Lt. Gov. Garamendi to visit Cal State SB
San Bernardino Sun 3/21/07
Lt. Gov. John Garamendi's planned visit to the Inland Empire will be the third stop on a "listening tour" he began in February.
His goal is to make his way to every California State University campus over the next couple years to hear concerns from stakeholders in surrounding communities. So far, he's been to Bakersfield and Fresno, squeezing in stops when there's an opening in his schedule.
At Cal State San Bernardino, Garamendi will hear from community leaders before taking questions from members of the public.
On his visit to the Inland Empire, Garamendi also expects to meet leaders from Loma Linda University, Western University of Health Sciences in Pomona and UC Riverside to discuss medical education in the area. UC Riverside has plans to open a medical school.
"The Inland Empire is & a major part of the Southern California economy," said Garamendi, who is a CSU trustee.
"The very rapid growth of the Inland Empire is creating the need for an educated work force in every sector," he added. "Certainly we see this in the public sector with police and fire and nurses and teachers, but we're also seeing it in the skilled work-force sector, from machinists to welders to plumbers and carpenters and the rest."
Greg Whitney, vice president of operations at the Coachella Valley Economic Partnership, said that when he meets Garamendi on Thursday, he'll talk about how Cal State San Bernardino can help his area's economy.
The university has a Palm Desert campus with courses in areas such as finance, management and nursing. Whitney said he hopes the school will expand Palm Desert offerings in fields relevant to local businesses.
Among the Coachella Valley's priorities are the established industries of health care and recreation and the emerging advanced technology profession, Whitney said.
Judi Penman, president/chief executive officer of the San Bernardino Area Chamber of Commerce, said she likely won't attend the Garamendi event. But offering a perspective on Cal State San Bernardino's role in the community, she said churning out graduates who could work in area industries isn't enough.
Many business owners feel workers need to be involved in civic activities such as attending baseball games and volunteering, Penman said.
If Cal State San Bernardino focused on teaching students about the value of community service, it could yield long-term benefits for local neighborhoods if graduates stay in the area, she added.
"People do not have the work ethics that they need in this area," Penman said. "There's an attitude with young people that society owes them something."
Garamendi said hearing concerns about education in the area will help him work effectively with policymakers in Sacramento on economic-development issues. As a CSU trustee, he said, his tour will help him better understand the needs of the university he helps direct.