Although the presidential election is currently taking up a large portion of the average citizen’s thought, in the Contra Costa County Community College district, a much smaller, although very important, election is also taking place.

The Ward V trustee position currently filled by Robert Calone will be on the November ballot. The candidates are former Heald College math professor and financial analyst, Greg Enholm; former LMC and DVC student, De’shawn Woolridge; and former County Education Board member, Daniel Borsuk.

This is the first time none of the three candidates are Ward V incumbents.

Below are explanations of each candidate’s platform ordered alphabetically by candidate.

Daniel Borsuk, 65, says that as a former Diablo Valley College student who transferred to a university, he has an extensive public service record, and will be able to improve the fiscal and academic condition of the district.

“I am running to inform the Contra Costa County students and taxpayers (that) special interests want to continue their control and influence over those who serve on the college board,” Borsuk said. “I will not let that happen because I will represent the interests of all citizens of East County.”

He states that his experience representing the Contra Costa County Board of Education at the California School Boards Association Delegate Assembly, his experience teaching a writing course for the San Francisco Community College District, his service on the boards of nonprofit organizations, and his experience publishing and editing California Education News are all examples of his “first-hand knowledge of how California politics works or, as the case is in most instances, does not work.”

His main priorities are to promote fiscal stability so students can have better access to more courses, to assure all East Contra Costa County taxpayers that the district will provide quality programs, to reduce student fees, to obtain new grants to support district academic and vocational courses and the graduation and transfer rate, and to improve labor organization/administration relations.

Although Borsuk worries about the current financial situation, he believes that new campus in Brentwood is necessary because of the growing East County population. He states that, “The district should build the campus on the 110 acre site because it will allow the district to hold down real estate costs and still offer enough property to build new facilities in the future.”

Borsuk emphasized the necessity of Proposition 30 due to its added $5.5 million for the school budget annually.

Candidate Greg Enholm, 58, believes that his first-hand experience of the community college system, his drive to finish projects, and his work as a financial analyst are reasons he should be elected. “The board does not have anyone with my experience on it and consequently they lose literally millions of dollars in ways that someone like myself would look at this and say ‘hey you need to look at this to avoid all of that,’” he said.

His top priorities are promoting the building of the 110 acre Brentwood community college, allowing high school students to take LMC courses, to change the current STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) system to an enhanced EMASET (English, mathematics, arts, science, engineering, and technology) system, and to set up three community advisory committees for the Bond Oversight Committee. He believes that his experience on various community-planning committees and his two published books are proof that he can process a lot of information in order to reach his allotted goals.

Enholm is also an avid supporter of Prop. 30.

n De’Shawn Woolridge, 21, believes that his knowledge of the college infrastructure, his understanding of the challenges facing students and faculty, his strong advocacy for important issues, and his ability to function as a team with diverse people are reasons he should be elected.
With his experience holding student positions on various community college boards, and his current positions on several district councils, Woolridge believes that “No one should be judged because of their age whether they are 21 or 70.”

His main priorities are to work towards better student retention through financial relief initiatives, to institute digital textbooks and aid with transportation costs, to collaborate with businesses, community and non-profit organizations for district recourses, to sustain college programs through grants and donations, and to prepare students through stronger alignment of academic curriculum.

Woolridge feels that, due to the district’s current economic situation, the 17 acre lot is the only feasible option for the Brentwood area. “When more funding is available then we can devote funding to the Brentwood project and increase it to a larger size.”

Woolridge thinks that increased outreach to local high schools to align high school curriculum to community college curriculum would prepare students to succeed in college. He believes stronger articulations with UC/CSU for more transferable courses is extremely important, and he states that increasing CTE job training would make sure that students are learning high in demand job market skills.

Woolridge supports Prop 30.