08-18-00 Assembly Speaker Hertzberg Appoints New Chairperson to The Assembly Higher Education Committee

Volume 13 For Publication Date: August 18, 2000 No. 18

Assembly Speaker Hertzberg Appoints New Chairperson
to The Assembly Higher Education Committee

Assembly Speaker Robert Hertzberg (D-Los Angeles) has announced the assignment of more than 15 new committee chairs. These new chair assignments are primarily due to current chairpersons being "termed-out" (unable to run for reelection due to term limits).

The appointment of greatest interest to community colleges is the assignment of Assembly Member Elaine Alquist (D-Santa Clara) as chair of the Assembly Higher Education Committee replacing Assembly Member Ted Lempert (D-San Carlos).

Assembly Member Alquist is a former high school teacher and guidance counselor. During the 1980’s she worked as a financial analyst for Stanford University, as well as a technology support provider for the on-campus Datapoint Data Center. In 1983 she won a seat on the Cupertino Union School Board, where she served for eight years. In 1992, she was appointed Director for Center Relations of the Career Action Center, the largest non-profit career development center in the state. She also served as a Commissioner on the California Postsecondary Education Commission (CPEC), the state’s chief oversight authority for policy on higher education.

Other new Committee Chairs having an impact on community colleges include:

Budget Committee	Tony Cardenas (D-Sylmar)
Elections, Reapportionment & Constitutional Amendments	John Longville (D-Rialto)
Joint Legislative Audit Committee	Fred Keeley (D-Boulder Creek)
Labor and Employment	Gloria Romero (D-Los Angeles)
Local Government	Patricia Wiggins (D-Santa Rosa)
Public Employees, Retirement & Social Security	Sally Havice (D-Cerritos)
Revenue and Taxation	Ellen Corbett (D-San Leandro)

The State Senate has not officially announced any new committee assignments, as of this date. There will, however, be a few changes due to term limits in the "upper house." A change of interest to the community colleges will be in the Senate Appropriations Committee; current chair, Patrick Johnston (D-Stockton) is "termed-out." Also, there is a rumor that Senator John Vasconcellos (D-San Jose) will replace Dede Alpert as chair of the Senate Education Committee. Stay tuned.

—Arnold Bray