Jennifer Rock
Nancy Pearlman, Los Angeles Community College District board of trustees, feels students should be more active in governance.
“I think students should get active in their student government,” said Pearlman.
Pearlman has been an LACCD board member since 2001, handling “whatever happens in the district”.
“We create the policy,” said Pearlman. “We are the ultimate end point for what happens in the district.”
The District board of trustees is the legal entity responsible for all nine college campuses in the Los Angeles district, voting on budgets, approving expenditures and setting policy.
Pearlman is also the chair of the Infrastructure Committee that oversees all the building plans for the nine college campuses including all construction projects under Propositions A and AA.
These propositions represented two different bonds totaling $2 billion, geared and allocated for building infrastructure to renovate new buildings.
“I want to make sure that money is spent well and properly,” said Pearlman.
The District board of trustees has adopted the certified Silver LEED standard as policy in the district.
These standards cover all types of ecological principles including energy and water conservation, building lay-out, use of recycled materials, recycling of construction waste, site design and use of non toxic materials.
Pearlman has attended several different schools during her college career.
Starting at Chapman University, Pearlman participated in the World campus Afloat Program where she took classes aboard a ship that traveled around the world.
Pearlman received her bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Los Angeles, a master’s degree from Antioch University, and a teaching credential from the University of Southern California.
Pearlman is also an environmentalist with an extensive career that involves helping the earth’s ecosystems.
In 1971 Pearlman founded the Ecology Center of Southern California, and also started her own radio show in 1977 called Environmental Directions, the longest running radio series in the country on the environment.
“I’ve been driven to work for the environmental cause my entire life,” said Pearlman.
In 1984 she became the host and executive producer of a three-time Emmy nominated environmental television series called ECONEWS, broadcasted on 100 stations in 25 states.
Pearlman also travels around the world promoting sustainability in the travel industry with Project Ecotourism since 1993.
In 2004 she became a member of the Gypsy Folk Ensemble teaching workshops. As a college instructor, she teaches broadcasting and anthropology.
Of Pearlman’s many occupations, she truly enjoys being a board member.
“I love being a board member. It gave me a wonderful opportunity to work with everyone involved in the community colleges,” said Pearlman.
Passionate about the environment, Pearlman expressed concern that human beings are not stabilizing the population and over-using resources, causing species to become extinct.
“I realized that the animals and plants can’t speak for themselves…I was driven to save all the creatures on the planet,” said Pearlman.
As a concern for Pierce College, she would like to see a smoke free campus and more solar panels used because it is more ecological and it saves money.
During the 80s and 90s Pearlman fought to save the Pierce farm as an environmentalist. Now, she explains that she is happy she was able to do something about it.
“We were able to put that issue to rest…now we can use that land in a proper fashion,” said Pearlman.
Larry Eisenberg, executive director of facilities planning and development who is part of overseeing Proposition A and AA, recognizes Pearlman’s active role in the community
“She’s really hectically engaged in the projects we put forward,” said Eisenberg
According to Pearlman, buildings being designed for Pierce College are waiting for approval from the state architect and are currently going through other design approval processes under Proposition A and AA.