Robert Graser
Robert "Bob" Graser was a candidate for at-large representative on the Woodbridge Township Board of Education in New Jersey. He lost in the general election on November 4, 2014.
Biography
Graser obtained a B.A. in biology and anthropology from Rutgers University and a Ph.D. in immunology from the University of Miami. He was a post-doctoral fellow at The Jackson Laboratory where he was the recipient of a National Institutes of Health grant for a type 1 diabetes study. He has worked in the pharmaceutical industry for 14 years.[1]
Elections
2014
Four seats on the Woodbridge Township school board were up for general election on November 4, 2014. Three of the seats up for election were regular three-year terms. Incumbents Frank Della Pietro III and Brian Molnar faced Marie Anderson and Robert Graser in the general election. The third incumbent whose seat was up for election, Monica Michelle Smith, did not file to run.[2]
The fourth seat up for election was a one-year term. Incumbent Eileen Zullo won the one-year term unopposed.[2][3]
Results
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan |  Marie Anderson |
29.5% | 6,858 | |
| Nonpartisan | Frank Della Pietro III Incumbent |
28.6% | 6,638 | |
| Nonpartisan | Brian Molnar Incumbent |
22.5% | 5,237 | |
| Nonpartisan | Robert Graser | 19.3% | 4,492 | |
| Total Votes | 23,225 | |||
| Source: Mercer County, New Jersey "Official Results," accessedJune 11, 2015 | ||||
Funding
Graser reported no contributions or expenditures to the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission as of October 20, 2014.[4]
Endorsements
Graser had not received any official endorsements as of October 20, 2014.
Campaign themes
2014
Graser provided the following responses to an election questionnaire on his campaign website:
| “ | 1. If you are an incumbent, what are the main accomplishments you can cite that warrant re-election? If you are a challenger, what makes you qualified to do the job better than your opponent?
I feel that there are a number of reasons that make me the most qualified candidate for this position. The first reason is related to my own academic achievements over the years in which culminated in my earning a doctoral degree in Immunology from the University of Miami in 1998. What is compelling about that achievement is the fact that I came from a household in which my father, due to growing up during the Great Depression only managed to complete an eighth grade education and my mother completed high school. Although my father had a fulfilling career with the US Postal Service he realized that he was held back in his career because of his lack of an education and instilled in me the importance of pursuing a quality education. One of the major points that I took away from this was the importance in the role of a child’s parent or guardian in the educational process. In this day and age there seems to be a tendency to assume that the job of teaching should fall solely to the teacher but in reality this needs to be a collaborative partnership between teacher, student, parents and the administration of the district. I don’t feel that there is enough being done to foster that partnership and I would bring some new and innovative ideas to the table to move that partnership forward. I think that in so doing we would see an increase in academic achievement, improvement in test scores necessary for college entrance, and an increase in college acceptances. I feel it’s important to mention that for those students who choose not to attend college that this partnership will allow for more effective guidance as to other career options that don’t require a college education. Since earning my doctoral degree I went on to conduct post-doctoral research for 3 years and was the recipient of an NIH research fellowship. For the past 14 years I have worked in the pharmaceutical industry in the areas of clinical research and drug safety and currently manage a group of professionals. Throughout my career I have learned how to critically and effectively analyze data to make well-informed decisions, which I feel is of the utmost importance as a board member. I think the board members need to ask difficult questions of the administration to ensure that the limited budget available is prioritized to develop an effective curriculum that serves the need not only of the students but also of the teachers that are expected to execute the curriculum in the classroom. I would also work with the board an administration to build relationships and partner with our colleges and universities and consult with subject matter experts from those universities in the area of curriculum development to ensure that we are providing the best and most effective tool for our teachers from grades K through 12. I would seek to greatly enhance the offerings in Science, Technology, Mathematics, and Engineering (STEM) courses and programs, including at the elementary level as data shows those are areas that are going to have substantial growth in jobs over the coming decades. In order to supplement both long and short term funding above what is available through the local tax levy and state aid I would seek to identify available funding opportunities through grants from both public and private sources and pilot a program utilizing a contract grant writer to apply for these alternative funding sources. Lastly, given my current position I feel that I am an effective leader as well as team player not only to those who have a direct reporting relationship to me but also to those whom I have had the opportunity to manage and influence in a matrix organization. I have built consensus in developing strategy, negotiating budgets (large and small), and setting goals and feel that I would be a highly effective member of the Board of Education if elected. 2. What would you consider to be the single most important issue you’ll face in office if victorious? I think the single most important issue would be ensuring budget prioritization and evaluating the deliverables contained within the district strategic plan to ensure that that they are achievable, particularly within the time frame specified. 3. Why should voters trust you to do what you say you’ll do? I have a vested interest in providing the highest quality education in the Woodbridge Township public schools as I have a 9-year old daughter who is progressing through the system now. However, I am thinking not only of her future but those of her peers and the many students that will come after her. I also feel that it’s worth mentioning that I have no conflict of interest regarding relatives or friends who are employed by the district so my focus would be solely in ensuring that the Board of Education do its job to represent the people of Woodbridge Township and provide the best education possible for its students.[5] |
” |
| —Robert Graser's campaign website (2014)[6] | ||
Recent news
This section links to a Google news search for the term "Robert + Graser + Woodbridge + Township + School + District"
See also
- Woodbridge Township School District, New Jersey
- Woodbridge Township School District elections (2014)
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Bob Graser Wood Bridge Board of Education Candidate, "What Sets Robert Apart," accessed October 20, 2014
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Margaret Koenig, "E-mail correspondence with Claudia P. Jackson, Middlesex County Clerk's Office," September 8, 2014
- ↑ Woodbridge Sentinel, "Retired Woodbridge teacher appointed to board," July 31, 2014
- ↑ New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission, "View a Candidate or Election Related Committee Report," accessed October 20, 2014
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Robert Graser Woodbridge Board of Education Candidate, "About Bob," accessed October 20, 2014
