The Joshua Tree Rotary Club held a virtual candidates forum Monday night for the candidates who are running for the Copper Mountain College and Joshua Basin Water District boards of directors. Managing editor Tami Roleff hits the highlights of the five candidates running for the college board…
When the five candidates were asked which mission they felt was most important at Copper Mountain College—career technical education, associate’s degree, or transfer or community education, and why—the candidates all agreed that each was important. Greg Gilbert said they can be stepping stones to the other, and he was proud of the nearly 200 high school students who were taking college courses at CMC. Mary Lombardo said the college started by teaching job training, but believes they are all important. Dick Rogers said vocational training is very important, but he doesn’t want to overlook the transfer program, and added that students might start out on one career path but change to another. Thomas Short said he got his start in vocational training, but what’s important is meeting the students’ needs. And Supinda Sirihekaphong felt it was important to align the college’s programs with the community needs.
The complete forum can be viewed on the Joshua Tree Rotary YouTube channel.
Z107.7 will also include a recap of the Joshua Basin Water District candidates at a future date.
Abbreviated answers from the CMC candidates
Why do you want to serve?
Greg Gilbert
Become a very personal cause,
Central mission in my life and I feel I have more to give
Mary Lombardo
Love my job and I’m a good at it.
We have lots of changes at CMC, new deans. I have worked with 3 presidents in the last year.
Growth requires consistent investment over time.
I offer this stability as incumbent
Dick Rogers
We have a very strong board, we have different views on a lot of items. Individuals that are diametrically opposed as far as political views but we all come together to do this for good of students
My goals is student success
Vocation programs, passionate about
Working with calfire to come up with wildfire academy and hospitality program in the works
Really like the vocational end of college preparation
Thomas Short
When I was 18 I enlisted in USMC.
I volunteered for many community events
Learned an appreciation for community service
So much room for growth and development that I feel I am qualified to bring new ideas to this school
Supinda Sirihekaphong
Can relate to international students
Success is not just academic, but includes housing and food.
Want to bring my experience of working at a community college as well as my doctorate.
What is biggest challenge/problem facing CMC?
Supinda Sirihekaphong
Funding is an issue being a rural college.
Outreach with community is lack of awareness of programs offered at CMC.
I have experience with both, how to increase enrollment with limited funding, and student services.
Lots of grant opportunities from the Dept. of Education as well as statewide that I’d like to explore.
Believe I’m pretty good at outreach.
Sandy Smith at the CMC Foundation is doing an awesome job and I would like to join her.
Thomas Short
Biggest problem facing school is COVID-19. Fortunate that the outbreak could have been a lot worse.
Don’t let our guard down. Follow CDC guidelines and see what other schools have done.
Give people the option to opt out; can’t force them to work and put family in potentially life-threatening situation
Will donate my salary to purchase cleaning supplies during pandemic.
Dick Rogers
Funding is our biggest problem.
We are a small college, all based on FT student enrollment.
Small colleges have more difficult time. It’s difficult to have a balanced budget
COVID is obviously a big problem
Vocational training is a big item we need to explore further.
Everyone doesn’t need to go on for 4-year degree.
I’d like to have heating and air conditioning program.
Involve military in these programs, they go all over the country and can work in these fields in their new homes when they get out.
Mary Lombardo
Immediate challenge is COVID-19,
Keeping commitment of a quality education.
Every class is online except labs.
It’s a struggle to keep students engaged.
Our ongoing struggle is educating students to keep up with current employment trends.
Greg Gilbert
If we can survive the budgeting process we can survive anything.
Keep a balanced budget and healthy reserve.
Opportunity—COVID is providing an extraordinary opportunity
Becoming a 24-hour college, 7 days a week.
Community colleges serve multiple missions, what is most important? Career technical education, associate’s degree, transfer, dual enrollment, community education?
And why?
Greg Gilbert
They’re each important and sometimes they can be stepping stones to the other.
Have 199 MUSD students enrolled in college courses.
Guess it’s up to individual student, hope we can serve their individual needs.
Have a little room to explore and they can choose their pathway and get all the help they need..
They’re all equally important
Mary Lombardo
We are 1 school among 115 community colleges in California.
CMC started with job training, career technical education.
I feel they’re equally important
Continuing education enriches their life as well, more of a bonus, but they’re equal
Dick Rogers
Mission of is CTE and transfer
Vocational programs are very important but don’t want to overlook transfer program.
Wouldn’t trade either one, both are very important.
Individual might be in vocation but still need general education and may get hooked on something they really liked.
