SAN MARCOS: Four vie for three Palomar College seats

Two incumbents, two challenges to be on November ballot

By GARY WARTH - Staff Writer | Wednesday, August 13, 2008 4:39 PM PDT ∞

SAN MARCOS --- At least one new Palomar College trustee will be seated after voters choose three board members from two incumbents and two challengers in the Nov. 4 election.

Wednesday was the deadline for candidates to file in races where at least one incumbent is not seeking re-election. In the Palomar College race, board Vice President Ruth Larson, elected in 2004, is not seeking re-election. Board President Darrell McMullen and Secretary Nancy Chadwick are running for re-election.

The challengers are Richard Borevitz, a retired grower with a long association with Palomar College, and Rose Marie Dishman, recently retired from a career in higher education but with no Palomar ties.

Borevitz, 67, already is a familiar face at the school. In 1995, he was a founding member of Friends of the Arboretum, which supports the campus' collection of plants from around the world, and in 1997 he became president of the group.

The San Diego County native graduated from Palomar in 1961 before continuing his studies at the University of California, Berkeley. As a volunteer at Palomar, Borevitz has been on the Presidents' Associates Executive Board and the Palomar College Foundation Board, serving on the board's Finance and Investment Committee.

He also serves on the Independent Citizen Oversight Committee, which helps oversee the $694 million Proposition M facilities bond passed by voters in 2006. Along with an additional $299 million from the state, the money will be used to construct 15 new campus buildings and renovate 15 existing ones.

"I think because of Prop. M bond money, it's going to be a big revival for the school, a renaissance with the school," he said.

Professionally, Borevitz ran Gourmet Gardens in San Marcos for 16 years with his wife, Mary, a San Marcos School District trustee.

"I care about the school," he said about Palomar. "I graduated there. I've been giving a lot of my time over the last 12 or 14 years. I believe in open access for all in education, and I believe the community college system does that better than any other institution."

Borevitz said he would like to encourage more harmonious relations between the faculty and the administration, although he also said the relationship is better than it had been in the past.

Dishman, 64, said she is running to share the experience she garnered in her professional career in higher education. While she has no experience with Palomar, she said having no ties to the college can be an asset to a board member.

"I would be a real help to them," Dishman said. "I have no conflict of interest with them, and I'm not trying to sell them anything."

Born in Texas, Dishman grew up in Missouri and studied physics at the University of Missouri before earning a master's degree and doctorate in physics from the University of California, Riverside. In the 1970s, she earned a master's in business administration from San Diego State University, where she studied marketing.

Dishman spent 15 years as a faculty member and professor at United States International University, where she taught physics, math and engineering. In 1992, she was hired as dean of academic affairs at DeVry Institute of Technology, and was promoted to president within a year.

After DeVry Institute expanded to include a school of management, Dishman became regional president of the renamed DeVry University and helped start a campus in Long Beach and Sherman Oaks. She retired in January.

"I do have a lot of experience," she said. "I don't think I should not do something with it. Even if I'm not elected, I'll meet all these new people, and maybe there's some volunteer jobs I can do."

Dishman, a Poway resident, said she would like to see Palomar reach out more toward her city and Rancho Bernardo.

"Many times I really don't think people in Poway and Rancho Bernardo understand that Palomar is their community college," she said. "Some representation from down in our area would be somewhat helpful."

Contact staff writer Gary Warth at (760) 740-5410 or gwarth@nctimes.com.

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