At a standing-room-only event, the swearing-in ceremony portion of the regular general meeting of the PCC Board of Trustees was friendly and joyous. Filled with supporters and flowers, Trustees Tammy Silver, Ryan Liu and James Aragon made unscripted and enthusiastic remarks.
Area 6 Trustee Ryan Liu especially thanked his parents, Benny Liu and Lynn Lam, and his former PCC Counselor, Javier Carbajal-Ramos, whom he credits with helping put him on the path to educational success eleven years ago.
As we outlined in our campaign interview, Lui grew up in a low-income household and was the first in his family to go to college. He went on to realize his American dream, attending Yale and Oxford and earning his law degree before returning to Pasadena.
An emotional James Aragon, Trustee for Area 2, was administered the oath of office by his long-time student and current City of Montebello Councilmember, Angie Jiminez. He acknowledged his supporters, announcing his pride in serving. He is the second Latino to serve on the PCC Board of Trustees after Dr. Consuelo Rey Castro.
“I represent all people, but especially my community,” said Aragon. “I owe the faculty and staff on this campus. I was with you once, and I’m still with you. We just need to focus on students first, every day with every decision…students first. So as leaders, all of us on this Board need to remember that we need to stand in unshakeable solidarity, for students first and always.”
Re-elected Trustee for Area 7, Tammy Silver chose Dr. Jack Scott to administer her oath of office. Dr. Scott is a former PCC Superintendent/President, former state assembly representative, former state senator, and former head of the Board of Governors for the California Community College System.
A champion for the dual enrollment program for PCC and PUSD, Silver commented, “I am in the right space with people that do the right thing.” In a recent Local News Pasadena interview, she related some of her efforts to help herself and other women break through the glass ceiling and her support for gender equality.
The PCC Board of Trustees is currently searching for a new PCC Superintendent/President. The search has narrowed to four candidates.
The Pasadena Area Community College District is governed by the Board of Trustees, which consists of seven members, one from each of the seven trustee areas in the District. Qualified voters in each of the seven areas (which include Arcadia, a portion of El Monte, La Canada Flintridge, Pasadena, Rosemead, San Marino, Sierra Madre, South Pasadena, and Temple City) elect a trustee for a four-year term. The Superintendent/President of the District serves as Secretary to the Board.
