Don Interviewed on the Mark Shepherd Political Hour

I was a recent guest on the Mark Shepherd political hour on KCAA 1050 AM on Tuesday, December 7. I have posted my portion of the interview for you to enjoy. The entire interview is a little over 10 minutes.

Don Singer Interview 120710

Final Results of the Election

The Registrars’ Offices in San Bernardino and Riverside Counties have certified the final results of the elections. The results are as follows: San Bernardino County: 48,725 votes; and in Riverside County: 708 votes for a total of 49,433 votes.

To see these results, visit the San Bernardino and Riverside County Registrar of Voters websites.

Thank you once again. I am looking forward to my third term with great enthusiasm!

About Don

About Don Singer

Don Singer is proud of his having served as an educator in Southern California schools and colleges for over 30 years.  He was a teacher in all types of institutions, ranging from middle schools through university programs.  He has taught a wide variety of courses, including United States History, English, Geography, American government, and, in graduate programs, courses in Education for those students desiring a Master's degree or Doctoral degree in Education or Higher Education.  Don has four degrees from the University of Southern California, including a Bachelor's degree in History; a Master's degree in Education; a Master's degree in History; and a Doctoral degree in Higher Education.
 
Most of his career in education was spent in the California community college system, in which he served in a variety of capacities, including instructor, dean, vice president, and president.  He is the only person who had the pleasure and privilege of  serving as the President of the two colleges in the San Bernardino Community College District.  He served as President of Crafton Hills College for eight years and as President of San Bernardino Valley College for seven years.
 
Following his early retirement from San Bernardino Valley College he served for several years as the Executive Director of Inland Action.  Inland Action is a long-standing, non-profit, non-partisan corporation of  public spirited citizens who are banded together to aid in the economic development of the Inland Empire.  Headquartered in San Bernardino, the group holds weekly meetings to which leading business people, elected officials, and other community leaders are invited to speak on matters of economic and cultural concern.  The groups works actively and effectively with elected officials in both Sacramento and Washington, D.C. to effect needed economic change in the Inland Empire.
 
Don was first elected to the Board of Trustees of the San Bernardino Community College District in 2001 and was re-elected in 2005.  He was elected by his Board colleagues to the positions of Clerk of the Board, Vice President of the Board, and Board President.  During his tenure on the Board, Don has worked hard on a number of issues which are important to the communities which support both Crafton Hills College and San Bernardino Valley College, including helping to lower the cost of textbooks; working with the Legislature to convince them to provide the needed financial resources for the District; and working with business groups and business leaders to increase the college-going rate in our community.
 
His involvement in the community college movement extends beyond his membership on the Board of Trustees of  the San Bernardino Community College District.  He has  been elected and serves on the Board of Directors of the California Community College Trustees.  This is the group which represents all 442 locally-elected Board members from the 72 community college Districts in the State and works to establish goals toward which all of the community college Districts will strive.
 
Don is active in his local community, serving as a member of the Redlands Noon Kiwanis Club, the Native Sons of the Golden West, and volunteers time to work in Smiley Library and for Ronald McDonald House in Loma Linda.  He has been married to Joanne for 47 years and has three children and three grandchildren.

List of Supporters

Here is a list of my supporters of my candidacy. If you'd like to have your name here, feel free to contact me.

Also, check out my Facebook page by clicking on the right side of this page.

LIST OF SUPPORTERS

• Joe Baca, U.S. Congressman
• Joe Baca, Jr., Councilman, City of Rialto
• James Ramos, Board President, San Bernardino Community College District (SBCCD)
• John Futch, Board Member, SBCCD
• Carleton W. Lockwood, Jr., Board Member SBCCD
• John Longville, Board Member, SBCCD
• Chuck Terrell, Board Member, SBCCD
• Jess C. Vizcaino, Jr., Board Member, SBCCD
• Dr. Donald Averill, Retired Chancellor, SBCCD
• Alen Ritchie, Member of the San Bernardino County Board of Education
• Robert Armenta, Jr., Member of the Colton Joint Unified District Board of Education
• Ed Chavez, Member, Upper San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District
• Ray Quinto, Member, City of Calimesa Council
• Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO, of San Bernardino and Riverside Counties
• Democratic Luncheon Club of San Bernardino
• San Bernardino County Democratic Central Committee
• Redlands Area Democratic Club

