Comment: My primary interest in being elected to the CLC Board is to help students, of all ages and backgrounds, continue to have access to a quality and affordable education. As a former student, I know first hand the value of a CLC education and I am very concerned that rising tuition will prevent more and more students from attending college or bring about ever-increasing financial hardship. It has been reported that 20% of students claim to leave school or reduce class load due to tuition concerns. This is a very troubling statistic. The answer in these difficult economic times is not to shift the burden to the students, but to provide opportunities for students to help them better themselves and overcome their own economic troubles.
Lake County residents, and specifically CLC students, deserve a board that will represent them and make decisions in their best interests. I feel very strongly that it is time for new leadership. This is especially true in the current economic environment. I am concerned by the decisions of the current board, which are full of examples of wasteful spending and escalating tuition. I want to bring change to CLC and help build a better model. A model that reduces costs, expands technology use, creates a better relationship with faculty and students, and provides greater value to students and the community.
Do you support these issues as proposed by the ICCTA?
X Yes No
Further Comment: I support the issues proposed by the ICCTA and their recommendations. It is especially important for community colleges in Illinois to work together to convince state lawmakers to not reduce state funding. State funding is a key component in keeping the cost of tuition down and the board should support ICCTA and other community colleges in pushing this agenda.
It is also important that any proposed state capital funding bill include provisions for community college expansion and improvement. The rising cost to attend four year universities and the current economic turmoil has led to increases in enrollment in community colleges. In turn, adequate funding needs to be available to update existing facilities and provide modern learning centers for these additional students. I support working with ICCTA and assisting with their efforts to secure funding for community colleges across Illinois.
Do you support this role as outlined by the ICCTA?
X Yes No
Further Comment: The ICCTA has done a great job of defining and outlining the role of Trustee. I agree with their definition and will work hard to perform the role to the best of my ability and based on their guidelines. The ICCTA is a valuable resource for the board and I support working with the organization as much as possible.
If you are elected, will you vote to increase the CLC Board’s accessibility by having the college maintain college email address for each of the CLC Board of Trustees?
X Yes No
Further Comment: I not only support the college maintaining college email addresses for each board member, but I also plan to take full advantage of the technology. Setting up email accounts is only the first step and I support and encourage each board member to actively use their email to connect with the community. In addition, I plan to make every effort possible to build an ongoing dialogue with students, faculty, and the community at-large through other social networking options (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, Blogspot, etc.). I think it’s extremely important to listen to these groups in order to truly represent their interests. There are no more excuses for public officials to not be accessible in our technology driven world.
If you are elected, will you vote to require CLC Board members remit itemized receipts in order to be reimbursed for meeting and travel expenses?
X Yes No
Further Comment: There is no reason not to itemize expenses. Each board member has a responsibility to limit costs and only spend money on approved items. Students and tax payers have the right to know how their money is being spent and that the board is acting in good faith and appropriately with their money. Vague descriptions on expenses create an environment of distrust and erode the confidence of students and residents in the board’s ability to reduce wasteful spending and act in their best interests. I would support an immediate vote to institute the practice of itemizing expenses.
If you are elected, will you vote to approve the public release of an annual spreadsheet of the CLC Board’s meeting and travel expenses?
X Yes No
Further Comment: I support publishing the board’s itemized expenses to the public. Again, students and tax payers have a right to know how their money is being spent and be assured that the board is spending appropriately. There is no reason to make obtaining this information difficult. Expenses could easily be published on a monthly basis, so the public could feel confident that the board is acting in good faith. Keeping an open dialogue with the public is vital to building trust and providing transparency. This practice could easily be implemented and I would again support an immediate vote to begin publishing expenses to the public either on an annual or monthly basis
CLCFT-PAC is opposed to such decisions being made without public debate, open discussion among Board Members, and a formal vote. In general, CLCFT-PAC supports full transparency of CLC Board debate whenever possible (excluding personnel issues).
If you are elected, will you seek to make the actions discussed and voted on by the CLC Board of Trustees transparent by calling for their discussion/vote in open session whenever possible?
X Yes No
Further Comment: The board serves the community and therefore should strive to vote in a public forum whenever possible. There may be some very rare occurrences when a private vote will be appropriate, but the board should make every effort possible to vote in an open session. Transparency is extremely important for building the public trust and I support being as open as possible. In addition to voting in open session, I support being more transparent as a board outside of meetings. As I have previously stated, I am interested in creating an open dialogue with students, faculty and Lake County residents via the available technology. I don’t think transparency should be limited to board meetings, which many residents and students are unable to attend.
