Two candidates are vying for one contested seat on the Gavilan Joint Community College District Board of Trustees in the Nov. 8 election, the first district election in the school’s nearly 100-year history.
The seat represents Trustee Area 6, one of six new, population and demographically balanced voting areas in the 27,000-square-mile district that stretches from South San Jose to southern San Benito County.
Area 6 is made up of the southeastern corner of Santa Clara County, including parts of San Martin and Gilroy that are mostly east of Monterey Road, a sliver of north central San Benito County and the northwestern corner of Hollister.
In the past, trustees were chosen in at-large elections. Latino groups challenged that system, claiming it diluted the Latino vote. Gavilan trustees enacted the sweeping change to district elections last year.
Last week, the Dispatch profiled Trustee Area 6 candidate Rachel Perez. A profile of candidate Danielle Davenport, of San Martin, follows.
Davenport grew up in Cupertino and attended De Anza Community College before transferring to and earning a degree in economics from San Jose State University. She earned a Master’s in computer science in Texas while teaching at the community college level, then did postgraduate work in Spain in strategic formation of corporations.
For the past seven years she has worked as an advisor to technology startups.
This is the first run at elective office for the 50-year-old mother of two teenage daughters. Her husband, Steven Smith, is a Scottish immigrant who this year became a U.S. citizen. He is an executive a Cisco Systems.
Davenport believes that if four-year degree programs are offered at Gavilan they should be in select, in-demand disciplines only.
The California Community College System last year launched a pilot program to explore transitioning community colleges to four-year schools. Gavilan did not apply for the program.
“I believe that there are some schools where it really makes sense, if it’s a very specific degree where there’s a lot of workforce demand,” Davenport said.
She said four-year degree programs in agricultural technology and data information systems would make sense for the Gavilan district to offer.
The following questions were answered in writing by Davenport.
DISPATCH:Why are you running?
DAVENPORT: I was prompted to run after I explored AP course options for my high school freshman and saw a performance issue with our local community college and wanted the same exceptional educational opportunity for my daughter that I was provided 30 years ago by De Anza Community College. I knew my dedication to our community combined with my college teaching experience and my success as an executive in high-tech businesses would complement our existing board and together we could effect real change and create a winning local institution.
What experience do you bring to the post?
I began teaching computer science at Central Texas Community College while pursuing a Master’s in Computer Science at University of Texas and returned to the Bay Area and continued to educate at San Francisco City College. I worked as an executive within IT and operations for several Fortune 500 corporations where I led globally diverse teams while implementing complex strategies with governance and financial rigor. I am committed to education, innovation and technology and have launched several startups and am a recognized leader for successful innovation. I know what graduates need to succeed in this digital age.
What is your single biggest criticism of either the current board or any single policy or practice at Gavilan?
About 75 percent of our incoming students need remedial work in English, mathematics, or both, which results in an average 20 additional units: adding an extra year to their program, and approximately 70 percent of students fail to complete their program. We must address this gap and increase collaboration between our local high school districts to improve secondary support structures and free up our community college to focus on career training and educational pathways. I am particularly focused on improving STEM skills and career readiness and providing courses that allow for a seamless and swift transfer process.
What would you work hardest to implement or achieve if elected? Please name your top three priorities.
1. I am dedicated to implementing measures to speed student graduation and transfer rates and creating “learn and earn” certifications. We need to redesign programs and expand our basic course schedule while allowing students the flexibility to maintain momentum. I will establish key partnerships with the corporations that are hiring and establish programs with internships and complementary certifications for a direct career pathway. 2. I will work to address the basic education gap in high school graduates by partnering with high school districts to better equip their students prior to graduation. We need to address the skills gap while students are still enrolled in high school and free up our community college to focus on the core courses that provide a swift transfer to four-year institutions, and enrich two-year degree and certification programs which land graduates into top-paying jobs. 3. I would also like to see Gavilan follow 15 other community colleges in California and offer a critical four-year baccalaureate program. This would be very specific to a regional need and could be in an area such as, information management, industrial automation, agriculture or nursing.
Your district represents parts of San Benito and Santa Clara counties. How do you propose to balance the interests of each county’s residents?
Gavilan has a lack of credibility with many students. Some students are requiring certifications that lead to top-paying jobs, and other students just need better remedial services to bridge the knowledge gap from a high school system that is failing them. We must strike a balance with all stakeholders and provide a comprehensive strategy to meet the diverse needs of our population. I will work with community and business leaders to deliver an equitable strategy while maintaining a culture of transparency, respect and collaboration.
