Four WVC-MCC candidates see a stadium as a nonissue

By Michelle Alaimo

Four candidates--three incumbents and one newcomer--are vying for three seats in the West Valley-Mission Community College District board of trustees, Trustee Area 3, race.

All four have similar visions for the district, and none of the four is particularly focused on the issue of a football stadium, although Saratogans are particularly interested in what--if anything--might happen at the campus now that a judge has ruled that the college is not bound by an earlier agreement with the city that it would not build a football stadium.

Newcomer Joe Pandit, along with incumbents Frank Jewett, Chris Constantin, and Joy Atkins, agreed that one major issue in the district includes the completion of the Mission College campus and the upgrading of the West Valley College campus.



Joy Atkins




Atkins, a board member since 1988, said that many of the buildings at WVC are more than 30 years old and need improvement in a number of areas, including heating and air conditioning. The 1976 WVC graduate adds that as a member of the board, she is committed to the completion of Mission College.

Atkins, who has been with the district for 32 years, also said the district needs to do everything it can to make sure the students have the latest in technology. She adds that she considers the WVC stadium to be a nonissue at this point.

Anything done at the stadium would be modest, Atkins said. While she said she sees the need for some improvements on the playing field, Atkins said it would be nowhere near a full-fledged stadium. But she also said the improvements are needed to help bring in students because athletics are an important part of the educational process. With seven community colleges in Santa Clara County all competing for the same students, Atkins said athletics help bring in students who wouldn't have gone to their colleges otherwise.



Frank Jewett




Frank Jewett, who was recently appointed to the board in July 2000, after an unsuccessful bid for a board seat in 1996, agreed with Atkins that anything done in the way of a stadium would be minor. The San Jose State University graduate said that the college needs to look at community needs and student needs, and somehow come to a compromise on what should be done in the way of a stadium.

"My feeling is that providing bleachers and providing a scoreboard is accurate," Jewett said. "The [stadium] usage factor is very low."

However, the former WVC and De Anza College student, said there are other major issues including making sure the curriculum is updated to meet the needs of both new and older students. He adds that paying instructors competitive salaries will also help the colleges obtain quality instructors.

Jewett has served on a number of boards, including the San Jose Medical Center Charitable Foundation and InnVision. With his extensive board member knowledge, he said that being a board member also means serving as community ambassadors to obtain funding to help improve both campus facilities.



Chris Constantin




Incumbent Chris Constantin attended WVC as a high school student and was elected to the board in 1996, making him the youngest trustee in the nation. In 1998 he served as board president. Now at SJSU, Constantin said that completion of Mission College and upgrading WVC are also top priorities for him. He added that the distance learning programs should be expanded in both the video and online programs. A member of the executive board of Crime Stoppers, he said that expanding WVC's Middle College enrollment program is important because the program has been very successful helping at-risk students enter college.

As for a WVC stadium, Constantin said he has not come to a decision on what should be done.



Joe Pandit




Newcomer Joe Pandit does not have as much knowledge of the stadium issue but said that the district made a commitment to the community years ago and that the district should uphold their agreement.

The former SJSU lecturer has eight years experience as a university lecturer both in San Jose and India. Pandit holds two master's degrees and has been retired from the Santa Clara Water District for two years. He was on the Water District board of directors for 10 years and worked for the water district as an engineer for 18 years.

Pandit said he put his hat in the ring because education has always been his main interest.

Pandit said he believes the major issues in this race include offering courses that will sustain economic and technological advancements in Silicon Valley.

The 31-year Silicon Valley resident agreed with the other candidates that the completion of Mission Campus and the renovation of West Valley Campus are of utmost importance. He adds that the WV-MCCD also needs to work on improving relations with the community.

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