Marsha Croninger, a former environmental attorney who worked 11 years for the state of California, is running for a seat in the 3rd District of City College’s Board of Trustees.

Croninger said her experience negotiating and writing legislation, as well as her involvement in the creation of City College’s Associated Continuing Education Students prepares her well for a position on the board, despite the incumbent’s claims the challengers lack institutional memory.

“I do not feel the way the board has been currently functioning has been effective enough to deal with the challenges we faced,” said Croninger. “The institutional memory we are talking about on the board level is not what we are looking to preserve.”

Croninger said while it takes some work, learning about the college and its programs is possible. She also said the trustees are not the only source of information about the school.

“You have the faculty, the long term staff and the administration. That’s a huge reservoir of institutional memory.”

Croninger also questioned the board’s participation in a shared government and whether or not they practice transparency.

“Shared governance is not coming to a meeting and saying this is what we have decided,” said Croninger.

“It’s coming to a meeting, [saying] here is the issue we need to discuss because a decision will need to be made.”

“You ask for the participation of the people who are involved, the people who are going to be affected, because they know best.”

Croninger said if elected, she would make a greater effort to add to transparency in decisionmaking on behalf of the board.

“If you were asking for a list of who voted for what I would say absolutely,” said Croninger.

“We ought to be doing that and we ought to make it clear. On the website I don’t care, this is part of having transparency.”

Croninger also said there seemed to be a fear to speak out on the board’s actions among some at City College.

“I have talked to quite a number of faculty members who are indeed fearful of speaking out…because they will lose their jobs,” said Croninger. “This is particularly true of adjuncts and counting education teachers because they are ‘not rehired.'”

Croninger also said  the college hasn’t gone over the state’s average 7.4 percent cap on student hours. It’s currently at 6.4 percent

International students are valued by her, and add “a diversity of view points and cultures.”

She is endorsed by City College President Emeritus John Romo, former  County Supervisor Naomi Schwartz, the Democratic Central Committee of Santa Barbara,  Continuing Education Instructor’s Association Board of Directors and the Instructors’ Association Board of Directors.