SF Green Party Community College Board Endorsement Questionnaire 2020
Due Date: Tuesday, Aug 18


Candidate Name: Geramye Teeter
Phone Number: (415) 680-8737
Web site: voteteeter.org
E-mail: geramye@voteteeter.org
Name of Campaign Manager: Ed Roque
How much do you expect to spend in this contest: $7,000
Major Endorsements: I would be honored to have the SF Green Party as a keystone endorsement. As a grassroots candidate, I have been called to work. I firmly believe that even an individual community leader can make impact, meaningful, and effectuate lasting change. The purpose of my candidacy is to take a stand and advocate for social justice, equity, and environmental stewardship. I respectfully ask for your endorsement.
Incumbent Board Member whose votes most reflect your values: Board Trustee John Rizzo
Incumbent whose votes least reflect your values: Board Trustee Thea Selby

1. What is your stance on resuming in-person classes in the time of
COVID? What would be the main basis on which you make this
decision? (e.g., would it be based on your gut feelings, or whose
advice would you listen to?)

It should go without saying that it is impossible to resume in-person instruction given where we are in regards to the COVID-19 pandemic. I am in favor of providing students and faculty the technological needs and training in order to promote remote learning at a universal level. Any lessening or tightening of restrictions should be based on the advice of local and state public health authorities, and not from pressure from political or business leaders.

2. Why are you running for College Board?

The climate crisis is my call to action. As a leader I plan to advocate for environmental stewardship from our public institutions. Having worked at UCSF with the Sustainability department, I was a part of a team pioneering climate policy initiatives. CCSF's institutional leadership must set the tone for climate policy with research-based applications and thoughtful implementation. As a Board Trustee, I would take a leadership role in developing an actionable strategy with the goal of having CCSF achieve Carbon Neutrality for all campus building operations by 2030. I would ensure that the spending of Proposition A bond funds is prioritized on sustainable building design, procurement, and construction practices to minimize carbon use throughout the operating life of the facilities. CCSF needs a systematic upgrade to its Education Master Plan to make sustainability an integral element of its fiscal compliance by decreasing campus buildings' operating costs.

3. How are you currently involved in the Community College -- or how were you involved in the past?

In the past, I have been enrolled in courses that have ranged from LGTBQ studies, to French. I have grown to have a strong affinity for CCSF. Having grown up in predominantly Black and marginalized communities, the overall prospects for my future were bleak. I pursued education to create another path forward, and I believe that every resident of our great city should have the same access to quality education. Because of this great, personal investment I have made to CCSF, I am currently participating in virtual board meetings. I make a concerted effort to stay informed and, as a future board member, to gain a better understanding of the inner workings of this public body.

4. What is your stance on public and private partnerships within the
College?

I would evaluate each proposed or standing partnership on a case by case basis. For example, I am opposed to projects like the Balboa Reservoir Development. It is another instance of the San Francisco Public Utilities Commision effectively ‘gifting' public property to private developers. The drawbacks from this proposed housing development are obvious and should not be approved. These endeavors do not benefit or meet the needs of our students and goes against the spirit of steering CCSF towards Carbon Neutrality.

5. What is your position on Free City College? How should it
be changed, if at all?

I am a strong proponent of keeping that initiative in place. I will advocate for permanent funding to ensure access to a tuition-free education in perpetuity. As a proud San Francisco resident, I seek to leverage my knowledge and experience to amplify CCSF's inclusivity and innovative spirit. Free City College should also be supplemented by a strong Workforce Development program. That would ensure students, especially those that fall into the marginalized, impoverished, and underserved social brackets, better workplace opportunities after they graduate from college. The tools they will be able to utilize in order to become successful industrial and business leaders will be more invaluable as our city climbs out of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

6. If elected to the Board, how would you ensure that you and the
public would receive the college's draft budget with sufficient
time to review it thoroughly before adopting it?

It cannot be understated how crucial the evaluation and adoption of the college's draft budget is to the survival of CCSF. That is why, as a CCSF board member, I would prioritize appointing a Chancellor who is a community oriented leader that possesses a defined economic vision. We cannot tolerate the actions of past Chancellors because those actions put the health of the college, CCSF students, and their communities at risk. We need an accountable Chancellor and accountable Board Members that are dedicated to transparency, a productive working relationship, and who would prioritize enacting a sound budget that benefits our entire student body and our faculty.

