges.

Colleges can also look at ways to increase revenue, such as renting out these impressive facilities that are nearly empty on weekends. With some creativity there are many possibilities. As previously mentioned, I would reach out to the community for suggestions and then make the tough decisions.

What would you do to make community college more affordable and accessible?

The colleges are actually quite affordable and accessible. For many full-time students, the first two years are even free and many financial services are available. In relation to these two areas, I would like to ask the staff working in the field of financial assistance and advice for their concerns and suggestions.

How should your community college district increase student academic achievement, and what would you do as a school board member to achieve that?

This is an interesting question because “academic achievement” means different things to everyone. For example, some students want an “A” at all costs; others may be present to audit a lesson; a community member in a sports or art class may not care about his grade.

For stereotypical “academic performance,” this is an area where we can work with the members and advisors of the campus Academic Senate to identify areas in need of change.

Why do you think more students don’t transfer to a four-year college or complete a degree/program? What do you think should be done to address this problem?

As mentioned above, every student has their own path. Many career paths do not require a four-year degree. There are as many reasons as there are students, and four-year transfer classes are just one of the three purposes of community colleges.

Not all students attend community college and plan to transfer. There are several two-year programs and certificates, such as nursing, networking, cybersecurity, administration of justice, culinary arts, and other areas where an associate degree or certificate may be the only requirement.

For many people, the need for a bachelor’s degree has lost some of its luster as people see the value of many other routes, such as employment as an electrician, plumber, carpenter or in the restaurant industry.

A big step in addressing this problem would be for students to create their own “career plan.”

Do you believe anything currently offered in community college district curricula, libraries, or programming should be removed? If so, what and why? If not, why not?

There is a process called “program review” that is designed to evaluate all departments and courses for relevance and currency. Progress will require new classes and degrees, such as cybersecurity or artificial intelligence, and similarly some will be outdated.

An example of a change might be that if a class is taught 100 percent online, and offered at both colleges, and there are low enrollments for both classes, the class might be held in Grossmont one semester and in Cuyamaca the next. offered, thus saving costs. class while being economically more efficient.