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Under the Sun: Chuck Young, interim school superintendent

Posted on July 20, 2017 by Sonoma Valley Sun

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I assume your given name is Charles. Have you always been called Chuck?

It was “Chucky” when I was a boy, my childhood name. As I grew up, it simply became Chuck.

Can you tell me about yourself?

I’m 85 years old, born in 1931 and raised in San Bernardino. I went to San Bernardino High and then on to Valley College. I took a break in there when I joined the Air National Guard and ended up in the Air Force during the Korean War in 1950. I was married for the first time just before the war. I then the first class formed at the University of California, Riverside; there were only 112 of us. I was elected student body president.

And then?

On to UCLA for a Master’s Degree in political science. While working on my PhD. I received a one-year fellowship in the American Political Science Association in Washington, DC. After that, well, I became the Acting Assistant to Clark Kerr, who was then at UC Davis. From there, in 1960 I moved on to assist Franklin Murphy, who was Chancellor at UCLA and was myself appointed Chancellor by the Regents in 1968. I was Chancellor for the next 29 years.

Whew. I’m trying to keep up.

There’s more. In 1999 I was asked to become the acting president of the University of Florida, and went on to become President there for four years. By then my first wife had died of breast cancer and I’d remarried. I was approached about a program starting in Qatar in the Middle East, the creation of an “educational city” as they called it. We drew on programs from U.S. colleges, providing programs of equivalent quality and grading standards; I ran the program for two years.

Are we getting nearer to Sonoma?

Not yet. I was asked to help the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles in 2008; it was in terrible shape financially and operationally and we turned it around. Now, we’re up to Sonoma.

And?

Five and one-half years ago my wife and I were living on Castle Road and I’d become involved with the Sonoma Valley Education Foundation. I’d been on the board of Intel for about 30 years, and when Louann Carlomagno left I was surprised and I had a conversation with my friend Les Vadasz about becoming Interim Superintendent.

Developing a plan?

My first priority is ending the dysfunction of the Board of Trustees. The board has to govern rather than trying to micro-manage. The board needs to do what a board should do. As a manager, I’m very consultative, but also decisive. My status as “interim” does not affect my authority or activities. I don’t run deficits; I’m a budget guy. I’ve spoken with each board member individually in forthright discussion. We need to work things through, even when there is unhappiness. I’m impressed with the people who work at and for the district and believe we should enjoy what we’re doing.

Other challenges?

Overall, costs are going up while income from reduced enrollment declines. Our unfunded pension liability is growing. Delays in state budgeting make it difficult to verify our own budget. I’ve been on the job, officially, for three days. I’m enjoying it.

Interview by Larry Barnett

 

 

 

 

 




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