Community Colleges Chancellor’s Resignation

Joshua Smith’s resignation as chancellor of the California community colleges is not evidence of a flawed governance structure for our state’s 106 colleges (“Warning on the Colleges,” Editorial, Aug. 14). It is only evidence of a restless, impatient educator longing to return to a campus environment on the east coast.

The office of the chancellor and the state board now have tremendous authority and ability to influence education policy in local districts. Although Chancellor Smith cites rules and regulations to strengthen academic standards which he says are languishing in the executive branch bureaucracy, 60 colleges are implementing the new standards.

The local boards of trustees and 10 major statewide organizations, working with the chancellor and the state board, developed and advanced to the Legislature a new delineation of governance functions agreement--not because the state board had new powers but because it was recognized governance improvements were needed.

Without a state law and little state financial support, the community colleges developed and are implementing a major educational reform to assess, counsel and guide students.

Community college faculty leaders, working with faculty at UC and CSU, have made great strides in developing common core curricula to enhance the ability of students to transfer from a community college to a university.

Local boards of trustees, faculty and administrators have been working for several years, with limited state financial support, to reinvigorate the curriculum and to serve with distinction the diverse student population of the colleges. Virtually every education reform proposal advanced by the Master Plan Commission is being undertaken in some form.

The power and authority of the state board and chancellor to influence, to coordinate and to direct are present, yet in a way which recognizes the cherished American tradition of lay responsibility for public education.

The Legislature’s Joint Committee for the Review of the Master Plan for Higher Education has recognized the history, traditions and strengths of the community colleges and shaped a governance proposal which will sustain excellence. Let us hope the Legislature continues on that path.

RICHARD H. GREEN

President

DAVID L. VIAR

Executive Director

California Community College Trustees

Sacramento