Chaparral 2023-2024: A Word from Guild President Richard Kamei

Chaparral is thankful to all our standing columnists, those that appear every issue, for their submission and knowledge sharing. In this May 2024 issue, we ask Guild President Richard Kamei who he would like to thank for supporting his work this year and any thoughts to share for his next year as Guild President.

Chaparral: Think about the last academic year. Who made your life easier, helped you accomplish a goal, supported you and your work, etc.? What would you like to say to them via the Chaparral?

Richard: There are so many people that I am deeply grateful to, who have made my life easier by supporting me in many ways in my role as Guild president. I would like to name them all, but they are numerous and I do not want to risk leaving people out, so I will write in more general terms.

First and foremost, I want to thank my family for all their support.  Being Guild president consumes a lot of time and energy that I would have normally spent with my family. Therefore, I sincerely appreciate their sacrifice. Next, I want to thank the officers of the Guild Exec and the members of the negotiations team. It is because of all their hard work that we are able to achieve important goals, and address our members’ needs and concerns. I also appreciate the Guild representatives and joint representatives on governance committees for communicating with me and the Guild Exec as they speak and vote on important matters, especially those that are Guild related. Furthermore, I want to thank the CFT leadership and our CFT representatives, who are always there when we need them.

 

I also appreciate my classified professional colleagues, from the Governance Office Coordinator, administrative assistants, IT, and facilities. I could not succeed in my position without all their support and friendship. Moreover, the friendships that have been built throughout the years with many in the CSEA leadership creates an environment where we sincerely care about the well-being of each other’s members.

There are also current and former division chairs whose knowledge and experience I count on to gain a better understanding on issues. Moreover, if it were not for the relationships built on mutual trust and respect that I have with officers of the Academic Senate, including the Academic Senate president, I could not be as effective. Even relationships with the administrators, some that go back a quarter century and others more recently developed, are not taken for granted.

Lastly, I want to thank my mentors for all their support and guidance throughout the decades. Their friendship and confidence in me have been invaluable as I have taken on different leadership roles throughout my career. It is my hope that I can maintain and build on the many wonderful achievements that they have set as a foundation at GCC. As I conclude, I feel certain that there are folks that I have inadvertently left off. There are so many people that help me in my role and for that I am grateful.

Chaparral: Any final thoughts for folks going into Summer and Fall in your position?

Richard: Since I will be the one in my current position going into summer and fall, I would like to remind myself to work on a better work-life balance.