By Signal Editorial Committee
It’s time for communities to take back their community colleges. The best way to do that is to elect four new directors: Darlene Trevino, Scott Schauer, Fred Arnold and Charlene Johnson.
The diverse quartet promises to bring positive change to a board that has recently been mired in controversy and secrecy, and too dominated by teachers’ union politics.
There is a belief on the University of the Canyons campus that what is good for faculty is inherently good for the university and students, and that is reflected in faculty union campaign spending.
While faculty and staff certainly have a front row seat to the day-to-day happenings on campus, they only see it from an educator and staff perspective. Faculty and staff have valuable insight, and it makes sense that they should have some representation. But now they have it all and are trying to seize even more control. The union is backing four candidates forming a 5-0 supermajority on the board. When entire university boards are dominated by bureaucrats beholden to the unions that put them there, entire constituencies are left unrepresented.
That voter is literally everyone else, everyone else who pays their living through taxes.
This is one of the reasons we are advocating for changes in terms of creating a more diverse board that represents the interests of the entire community, not just the part of the community that is paid by the university. . Three of the four candidates we are recommending serve on the board of the COC Foundation, the university’s fundraising organization, so they are familiar with the university and its needs, but each comes from a different background. I have experience.
It has already been assured that the board will continue to have at least one faculty support member, with the current board members having been handed over by former director Joan McGregor, who had deliberately delayed her planned resignation. He ensured this by appointing Carlos Guerrero to fill the vacant position. This is to take the decision of her successor out of the hands of voters.
These shenanigans are just the tip of the iceberg as to why COC leadership needs to be replaced.
The COC Board failed in its obligation to be transparent in its meetings and handling of taxpayer funds. As I’ve said before, this is a “secret dumpster fire.” After the current Board of Governors fired Chancellor Diane Van Hook after 36 years of leadership, the board appointed an interim president, who is, of course, an undergraduate, as top-level staff continues to change. David Andrus is a former political science professor. University.
He seems like a very talented person. However, one of his first actions was to hold an illegal closed board meeting with campus officials.
Therefore, we believe that further changes are needed in the COC. In order to enable the Board to function properly in assessing and overseeing the various educational, business and development issues inherent in the operation of a large educational institution, we ensure that the Board has a diverse background. I think we should have. And we need a board that looks out for all taxpayers, not just employees.
Here are all these and other numbers in the decision to support these four candidates for seats on the November 5th ballot.
• Trustee Area No. 1, Darlene Trevino. She is the founder and CEO of the Palmdale-based Trevino Law Firm, which specializes in personal injury cases. She awarded scholarships to students in the Antelope Valley School District and volunteered to help with the district’s mock trial program.
• Area 2 Trustee Scott Schauer: He is the president of the SCV Sheriff’s Department Foundation, founder of the Santa Clarita Soccer Center and owner of numerous other businesses. He currently works for Daum Commercial Real Estate in Valencia and has held key roles in several nonprofit organizations, including the Michael Heflin Foundation.
• Fred Arnold, Trustee Area No. 3: Current Chairman of the COC Foundation, Arnold is a mortgage professional with 32 years of experience and is a member of the Child and Family Center, SCV Disaster Coalition, and SCV Chamber of Commerce. I have served as a board member of the chamber. and Our Lady of Perpetual Help School. He has four children and has completed 35 Ironman competitions.
• Trustee Area No. 4, Charlene Johnson: She is a local real estate agent who previously applied for the vacancy in 2023 but was not selected by the union-dominated board. She is a member of the COC Foundation Board of Directors and has worked with multiple nonprofit organizations, including the SCV Boys & Girls Club and the WiSH Education Foundation.
Santa Clarita City Council
District 1: Tim Burkhardt
There’s only one brand new District 1 seat on the ballot. The two candidates, Tim Burkhardt and Patsy Ayala, both would bring fresh voices to the City Council, and both would do a great job if elected, but voters won’t agree if they don’t. No. It’s a choice, and so should we.
We support Tim Burkhardt. He has served on Santa Clarita’s Planning Commission for more than 20 years and brings valuable professional experience to the City Council. He worked for Six Flags for 40 years, most recently as Executive Vice President, where he was responsible for construction projects for Six Flags theme parks across the United States. He is a strong supporter of public safety, economic growth, strategic planning, infrastructure, and quality of life, and we truly share those values with him.
William S. Hart Union High School District
Administrator Area 1: Dr. Aakash Ahuja
Trustee Area 4: Erin Wilson
There are two seats on the SCV High School District ballot and we are supporting Dr. Aakash Ahuja in Trustee Area 1 and incumbent Erin Wilson in Trustee Area 4.
Ahuja, a California prison psychiatrist who lived in Santa Clarita for 10 years, immigrated to the United States from India more than 20 years ago. He is an outspoken advocate for protecting and improving the mental health and wellness of students.
Wilson was appointed last year following the resignation of James Webb and has served the district well since joining the board. She teaches in a nonprofit classroom and has five children, all of whom graduated from the Hart District.
