Support Measure E in March election

By William Cilker

I was fortunate to be a trustee for the West Valley-Mission Community College district shortly after it was formed. During my tenure, we constructed most of the West Valley College campus and prepared the plans for the Mission College. I then served about 15 years on the West Valley-Mission Colleges Foundation and raised money for scholarships and unfunded courses.

If you want a thrill, hand a scholarship to a deserving student, especially those with very limited means. Since the openings of the two campuses, more than 1.2 million students have attended day and evening classes, with nearly 28,000 attending currently.

Measure E, if passed, will fund an upgrade and renovation of the campus facilities. Since the buildings were constructed, there have been vast changes in the methods of instruction, equipment needed in laboratory programs, and in the new innovative class arrangements. Some portable buildings are now 30 years old and are in desperate need of replacement. Also needed are basic structural updates such as accessibility for the disabled, and new standards for fire, earthquake safety, lighting and electrical systems. As every homeowner knows, roofing and heating systems wear out and need repair or replacement.

The funds will purchase instructional and multimedia equipment for classrooms. They will enhance technology infrastructure. The Child Development Center will be provided permanent facilities. Job training classrooms will be upgraded or constructed. Roads and walkways will be upgraded for safety. Such are merely a sampling from the long list of critical action items. These are not frivolous amendments for our colleges that affect the people in our community--they are critical for our resourceful academic programs.

The administration and trustees have always stretched their budget dollars and thus far have been able to construct and operate the campuses without the benefit of bonds. This has been a savings to the taxpayers. Because of reduced funding by tight state budgets and limited increase in assessed property values, bonds are necessary to provide the updated programs and facilities stated above. The West Valley-Mission College bond election for $268 million will cost $14.10 per $100,000 of assessed property value per homeowner paid over 25 to 30 years.

About 62 percent of those students who receive degrees and certificates transfer to four-year institutions. The academic record of our students who have attended the state colleges and universities as transfer students has been equal to those who have entered as freshmen. Many students even pursue Ph.D. degrees with outstanding grade records. The students at West Valley and Mission colleges have a wide array of profiles:

* The youngest are high school students who are taking college classes in advanced science, mathematics, etc., for credit.

* High school graduates comprise the majority of the population. This group enjoys the benefits of living at home and recognizes the superior education offered by our district. They either graduate with an associates degree or complete their first set of units before attending a four-year college.

* New students who are termed "re-entry" decided to delay their college education for various reasons. For example, some might have raised a family and are now at a stage where they can obtain their college education. I view with pride students in this group who enter our community colleges with trepidation and emerge with newfound confidence.

* Students already ensconced in their careers may take classes for vocational training. West Valley and Mission colleges are noteworthy resources in the Bay Area for work-related instruction. Each year, about 515 certificates are awarded for such programs.

* Senior adults take a variety of courses to broaden their interests in education. A good friend is taking a course in pottery--she is 60 years older than many in the class. Some senior citizens attend the colleges for their therapy in overcoming physical problems.

I would encourage each adult member of our community to enroll in a class and feel the difference in his or her life.

The community should be proud of the education offered at West Valley and Mission colleges for the benefit of all ages and backgrounds. Please consider this and vote "yes" on Measure E this March.

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William Cilker is a longtime resident of Los Gatos.

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