Santa Fe Community College Board Election Features Four Candidates
Two board seats at Santa Fe Community College (SFCC) are available during the upcoming election on November 4, 2024. Four candidates will appear on the ballot, including one incumbent, although one candidate has announced his withdrawal from the race. The top two vote-getters will secure six-year terms on the board.
This election marks the introduction of ranked choice voting for the college, a first for SFCC. Under this system, if no candidate achieves a majority of votes, the candidate with the least votes will be eliminated, and their supporters’ second choices will be redistributed among the remaining candidates. This change aims to enhance fairness and representation in the electoral process.
Incumbent and New Candidates Prepare for Election
Incumbent board chair Jody Pugh, 69, is vying for a second term. Pugh likened the board’s role to that of the U.S. Department of Energy in relation to her employer, Los Alamos National Laboratory. “We wouldn’t say, ‘Go fix the HVAC.’ We would ensure that the college had a maintenance plan and that they were following it,” Pugh stated. She highlighted the board’s recent achievements, including exceeding mandated salary increases and implementing parental leave—a benefit SFCC shares with only one other institution in New Mexico, the University of New Mexico.
Pugh expressed a commitment to her role, stating, “No, but what I think I can bring is experience.” She acknowledged the significant contributions of outgoing vice chair Piér Quintana, who has decided not to seek another term due to the challenges of balancing the unpaid position with her responsibilities as a full-time director of personal and professional development at St. John’s College. Quintana, 40, noted that the demands of lengthy board meetings may deter younger individuals from pursuing these roles.
Although stepping away from the board, Quintana remains passionate about higher education and indicated her intentions to serve on other boards in the future. She believes the introduction of ranked choice voting will make the upcoming race more competitive, particularly for incumbents like Pugh.
New Faces Enter the Race
Competing alongside Pugh is a mix of new candidates, including Alan P. Jones, who has stated that he is withdrawing from the election, although his name will still appear on the ballot. Stephen DiGiulio, a former professor at SFCC and past president of the faculty union, is also running. DiGiulio did not respond to requests for comment prior to the publication.
Another candidate, Howard Roy Dittmer, aims for his first electoral win after relocating to New Mexico three years ago. Dittmer, 72, brings two decades of educational leadership experience from his time on the Mechanical Engineering Advisory Board at Virginia Tech. He expressed concerns about workforce preparedness, recalling a previous role in which he witnessed a lack of skilled labor domestically despite the repatriation of jobs from abroad.
“I am concerned about the future of education in our country,” Dittmer remarked, emphasizing his goal of enhancing workforce readiness to equip young individuals with necessary technical skills.
As the election approaches, all candidates are preparing to engage with the community, aiming to address the pressing needs and aspirations of SFCC. The board’s role in shaping educational policies and practices will be critical in the years to come, particularly as the institution navigates challenges and opportunities within the higher education landscape.
