Fullerton College Student Volunteer: Please state your name and the office you are running for.

Larry Andre: My name is Larry Andre, and I am a candidate for North Orange County Community College District Board of Trustees Area 3.

Student Volunteer: How frequently do you visit Fullerton College, Cypress College or North Orange Continuing Education (NOCE) to meet students, faculty and staff and discuss their needs? Can you provide an example?

Andre: I have been to Cypress College several times and met students on campus. Oftentimes, they are busy moving from one class to another. They understand the concepts, but they are focused on getting their college education. It can be difficult to get them to stop studying, socializing or eating to have a conversation because they have to hurry to their next class.

That makes it challenging to connect with students and discuss their needs.

Student Volunteer: Who has endorsed your campaign?

Andre: I have received endorsements from individuals I know, including someone who is a major fundraiser for the Democratic Party and the Orange County Republican Party. This is a nonpartisan seat, and I believe the programs I propose are more important than party affiliations.

I have also received individual endorsements, including one from Molly McGee Hewitt, who served as a trustee for the Anaheim Union High School District in the 1980s. I have known her since the late 1960s. I also have support from people in business and other individuals I know.

Student Volunteer: How do you think colleges should approach the use of artificial intelligence in curriculum, teaching and student work?

Andre: AI can be very dangerous for college and high school students if they rely on it instead of learning the skills needed to conduct research independently. There need to be ways for AI companies and educational institutions to protect the educational process.

Students sometimes use AI to generate work and then print it verbatim. That creates problems because they are not learning. They are learning how to enter prompts, but not necessarily how to think critically or conduct research.

I believe the purpose of college is not simply to learn a particular subject. It is to learn how to learn. Students need to find resources, study subjects and understand the pathways that allow them to investigate topics more deeply.

There are also problems in the job market. AI is affecting many professions, and it is increasingly used in recruiting. Students with lower grade-point averages may struggle to find opportunities, even if they continue their education and earn a bachelor’s degree. If employers use automated systems to screen applicants, some people may be excluded before their skills are considered.

We also need to reconsider the assumption that everyone must attend a traditional four-year college. Many students want to work with their hands and pursue career technical education, but those pathways have received less attention than academic education.

Not everyone needs to take traditional college courses. People need opportunities to learn a career, trade or vocation.

In my construction-related vocational class at Santa Ana College, which served workers from construction unions, I taught for eight and a half years. During that time, I had six or seven students with master’s degrees who could not find positions in their fields. They recognized that entering the construction trades could allow them to earn about $50 an hour within a relatively short period.

More recently, one of my students entered the operating engineers trade, working with heavy equipment. He started at $40 an hour. He now earns more in a week than he previously earned in an entire month working in a restaurant.

Those opportunities matter. We need to expand them and build educational pathways around students’ needs rather than forcing students into pathways that others have decided they should follow.

Student Volunteer: What are your thoughts on Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoing Assembly Bill 713, which would block paid campus jobs for undocumented college students?

Andre: That is a difficult subject, and it is easy to get in over your head when discussing it.

I believe jobs should go to American citizens first. At the same time, I understand the challenges faced by undocumented people. My helper, Martin, has worked for me for about 40 years. He came to the United States without documentation, and I helped him obtain legal status during the Clinton administration. He has worked for me ever since.

I understand the difficulties undocumented people face, but many young people who have recently graduated from high school and have legal status also struggle to find jobs. Determining how to balance those needs is difficult.

Everybody deserves food, housing and an education. However, I believe we should first address the needs of people who were born here or have legal status, while people without documentation should pursue a path toward legal status.

Student Volunteer: What are the most important ways to increase enrollment and encourage students to attend community college?

Andre: We need to offer classes that meet students’ needs. That is why I have been talking about career technical education, or CTE.

If only a portion of students who begin college eventually earn bachelor’s degrees, we need to offer career programs that provide other routes to employment and success.

I believe we should create a standalone campus for CTE programs. We could interview local businesses, such as machine shops that manufacture aircraft parts, to identify the specialized skills they need. A general machinist may not have the specific training required for that work, so we should partner with those businesses to develop appropriate curricula.

Because we would be educating students for those industries, businesses could help by providing experienced workers who are also capable teachers. We could certify them to teach and give students the best possible education, preparing them to become highly skilled machinists who can work on complex components.

The same approach could apply to unionized trades. We should also offer programs in areas such as real estate, cosmetology and culinary arts.

Consider people who start small businesses, perhaps selling food from a street corner. With the right education and support, they might build businesses that grow into major companies. They could become the next Taco Bell or McDonald’s.

My goal is to help people succeed beyond what they ever imagined possible.

Fullerton College Hornet Interviews can be seen on the FCHornet YouTube channel under Meet the Candidates 2026.