One of the crown jewels at Sierra College is the Sierra College Foundation, helmed by the talented and always-hard working Sonbol Aliabadi, the Executive Director.

The foundation has just announced its drive to raise $250,000 to fund a seamless rollout of Wi-Fi internet access across Sierra College campuses. This technology has a huge impact on the kind of learning environment we can foster on campus, and I’m very excited to see this take place!

Here’s the press release…

Sierra College: Upgrading Technology for Today’s Wireless World

ROCKLIN, CA – July Eighth marked the official start of the Sierra College Foundation’s WiFi Project Campaign to raise $250,000 to provide wireless Internet access to Sierra College students district wide. At Tuesday night’s campaign kick-off, the Foundation proudly announced that during the silent phase of this campaign, they were able to raise approximately $100,000. The event was attended by community supporters, members of the project’s Honorary Committee, Sierra College Foundation Board of Directors, and Sierra College staff and students.

Honorable Jim Gray, Mayor of Roseville and Honorary Chair of the WiFi Campaign, in his remarks, talked about the importance of Sierra College to him personally, his family, and the entire region. Dr. Rachel Rosenthal addressed the importance of wireless capability for today’s digital-learner students. Sandra Gallo, the 2007-2008 President of the Associated Students of Sierra College, stated that “Sierra College students, professors, and staff identified wireless Internet access as the No. 1 priority to enhance education and the overall college experience.”

Holly Tiche (Placer Ranch President) and Tami Bogert-Yuill (Attorney/Gubernatorial Appointee), Co-Chairs of the WiFi Campaign, remarked that wireless technology on all Sierra College campuses will enhance learning, enable access to information, and improve safety to the nearly 40,000 students and community members who attend one of the four campuses (Nevada County, Rocklin, Roseville Gateway, and Tahoe/Truckee).

The project’s Honorary Committee is comprised of Jim Gray (Chair), Mayor of Roseville; Ed Bonner, Placer County Sheriff; David Ferrari, Sierra College Trustee; Carol Garcia, City of Roseville Councilmember; Jim Holmes, Placer County Supervisor; Mark Johnson, Mayor of Grass Valley; Gil Mathew, Nevada County Economic Resource Council President/CEO; David McKay, City of Nevada City Councilmember; Dan Miller, City of Grass Valley Councilmember; Bart O’Brien, Placer Union High School District Superintendent; Rocky Rockholm, Placer County Supervisor; Primo Santini, Mayor of Lincoln; John Spencer, Nevada County Supervisor; Brett Storey, Mayor of Rocklin; and Kirk Uhler, Placer County Supervisor.

This is a short-term campaign promising to yield impressive results. The campaign is expected to wrap up in late August in order for students to begin utilizing the technology in Spring 2009.

Visit www.sierracollege.edu/wifi to learn more about the WiFi Project Campaign. Contact the Sierra College Foundation at: (916) 789-2920 or foundation@sierracollege.edu if you would like to offer your support.

There are times when people ask me why I’m generally opposed to raising taxes. And the answer to that question is somewhat similar to the reason why we never wish for rising unemployment, economic recession or natural disasters: because they dash the dreams of real, live, hard-working people like you and me.

As I’ve written before, there is a certain level of taxation that is appropriate. Government exists to protect life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, and we need fire protection, police, schools, armed forces and the like in order to do that. But there are also times where you sit back and say, enough is enough. The State of California’s current budget crisis is a great example of that.

Jon Coupal of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayer’s Association recently wrote “what is 150 years old, but has less self control than a toddler?” The answer was the California State Legislature. As humorous as that is, it’s true — California is now $20 billion dollars in the red, and there is no end in sight to the fiscal profligacy that our legislators will try and pursue.

So I have to say, I was disappointed when I received a series of e-mails from the taxpayer-funded Community College League of California, instructing me as a trustee to write a letter and tell my representatives to pass a statewide tax increase. There is nothing that would be more harmful to Sierra College’s students, who rely on part-time work as they pursue their education.

I ended up writing a letter to our state’s leaders, but I did so to urge that they balance the budget, but not on the backs of Californians who  need all the help they can get. In economic times like these, we need more economic growth and more jobs — not more taxes.

Here’s the letter I sent:

And here’s the full text:

July 11, 2008

Dear Sirs,

I recently received an e-mail from the Community College League of California, which is a nonprofit public benefit corporation funded by the 72 community college districts throughout California, which themselves are funded with state tax dollars.

