The State Center Community College District is a crucial part of the region's higher-education system, offering classes at Fresno City College, Reedley College and several college centers in Fresno and Madera counties. In these tough economic times, more residents are looking to community colleges to update their skills or for a career makeover.
The role of the governing board is crucial in setting the district's direction, and voters will have an opportunity in Tuesday's election to keep State Center on its solid course.
We believe that challenger Richard Caglia is the best choice in Area 5 and incumbent William J. Smith deserves re-election in Area 2.
Caglia, who finished second to incumbent Phillip Forhan four years ago in a tight race, is a Fresno businessman and lawyer. We have backed Forhan in the past, but we are troubled by a sexual harassment case brought in 2005 by a State Center employee against Forhan.
The case was settled and the employee received $90,000 from State Center's self-insurance group and $10,000 from Forhan, according to a story that was published in The Bee earlier this month.
It's time for a change in Area 5. Caglia would make a good representative for the district. He supports offering more vocational training and wants to see an increased emphasis on distance learning using the latest technology. Caglia also supports development of more educational opportunities in green industries such as wind and solar energy.
In Area 2, Smith, a lawyer, continues to be the best choice. He was first elected to the board in 1983, and has long been an advocate of career and vocational education. He has pushed for the district to recruit more students into career education to give them employable skills.
Smith supports State Center's plans to build a campus in southeast Fresno that will emphasize vocational education. He also wants to expand the registered nursing program to meet the Valley's growing need for nurses.
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