CLCFT-PAC is opposed to the CLC Board creating this position without following institutional procedures and argues the only way to monitor such action is through the use of public debate and the call for a public vote. In general, CLCFT-PAC supports full transparency of CLC Board debate whenever possible (excluding personnel issues).
If you are elected, will you seek to make the actions discussed and voted on by the CLC Board of Trustees transparent by calling for their discussion/vote in open session whenever possible?
X Yes No
Further Comment: The above example proves the need for the board to be more transparent. This decision of the board is called into question because there isn’t sufficient evidence to show how the decision was made. This situation can be avoided by open and transparent debate in public meetings and by having an open dialogue (including sharing rationale for decisions) with students, faculty and the community outside of meetings. I believe that it is important to engage stakeholders for input, but it is also vital for the board to be able to stand by their decision and be held accountable. I support moving the board in the direction of more transparency and openness. I also support the board becoming more accountable for its decisions.
CLCFT-PAC opposes increases in student tuition over the last several years and seeks a candidate who is fiscally responsible and will not increase costs unnecessarily. More specifically, we seek a candidate who will not pledge funds to the hire of a position that was not created through the use of institutional procedures and support.
If you are elected, will you seek to eliminate unnecessary costs by refusing to hire positions that are not supported by a need-based analysis?
X Yes No
Further Comment: I support an immediate review of all unnecessary costs and will not support hiring positions that are not proven by a cost-benefit/needs-based analysis. Following established institutional procedures should be the goal for any and all hires, but I do understand that sometimes special cases do arise. Still, even in special cases, all expenditures should be supported by a needs-based analysis. I do not think that positions should be created unless there is sufficient proof that the position is needed and that funding is available. There will be many hard decisions in the next few years as funding becomes tighter and cost pressures mount. The board will have no option, but to carefully evaluate every expense to make sure that it is supported by need and provides the appropriate return on investment.
In November of 2008, their contract was again extended another year (for $60,000), through 2009. During Board deliberations it was presented that at least one of the firms was registered as a lobbyists in Washington D.C. When CLCFT-PAC researched this claim we found it to be false, yet the CLC Board did not choose to revisit their decision; the college continues to write a monthly check to these lobbying firms.
CLCFT-PAC is concerned about the cost of lobbying firms who provide inaccurate data and make misleading statements.
If you are elected, will you demand due diligence and accountability from those hired by the CLC Board of Trustees?
X Yes No
Further Comment: All expenditures approved by the board must provide an acceptable rate of return on investment (either in improved benefit provided to the college and the community or in a reduction of existing costs). In addition, all firms that work for the college must be held accountable to provide the services contracted to the college’s satisfaction. The board must make a good faith effort to perform their due diligence regarding each company or individual contracted by the college. The board must challenge those who do not perform the services that they have promised and action must be taken. It is unacceptable to waste money, especially when another tuition increase is scheduled for next year. I support reviewing these contracts and if services are not to the satisfaction of the terms of the contract, then I will push fr immediate action.
CLCFT-PAC is concerned about increases in student tuition over the last several years and seeks a candidate who is fiscally responsible and will not increase costs unnecessarily. More specifically, we seek a candidate who will not expend funds on lobbyists without a clear cost-benefit analysis provided to the public.
If you are elected, will you seek to eliminate unnecessary costs by refusing to hire lobbyists if a cost-benefit analysis provided to the public does not justify the lobbyists’ work?
X Yes No
Further Comment: In my experience, lobbyists are not very productive for institutions or organizations that do not spend extreme amounts of money. I do not support paying for lobbyists, especially with the current funding realities. The board should take on this role and build relationships with local leaders. The board needs to reach out to Lake County lawmakers (State Senators and State Representatives) and remind them of the importance of the college to their constituents. A strategy around engaging these individuals will prove to be more effective than hiring lobbyists and will be much less costly. I support ending the lobbyist program and challenge the board to take a more active role in promoting the college and its causes. I will immediately reach out to all Lake County lawmakers (regardless of party affiliation) if I am elected and will begin building relationships to promote CLC and our cause