In this e-mail, I was instructed as a college trustee to write you a letter using the League’s automated web site to ask you to support the Legislature’s budget proposal, which includes significant tax increases. The e-mail in effect causes this taxpayer-funded organization to endorse the raising of even more taxes on an overtaxed and economically hurting population of Californians.

I am writing to you today to instead ask you to oppose any budget that would raise taxes. The vast majority of students who attend Sierra College need part time work to make ends meet and pay for their education. With gasoline prices skyrocketing and an economic slowdown at hand, the last thing our students need is a statewide tax increase that depresses economic activity, sends businesses out of our state and kills the jobs that they rely on.

This is not a partisan issue; it is one of basic common sense in our current economic situation. I urge you to do everything in your power to pass a budget as soon as possible, but please make sure that the budget isn’t balanced on the backs of Californians who need all the help they can get.

Sincerely,

Aaron Klein
Sierra College Trustee

Here’s an update on the story I posted earlier about the champion wrestler who was trying out for the Olympic team!

ROCKLIN – California community college state champion, Eric Nye, 20 has been wrestling since the seventh grade and will continue along this path as he departs from Sierra College for Arizona State University on a full ride scholarship next year.

“My experience at Sierra College has been a good one,” Nye said. “Everyone is really helpful and eager to answer your questions.”

After representing Sierra College and the COA by winning the University National Tournament, Nye went on to place fourth at the US National Wrestling Tournament which qualified him for the final Olympic Trials.

Although he didn’t make the Olympic team, he will continue on to represent the USA, Sierra College, and the COA in the University World Championships which will be held in Greece this July.

“I didn’t really know what I wanted to do,” Nye said about first arriving at Sierra College. “Working in the Admissions and Records Department and taking advantage of the Writing Center helped me along.”

Along with his athletics, Nye will also be pursing an M.A. in Kinesiology at Arizona State and continuing to coach wrestling. His hope is to one day coach a division one wrestling team.

“The main thing I want to do is coach, and I’ve received a lot of guidance from my own coach,” he said. (Coach Ken Wharry) “He’s been my mentor with both wrestling and academics.”

Nye is looking forward to his experiences in Greece and at Arizona State, but he will hold fond memories of Sierra College along the way.

“Sierra College gave me a clean slate,” he said. “It gave me a chance to do what I want.”

For more information about Sierra College award winning sports programs, go to www.sierracollege.edu and click on the Events & Athletics tab.

We love Independence Day at the Klein house. A wonderful day to celebrate the birth of our country, a beacon of freedom for the world. The United States isn’t perfect, but it’s the best there is on Earth.

Spencer and I marched in the Lincoln Fourth of July parade. Spencer’s first! Notice his "why is that guy taking my picture" face…he was waving his flag high most of the time!

We were privileged to join Tom McClintock, who I expect will be our next Congressman. Tom has been my friend for ten years, and he’ll serve us well in Washington.

It was good to see so many friends in Lincoln.

Korean law requires a six month period before an adoption is finalized in the United States. Spencer’s adoption was finalized in Placer County Superior Court on June 19!

Judge Larry Gaddis, who is the presiding judge on the Placer County bench, signed Spencer’s finalization documents and promised us that the federal government would send us his new birth certificate “in a mere seven to eight years.”

Here’s a large part of the Klein and Steward families in the judge’s chambers for the finalization. (This is actually Judge Colleen Nichols’ chambers, but they had switched departments that day for a trial she was presiding over.)

Mom and Dad, with a very wiggly little boy.

Standing outside the courthouse…he’s all ours now.

Do we have the cutest kid, or what?

The Sierra Community Chorus is looking for talent…

ROCKLIN – The Sierra Community Chorus will begin rehearsals for the upcoming season on Tuesday, August 26, 2008, at 6:30 p.m.  Rehearsals are held each Tuesday evening in Room D-2 of the music building on the Sierra College Rocklin campus, located at 5000 Rocklin Road in Rocklin.

The Sierra Community Chorus is an organization of 70 singers from communities surrounding Sierra College in Rocklin, California, under the direction of Lorin Miller and accompanied by Diana Murray Tudsbury.  We perform a wide variety of exciting music before typically sold out crowds in late spring and before Christmas, as well as occasional special appearances.  Being a part of this acclaimed chorus is both rewarding and fun!  You can learn more about the Sierra Community Chorus by visiting our website at http://www.sierrachorus.org.

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