Supinda Sirihekaphong
Agree that all different programs are important, CTE, degrees for transfer
See what community needs are and align our programs with community needs
CMC’s nursing program is successful.
How can we replicate that program? Strong connection with clinics and hospitals.
Is there something we can do with CTE and associate programs?
Regardless of which program we are focusing on we should be transparent with community.
Thomas Short
I’ve seen a lot of benefit from vocational training. I learned how to weld in vo-tech.
I started working out of high school.
Echo what Greg Gilbert said, as long as we provide a balance for students to meet their individual goals, that’s important.
How long have you lived in CMC district and what civic organizations have you served?
Supinda Sirihekaphong
Landed in desert like a UFO end of last year.
Very quickly started getting involved in political campaigns.
Met souls who welcomed and embraced me and they encouraged me to run for CMC.
Active, have energy and capacity.
When I got called to lead some community events, I didn’t want to lead because I felt I had to learn more.
First couple of months will be learning about successes we’ve had and then offering up my own knowledge.
Thomas Short
Been coming up here for awhile. Family lived here for a few generations. Lived here for about 3 ½ years. Love scenic views and quiet nights
Taken part in protests for protection of Joshua trees. Look forward to getting involved in the future.
Dick Rogers
Past president of Joshua Tree Rotary Club.
Lots of activities with college and foundation
Lifetime member of booster club for Fighting Cacti
Board member of Lincoln Club
Pelican Club
Board member of condo association
Award from Town of Yucca Valley
Been a Hi-Desert resident for 40+ years
Mary Lombardo
Lived in Morongo Basin for 34 years
My involvement with community started about 28 years ago with Kiwanis Club. Key club with high school
Bowling Special Olympics
Tender Loving Christmas
Volunteered in children’s classrooms
20 years opened my dental office to internships and job shadowing.
Donating funds, my family has invested in Boys and Girls Club, Key Club scholarships.
CMC athletic boosters, CMC Foundation for 8 years
With Greg Gilbert, we created scholarship for students who are returning to school late in life.
Greg Gilbert
Literary magazine at college, Howl
Contribute good portion of salary to finance Howl,
CMC foundation, National Park board
Basin-wide bicycle path, rec’d $200,000 grant for a study
Mojave Desert Land Trust essay contest
Been here for 27 years
Closing statements
Thomas Short
There’s a lot for the current board to be proud of, but there are some shortfalls.
Many people in this area think school isn’t worth their time, and that’s heartbreaking.
Graduation, job placement rates are lower, and loan default rates are higher than state averages.
Only 23% of students graduating on time
More CMC grads live below poverty line
We have to raise the standards.
The first step in solving a problem is admitting you have one; major issues slipping past.
Student success shouldn’t stop when they graduate
Dick Rogers
We set up some goals
Student success, we are striving for 100 percent.
Students’ health and safety are important.
Support social justice.
Fiscal well-being of college
We are maintaining national accreditation
CMC offers tutorial services and refreshers in math and English
We are supportive of military.
MUSD and CMC have a great deal of cooperation
Greg Gilbert
Before I became an educator I was a police officer and a 911 supervisor. Both positions placed me in worlds where people were seeking help.
CMC mission has a passion for success for individual student.
CMC is part of 115 community colleges in California.
I would like to see progress in promoting a more vibrantly aware campus.
We want to see greater accountability.
Our goal is 100% success and we are doing our very best to measure our success. It’s a goal we think we can achieve, to keep students in school increase activities on campus.
CMC used to have a symphony orchestra, art community, CMC days, student government raising money. I would like to see us recapture some of that. We worked together on the Morongo Basin bicycle path.
Work to make the campus a more exciting place to hang out.
Supinda Sirihekaphong
Excited about opportunity of serving the community.
To the student body, I am probably more relatable to them.
I am a first-generation college student; may not look my age, I look like a college student. Think I look like someone CMC students could aspire to.
I faced implicit bias and want to share my experience about how they can reach their potential.
I am a birth doula and yoga instructor.
Mary Lombardo
While I’ve been on the board, CMC has added Student Activity Services building, Bud and Betty Garrett Center for Veterans; a gym with bleachers; the Bruce’s Place special for hungry students.
The dual-enrollment program showing progress: No registration cost, no book purchase, not wait listed.
Men’s and women’s basketball teams.
Legislation AB19, Calif Promise Program, high school students can take classes for two years at no cost, up to 12 credits.
CMC offers 30 associate degrees and 7 CTE programs.