7. What is your position on selling campus properties?

I am opposed to selling properties that are intended to be public resources. As I stated in the Public/Private partnerships question, I will not allow private developers the chance to make profits from public purchases. These, oftentimes, are companies that do not prioritize minimizing carbon construction practices, that employ environmentally harmful materials, and do not take sustainable building design into account.

8. Do you feel there is enough transparency or public disclosure of the Board and the college? How would you change things?

The lack of transparency and public disclosure is a challenge that we need to remedy at CCSF. One of my guiding principles is having greater transparency and accountability. I hesitate to pass judgment on policy decisions in which I had no part, but Mr. Mark Rocha's tenure has created budget deficits that have put CCSF in danger. These shortfalls have resulted in reductions in course offerings and enrollment numbers. We can all agree that CCSF should offer the courses students need to complete their degrees and certification programs. As a Board Member, I promise to prioritize student and faculty voices during the search for a new Chancellor.

9. Have you attended the Community College Board meeting? Would you
change public comment policy at the meetings? If so, how?

I have attended CCSF Board meetings and our public comment policy requires immediate attention. The current rule requires participants to complete a card to address the Board. I am committed to promoting equity and transparency. And having concerned constituents apply for a card to address the board does not serve equity or transparency. I will do everything in my power to do away with these cards and effectively change this policy.

https://www.ccsf.edu/about-ccsf/board-trustees/public-comment

10. How will you increase quality child care at ALL campuses?

Many of our students are parents. And, even though they often have higher GPAs than their parentless counterparts, they are more likely to drop out of their programs, according to the Institute for Women's Policy Research. CCSF's funding for child care is just a drop in the bucket. This unique problem requires more understanding and more funding. Affordable child care is arguably the most important support structure parents need in order to be successful in college. Helping students with children afford child care is a benefit, not just for CCSF, but our community as a whole.

11. How will you work to counter and prevent profiling and police
harassment on campus? What is your position on police firearms on
Campus?

Some of the fundamental solutions in eradicating racial profiling and police harassment require better training and oversight. I would advocate expanding training for police and to establish a volunteer oversight committee consisting of faculty and students. The CCSF Campus Police does an adequate job providing safety to our campus. But the key factor in providing an even safer campus environment is ensuring Campus Police do not carry fire-arms or tasers. As a Board member, I would work diligently to uphold the policy prohibiting fire-arms and eliminate tasers on college property entirely. I would also constantly evaluate the Campus Police budget to ensure necessity with regards to financial resources.

12. What is your position on allowing noncitizens the right to vote for College Board and other local elections? Did you take a public position on previous ballot initiatives on the subject?

I do not agree with having a large portion of San Francisco's population excluded from processes that may adversely affect them. People calling our great city their home deserve their say. I have supported, and will continue to support, ballot measures which allow noncitizens to participate in local elections. Many students in our system are either foreign-born or have foreign-born parents and need to be considered valued members of our communities.

13. What are your views of transportation and pedestrian safety to,
from and around City College campuses? What, if anything, would
you change, and how would you go about making those changes?

I have accessed the Ocean Campus with public transit and understand that commuting to that campus is unique. Students coming from BART must cross a freeway on-ramp and trek steep slopes if they are walking to campus. I would work with the Board to conduct a systemwide audit of all CCSF facilities to ensure that there is safe and adequate access to all facilities for students living with disabilities. I would advance MUNI partnerships to serve our most vulnerable students. Increasing the age limit on the ‘Free MUNI For Youth' program. And provide free MUNI transfers on bus lines serving the campus neighborhood from the Balboa Park and Glen Park BART stations. As transport costs continue to rise and income disparity continues to grow, it is more important than ever that CCSF students can access free and reliable transportation. Free public transit removes a genuine barrier to access to education. It is more important than ever to analyze data to inform future policies.

14. What is your position of military recruiting on campus?

I believe that military recruiters do not have the best interest of CCSF's students at heart. And that is why I oppose allowing their presence on our campuses. The basic rights to health care, education, job security, and other so called military ‘perks' should not be dangled in front of our students as rewards for putting their life on the line. Investing our funding on education, health care, and clean energy provide CCSF's students with better paying jobs than the Pentagon could ever offer. And I would make that a mission in order to safeguard our students against the grubby hands of military recruiters.

15. What criteria will you use in deciding whether new cell phone antennas will be installed on top of City College buildings?

I would evaluate whether having more cell phone antennas is practical and actually serves the needs of our students and faculty. I would take the health concerns very seriously, whether they are to CCSF's students, faculty, our facilities workers, and the potential firemen should the need for them ever arise. Providing more wifi access for free is something that I would rather champion over new cell phone towers.