• Barbara Babcock
• Bruce Baron
• Steven A. Becker
• Tom Bennett
• Stuart Bernstein
• John Brennan
• Cheryl Brown
• Jim Bueermann
• Larry and Char Burgess
• Cliff and Karen Cabanilla
• Randall Ceniceros
• Rochelle Stanton Chandler
• Stephen D. Chapman
• Joe Cislowski
• Rabbi Hillel Cohn
• William Coleman
• Donna Cooley
• Leo and Gloria Cutler
• Carl Dameron
• Farriel Dobard
• Victor S. Dominguez
• Antonio Dupre
• Stephen Epler
• James Ewing
• Bonnie Figgins
• Bertha Fox
• Leticia Garcia
• Alton Garrett
• Hazel Gray Geller
• Lou Gerdine
• Phil and Roberta Gold
• Kenneth and Katherine Hardy
• Steve Harmanos
• Ronald Hattis
• Thomas Hinds
• Matthew Isaac
• Franchot Johnson
• Rod Jurado
• Patrick Kahler
• Aaron and Ina Katz
• Paula Kaye
• Douglas Kohn
• Michael Kress
• Dianne Landeros
• Lenore Manak
• Dave Maupin
• David McLees
• Bill McMillin
• Trish Meagher
• Phil Merchant
• Miles Miller
• Ed Millican
• Jim Mulvihill
• Larry Munz
• Chuck and Shelby Obershaw
• Margie Orland
• Marilyn Patterson
• Jamison Power
• John Prentice
• Tim Prince
• David Raley
• Dr. Lawrence Raphael
• Roxanne Rios
• Carol and Phil Robb
• Beth Singer Sassower and Larry Sassower
• Roberta Sassower
• Evelyn Schnitzer
• Ladd Seekins
• Mark Shepherd, San Bernardino County Democratic Central Committee
• Asher Sheppard
• Richard Simon
• Elliott Singer
• Jennifer Singer
• James Malcolm Smith
• Dorothy Somers
• Jim and Jeanne Stellar
• Rhonda Stanton
• Terrance Stone
• Harriet Sustarsic
• Gary Thomas
• Rob Vines
• John Walsh
• Andrew Walzer
• Lew Warren
• Steve Weber
• Michael and Ellen Weiss
• Nancy Ruth White
• Steve Wormser
• Amos Young, Jr.
• Serafin A. Zasueta
• Kalman S. Zempleny II
• Harvey Zuckman

We Won!!!

WE WON!  And I say “we” because I could not have been re-elected without the great help from all of you in putting together this winning campaign.
 
As you know, it is difficult to reach voters in this Community College District but I was able to do so thanks to those of you who endorsed me and talked to your friends, to those who contributed to my campaign, to those who wrote letters to local newspapers, to those who made calls and E-mails on my behalf, and to the many thousands of you who voted for me.
 
As I said throughout the course of this campaign my role as a Board member is to work with my colleagues to move the colleges forward and to permit the students to reach their goal, whether it be a better job or to transfer to a four-year institution or simply to take a course or two to improve the quality of their life and, thanks to you I can continue to do that.
 
Thank you again for your wonderful work and I am most appreciative for my re-election.

Don's Campaign Pitch in 30 Seconds

If you just have 30 seconds to find out why I'm running for the San Bernardino Community College District, please listen to the following message.

Don Endorsed by the San Bernardino Sun

I am proud to announce that the San Bernardino Sun has endorsed my candidacy. The following was printed in today's edition and I wanted to share.

Singer, who is a former president of both Valley and Crafton colleges, understands the district's role as an economic engine in the region. We support his pledge to review course offerings at the colleges to capitalize on economic trends, such as emerging technology, and we encourage him to continue making the case to legislators for adequate funding of community colleges as the state and nation climb out of the current recession.

I thank them for their support!

Thank You, Gene Hinds, for your Letter to the Editor

I wanted to thank my good friend Gene Hinds for writing a Letter to the Editor in the San Bernardino Sun. The letter was printed in the Sun on Thursday, October 7. Here's a highlight from Gene's letter:

"Through his experience, Don personally knows how to cut corners to save tax dollars and increase opportunities for our children. Don developed and implemented a textbook program, savings students hundreds of dollars. He has supported "green" upgrades in new construction and remodeling, reducing taxpayers' costs. Don seeks scholarship funds from the community to support students with a need."

Thank you, Gene. I appreciate your support.

Don's Campaign Summary in the Sun

The following ran in the Perspectives column of the San Bernardino Sun on Sunday, October 10. It provides a nice summary of why I am running for office.

Don's eVoter.com Page Available

My eVoter.com site is now available. eVoter.com "is the unbiased, non-partisan election information site where voters, candidates and organizations connect online. eVoter.com was designed with the goal of providing voters with concise unbiased information on every candidate and measure on their ballot." Enjoy!

Don's Smart Voter® Page Available

I wanted to share with you my page on SmartVoter.org, a project by the League of Women Voters. Their goal is to provide the best nonpartisan information about all contests on your ballot to help you make an informed decision. All candidates in participating counties and states are offered free web space to help inform voters. I find it to be an excellent resource and hope you do as well.

Don Interviewed on KCAA 1050 AM

I was interviewed on Victor Dominguez's Political Hour on KCAA 1050 AM radio on Tuesday, August 31. The entire interview can be found below. The interview starts at the 8:00 mark. I appreciated the time and wanted to thank Victor and Mark Shepherd for facilitating the interview.

KCAA Political Report - August 31, 2010

Colleges Offer Textbook Rentals

I wanted to bring to your attention an article that ran in today's San Bernardino Sun.

