Robert Moreno is running to represent National City and Northwest Chula Vista as Seat 1 on Southwestern College's Governing Board during the Nov. 8 general election.
Moreno, a National City native and Southwestern College alumnus is running against Gonzalo Quintero. He is currently a board member for the Copley-Price YMCA and Community Through and a former Chula Vista Redistricting Commissioner.
As a student at Southwestern College, Moreno pursued an Associate’s Degree in Journalism, which he said: "sparked a profound care for his community college" which has carried over to this point in his life. He wrote for the Sun, the school’s award-winning and nationally recognized newspaper.
Moreno transferred to San Diego State University, where he earned a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism.
“I understand the hard challenges such as transportation, accessibility, and other hardships that I lived through myself as a college student at Southwestern,” Roberto said. “I feel like I can resonate with the students who go through these struggles every year.”
Moreno says he hopes to help students facing some of the most common challenges, such as transportation, their path to transfer to a four-year university, and other issues. He also wants to establish clearer communication between students and staff to increase transfer rates.
“When students face those requirements, they feel discouraged. A lot of those requirements are not that transparent,” Moreno said in an interview with ChulaVistaToday. “When the transfer process isn’t completed, the school sometimes blames it on the state universities’ updated policies. It’s miscommunication between Southwestern College and state schools. The process needs to be smoother. There need to be counselors who specifically provide information to students regarding their transfer process,” he added.
A recent report from the California Teacher's Association shows that part-time college professors are paid much less than full-time faculty in California. Moreno said he wants to tackle this issue, along with student-related policies, such as affordable housing for students and staff members, and facilitating a path to a contract for educators.
“I’m going be a leader for the Southwestern College community. I'm on their side and in their corner. I am doing this for my community, not for myself. I am going make the tough decisions and become their voice for the next four years," Moreno said.
