By the Way . . .
Board of Governors Appointments Announced. On Friday, October 24,
2008, Governor Schwarzenegger announced the appointment of two individuals, both
Republicans, to the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges (CCC).
One of the appointees, Scott Himelstein, had served
as the state’s acting Secretary of Education in 2007, and, prior to that, as the
Undersecretary of Education and Chief of Staff. Since 2007, Himelstein has
served as the Director of the Center for Education Policy and Law at the
University of San Diego. Himelstein also currently serves as president of the
William D. Lynch Foundation for Children, and previously held that same position
from 1990 to 2005. In congratulating Himelstein on his appointment,
Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell said, “Through his work as
director of the Center for Education Policy and Law at the University of San
Diego and as president of the William D. Lynch Foundation for Children, as well
as his time spent with the Governor’s Office of Education, Scott has exhibited a
commitment to education and a powerful spirit of public service. I know Scott
will bring his passion for education to the Community College System Board of
Governors.”
Governor Schwarzenegger also appointed Geoffrey L. Baum to the Board of Governors. Baum has served as the Assistant Dean for the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Southern California since 2001. Prior to that, he had an extensive career in television, having worked for C-SPAN at two different times as an executive producer and as a senior producer. From 1994 to 1999, Baum served as the assistant vice president of marketing and public relations at Claremont McKenna College. Baum is a member and past president of the Pasadena Area Community College District Governing Board. He is also a member of the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education and the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Non-fiction Peer Group.
Senate confirmation is required for the appointments.
The appointees join the Board of Governors at a particularly challenging time for California community colleges. Due to declining revenues, the state faces a current-year deficit and the potential need for midyear cuts. The Proposition 98 minimum guarantee will go down as state revenues decline, putting K-14 education at risk even if legislators fund education at the minimum guarantee. Cost-of-living increases (COLAs) are unlikely to be funded in 2009. Anecdotally, many community colleges are seeing large enrollment increases, and it’s unlikely that the state will fully fund enrollment growth. We could go on, but the point is that community colleges will need some creative leaders to navigate these waters and keep our system on course. We both congratulate and commiserate with these new leaders as they face the task ahead.