Q and A: Brian Sylva

This Board of Trustees candidate interview was conducted by TALON Co-Editor, Mahak Tiwari with candidate Brian Sylva on Oct. 13, 2020.

Brian Sylva is running for Area 1 for the Board of Trustees.

Q: This past June, MSJC released the new Equity Pledge committing to support the diversity of its students and communities. What has MSJC done since then to support the pledge’s commitment and what can we expect in the near future?

A: Since the beginning of my campaign, I have stated my support for the “MSJC Call to Action” to reduce the opportunity gaps for MSJC African American & Black Students. As a Beaumont School Board member, I have helped knock down educational barriers and supported students continuously. Providing better opportunities for our students, making sure we are maximizing our community’s investment in our schools through fiscal responsibility and facilities management. As a proud graduate of the community college system myself, I understand and sympathize with the day-to-day needs of students. As a Beaumont School Board member, I have always prioritized helping students achieve their dream through the gift of education and increasing educational opportunities for all students.

Q: Are there plans to represent and support other minority groups such as Native Americans, Asian and South Asian groups, and American Samoans?

A: I believe that each student group has a voice that should be listened to. As an MSJC Foundation Supporter, my wife and I have made many financial contributions to help students of varying socio-economic backgrounds such as: Native Americans, Asian and South Asian groups, and American Samoans. Students who are looking to get their first year of college paid for through the MSJC Promise and students who are looking to find their way in that crucial transition from high school to the college learning environment.

Q: What can students expect from MSJC in 2021 in regard to online learning and the pandemic?

A: With the patchwork of other California Community College Districts choosing their own path based on County of origin, it looks like Distance Education will continue for nearly all course disciplines through the end of the 2020-2021 school year. As a Community College employee for over a decade and as Vice President of the Beaumont Unified School District Board, this is certainly unprecedented times and continuing with nearly all coursework in an online capacity is driving down enrollments and even the best students are struggling. The sooner MSJC can return safely to in-person courses, the better it will be for students, staff, faculty and administration. Based on how I have seen my K-12 colleagues dealing with their own “return to classroom” plans, MSJC will probably follow suit, meaning that there will be a phase in process beginning with Fall 2021. For more clarification on these thoughts, you can go to SylvaForMSJC.com

Q: Will we see more technological integration and training with Canvas and other software used by the school? Will there be more physical equipment and supplies provided to students such as Chemistry lab kits?

A: This is why I have supported revisiting the facilities masterplan for MSJC. As a member of MSJC’s Measure AA Citizens Oversight Committee, I am intimately aware of the disbursement of the $295 Million Bond measure generously passed by the voters in 2014. Since that Bond was passed a facilities masterplan was assembled quickly thereafter, but has not been reviewed since. Technological integration would be a part of that facilities masterplan. I believe that large parts of distance education are here to stay, adapted to the needs of MSJC students and huge strides to implement best practices are taking place right now, but taking coursework online will be a more positive experience in the future.

That positive experience will include more training and preparing staff and faculty for the needs of our students. WE NEED TO STOP ASKING IF STUDENTS ARE READY FOR COLLEGE, BUT IF OUR COLLEGE IS READY FOR STUDENTS. That is why it is of the utmost importance to elect someone who has experience in a growing District, someone who has experience in developing and collaborating on facilities masterplans, which I have done in Beaumont Unified. This Fall 2020 semester has been provided a steep learning curve for students, staff, faculty and administration. Even at the K-12 level, no one has figured out the key to success. But we are all learning and we are all listening to those who have best practices and attempting to implement those practices into our own strategies.

Q: What can MSJC do for students and teachers struggling to balance life and school at home because of distractions they cannot avoid? How can the Board of Trustees improve on this to make sure students and teachers have the motivation and support needed to achieve success?

As a Beaumont Unified School Board Member, I am well versed in the life/school balance which is affecting everyone during the COVID-19 pandemic. Unfortunately, there are many students and teachers who are struggling in multiple ways and the support structure necessary for their return will be immense.

What we are seeing in Beaumont Unified, and this is an observation shared by my Board colleagues around the Southern California region is, the older sibling, usually high school aged, is busy all day, trying to teach their elementary school aged sibling, while a family member works to keep the family fed. These are stressors that are leading to declining enrollments at Community Colleges across California. The need for more counseling services, as well as licensed therapists, will be critical to us as a College to help support our students, staff, faculty, and administration in the best way possible.