Ex-Milk Club Co-Prez Enters City College Race

Thomas Temprano, a former co-president of the progressive Harvey Milk LGBT Democratic Club, announced this week his campaign for a seat on the City College of San Francisco Board of Trustees.

Temprano, a gay man and well-known deejay who goes by Tom, will be seeking to unseat gay college board member Alex Randolph, who was tapped by Mayor Ed Lee earlier this month to fill the vacancy created by longtime trustee Natalie Berg's decision to resign for personal reasons.

In an interview with the Bay Area Reporter about his appointment, Randolph said he planned to resign later this year from his Obama administration job - he is a special assistant at the U.S. General Services Administration regional office - in order to run in the special election this November to serve out the remainder of Berg's term and then seek a full four-year term in 2016.

Speaking to the B.A.R. Monday, April 27 shortly after he pulled papers to enter the race, Temprano said he had planned to run for a college board seat in 2016. But due to the special election this fall, he decided there was no time to wait.

"With this seat now open, City College can't wait another year for strong leadership," said Temprano, 29, co-owner of Virgil's Sea Room bar on Mission Street. "City College at this point is fighting for its life. So when the board of trustees is re-instated this July, City College really needs someone to stand up for the students of City College. I am going to do that. It doesn't need someone right now who is someone who's a career politician and hasn't been involved in the fight."

Gay former state Assemblyman Tom Ammiano and gay District 9 Supervisor David Campos have endorsed Temprano in the race. He plans to have an official campaign kick-off event in late May.

Asked about Temprano's decision to run for his seat, Randolph told the B.A.R. that he is "focused on City College right now and looking forward to meeting as many students and San Franciscans as I can over the next couple of weeks and months. I am in my, what, 10th day on the board. I am excited about my new role and helping to preserve access to higher education in San Francisco."

Gay City College board member Rafael Mandelman told the B.A.R. he does not plan to endorse in the race.

"They are both great guys, they are both friends of mine and I assume they will both be strong candidates," said Mandelman, who was elected president of the college board this year.

Also pulling papers to run is Wendy Aragon, a straight woman who came in fifth place in the November election for three four-year seats on the community college board. In an April 23 Facebook post about her decision to run again, she wrote that her loss last year left her feeling "like I let a lot of people who need this college down."

Aragon acknowledged that "it's going to be a tough race against the mayor's candidate, and others have already started building their war chests, but I have my base and I'm used to being a grassroots underdog so I'm ready."

While leading the Milk club in 2013 and 2014, Temprano prioritized the fight to save City College as one of the club's top issues. The Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges had threatened to revoke its accreditation, sparking broad protests in San Francisco, Sacramento, and Washington, D.C.

Earlier this year the accreditation committee granted "restoration" status to CCSF, giving it two years to fully comply with the requirements needed to be in good standing. In the meantime, a city lawsuit against the commission is making its way through state court, and a special trustee continues to run City College until the elected board regains full oversight.

"I think that right now City College is facing the biggest challenges it has ever faced. Unfortunately, it is facing an enrollment drop and a loss of confidence in the college," said Temprano, whose partner of two years, Jarr VonSamuel, is a hairstylist. "We need to let people know there is a class for everyone at City College and it is open for business. I am happy to be City College's biggest cheerleader."

Temprano has not taken any classes himself at City College but attended Ventura College, a community college in his hometown in southern California, in order to graduate on time from high school, which he was forced to drop out of due to an illness.

"I am planning to enroll in some small business classes" at City College, said Temprano, who also works as a communications consultant for nonprofits and government agencies.

Randolph also has not enrolled at City College but attended a community college in San Diego prior to transferring to UC Berkeley. His fianc�, Trevor Nguyen, was enrolled at a Bay Area community college before transferring to UC Berkeley and has taken German classes at City College.

With Randolph's strong ties to the city's more moderate Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club, on whose board he has served, the college board race is sure to divide the city's LGBT community come the fall.