“The college district knows how to manage facilities. They don’t know how to run a fitness club,” Mark Simon wrote on May 27 about San Mateo Athletic Club (SMAC) operations. Actually, classified staff at the San Mateo County Community College District provide services beyond “managing facilities.” Many classified staff believe we can successfully manage SMAC day-to-day operations like other fitness centers (e.g., Howard College, Ohio University, University of Michigan and more) located on college/university campuses across the country.
Simon says, “Stick with the business you are in” seemingly unaware that beyond teaching, college/universities around the country successfully operate various programs/services e.g., childcare centers, ITS, transportation, cafeterias, bookstores, etc.
Also, “one board member wants the entire facility to be run by district personnel, which will significantly drive up the cost of operating the center.” If other colleges/universities can successfully manage fitness centers with in-house staff, why can’t SMCCCD?
Excerpts from the board meeting on SMAC staffing:
• July 22, 2009, (BR-09-7-2C) “Trustee Holober asked if staffing will be provided by regular employees of the District. Chancellor Galatolo said staff will be a combination of faculty, classified and students, and possibly … contractor trainers.”
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• Dec 9, 2009, (BR-09-12-4C) “Mr. Bauer said he believes the Fitness Center will be best operated by a vendor partner initially. . It is possible that . the District could learn enough about the business to take the operation back in house if desired.”
• March 23, 2011, (BR-11-3-104B) “Trustee Schwarz said her original goal was to give District classified staff the opportunity for jobs at SMAC.”
District employees can continue to successfully operate SMAC.
A lot has happened since Messrs. Galatolo and Bauer and Ms. Schwarz made the statements highlighted in your LTE, but I think you are correct... the District can manage the health and fitness center. I also believe Mark Simon is correct... the District needs to focus more on preparing young people for advanced education and the workforce.
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(1) comment
Hello, Annette
A lot has happened since Messrs. Galatolo and Bauer and Ms. Schwarz made the statements highlighted in your LTE, but I think you are correct... the District can manage the health and fitness center. I also believe Mark Simon is correct... the District needs to focus more on preparing young people for advanced education and the workforce.
Welcome to the discussion.
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Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who make comments.
Keep it clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
Don't threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Anyone violating these rules will be issued a warning. After the warning, comment privileges can be revoked.