Colleges Offer Textbook Rentals

I have long advocated for lower textbook costs and textbook rentals as one of many good ideas to reduce costs.  I have also promoted other ideas with instructors and students like using digital textbooks, promoting library textbook reserves by requesting that publishers provide complimentary copies, and creating a Virtual Trading Store, a Website for students to trade textbooks after each term.

These are just some of the common sense ways that we create an affordable education for students and provide an accountable solution to taxpayers.

Chuck Terrell Endorses Don Singer

Long-time San Bernardino resident Chuck Terrell endorsed Don Singer for SBCCD Trustee this week. Chuck is a former Superintendent of School for the San Bernardino Unified School District. He is also a former Superintendent of the San Bernardino County Schools. Since 2001, Chuck has worked with Don as a fellow member of the SBCCD Board of Trustees.

I thank Chuck for his endorsement and his long, dedicated service to our community.

John Longville Endorses Don Singer

Current San Bernardino Community College Trustee and Former Assemblyperson, City Council Member, and Mayor of Rialto John Longville endorsed Don Singer for re-election recently. John has been a member of the SBCCD Board of Trustees since 2008. Don and John worked together on the Board in the improvement of new facilities at both Crafton Hills College and San Bernardino Valley College.

Don Quoted in Redlands Facts

I was quoted in the Wednesday, August 25th edition of the Redlands Daily Facts. I wanted to share the article with you.

Human Relations Commission seeking members
Four spots open for advisory board
By CHANTAL M. LOVELL, Staff Writer
Posted: 08/25/2010 01:00:00 AM PDT

REDLANDS - The city is seeking those interested in furthering peaceful negotiations in Redlands.
The Human Relations Commission currently has four open seats and commissioners are encouraging citizens to submit applications and join the body they say promotes diversity and cultural relations in they city.
"The purpose of the Human Relations Commission is to promote tolerance and diversity," said chairman Donald Singer. "We want to bring people together and ask `how is Redlands doing with cultural diversity and tolerance and is there anything we can do to further that in Redlands?"'
(Read More)

Building Dedication at Valley College

Congratulations to Valley College! Four new buildings were dedicated on Friday, August 13th. The buildings are New North Hall, Media Communications, Custodial and M&O.

Native Sons of the Golden West Celebrate 123rd Anniversary

The Highland News reported this week that San Bernardino’s chapter of the Native Sons of the Golden West celebrated its 123rd anniversary last Saturday, when 5 new members were initiated into Arrowhead Parlor #110:  Jeff Austin, Jessica Austin and Don Singer of Redlands, Eloise Reyes of Grand Terrace, and Cheryl Summerville of Murrieta. I was honored to become initiated.

The whole article can be reached by clicking on this link.

Photo Courtesy Highland Community News

Don's work on the Redlands Human Relations Commission

Don Singer serves as a member of and is the Chair of the Human Relations Commission for the City of Redlands.  This Commission, consisting of eight regular members and one member from one of the high schools in Redlands, meets on a monthly basis in the chambers of the Redlands City Council.  Each member is appointed by the City Council.
 
The Commission is charged with discussing those issues and concerns which involve the interests and well-being of all of the residents of the city of Redlands and, in some cases, making recommendations to the City Council as to how best to handle specific sets of concerns.

In addition, the Commission has long been a co-sponsor of the annual breakfast which recognizes the life and achievements of César Chávez and assists and actively participates in the annual Martin Luther King day parade.  The Commission works through its many committees, some of which are the following: the Immigration Forum Committee; the Complete Census Count Committee; the César Chávez Breakfast Committee;  and the Parallel Justice Committee. 
 
The Commission also takes an active role in working with other civic groups in an effort to make the City of Redlands truly the unique community which it is.

Statement of Candidacy

What better to start a page of campaign issues than with my sample ballot statement. This will be sent to all of the voters in the Community College District.

NAME: Don Singer, PH.D.

OCCUPATION: BOARD MEMBER, SAN BERNARDINO COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT

Since arriving in the Inland Empire 28 years ago, I have been privileged to serve as the PRESIDENT of BOTH COLLEGES in the District - - Crafton Hills College for eight years and San Bernardino Valley College for seven years.

During my tenure as a Board member I actively supported the public approved state-of-the art facilities to expand and enhance learning and the “green upgrades” that significantly reduced operating costs.

I was fortunate enough to make significant strides in my efforts to provide students with affordable textbooks by cost reductions, e-books and book loan projects. My passion and ultimate goal is to ensure that no student is denied a positive learning opportunity, because of the unconscionable high cost of textbooks.

I have been married to my wife, Joanne, for 47 years. I have three children and three grandchildren. I am a member of a national service club, the Native Sons of the Golden West, and the San Bernardino Valley College Foundation.

Please vote for me, so I may continue “Singer for Straight A’s”:

• Accountability to the taxpayers

• Affordability of a higher education

• Accessibility to that education

For more information, go to www.reelectSinger.com and my Facebook page, Don Singer for Community College Board.