'We Are In Such A Pivotal Moment' Says Trustee Candidate Elijah Ball
Board of Trustees candidate Elijah Ball wants to reopen Downtown and expand community participation in decision-making.
Elijah Ball, a candidate for the San Francisco Community College District Board of Trustees, said his experience planning college campuses could help the college confront financial challenges, increase enrollment and plan for its future.
Since 2022 Ball has worked in planning for community college districts including Foothill-De Anza, Los Angeles, Pasadena and Long Beach.
His work, he said, involves aligning enrollment forecasts, finances and program goals with long-term campus planning.
“I am the only candidate that has actually worked with colleges nationally on master plan updates, and with over four community colleges in California.” Ball said.
His interest in education is also personal.
His mother dropped out of high school after becoming pregnant with his brother and later earned her diploma in adult school, allowing her to get a union job with better pay and benefits. Her experience, Ball said, showed him the importance of providing opportunities for people to return to education at different stages of their lives.
He opposes selling Downtown Center and wants City College to retain it and eventually bring college programs back to the site once enrollment demand increases.
“It would be a loss if we think short-term and sell that parcel,” Ball said. “We need to hold on to it.”
Ball identified three priorities if elected: increasing student enrollment, addressing City College’s structural deficit and improving student success.
He said enrollment is particularly important because it affects the amount of funding the college receives from the state.
City College should prioritize courses and programs where student demand is high, including career and technical education, English as a Second Language and other non-credit programs, said Ball
He also said the college should consider the role certain programs, like Cantonese instruction, play in San Francisco beyond enrollment numbers.
“That is a language that is embedded within our community here in San Francisco, and it’s one that I would actually continue to advocate and fight for,” Ball said.
Veterans at City College should be included in future facilities planning so the college can determine whether its spaces and services are meeting their needs, said Ball.
Future planning should examine veteran enrollment, retention and graduation rates and establish goals if the college finds areas where veteran students are not succeeding.
When asked what he would cut if City College faced a serious budget shortfall, Ball did not identify a specific program or department.
“That is a huge discussion that just does not fall within one trustee,”. Such a decision should involve students, faculty and other stakeholders, said Ball
Ball said he wants to protect Free City and would campaign for its continuation when necessary.
Listening before deciding
Trustees should hear from the community early in the decision-making process, said Ball,
And throughout the interview, he repeatedly emphasized community involvement and transparency.
“People want to be at the table from the very beginning and not have any surprises,” Ball said. He would use informal meetings, surveys, public forums and other forms of outreach.
“We are in such a pivotal moment,” Ball said. “The decisions that we make today are going to set the direction of the college.”
Among the outcomes he said he would seek are increased enrollment, progress toward resolving the college’s structural deficit, higher transfer rates and reopening the Downtown Center by 2030.
After four years, he said students should be able to judge his performance through measurable results.