Five seek board seats

Name
IV Leader Staff, Mar 15, 2007

    Five candidates are listed on the April 17 election ballot for three open positions on the IVCC Board of Trustees.
    The candidates are Steven P. Conrad of Sheridan, Jeff Ossola of Spring Valley, Lori E. Scroggs of Princeton, William A. Strong Jr. of Ottawa and Dennis Thompson of Princeton.
    The IV Leader sent questionnaires to the candidates to gather their input on issues important to the college community.
    Four of the candidates responded and their replies are included in alphabetical order in this edition of the IV Leader. Students who are not yet registered to vote can register before the March 20 deadline.
    Registration tables will be set up in the lobby through March 20.

Jeff Ossola

Why are you seeking a seat on the board of trustees?
As the editor of the IV Leader, I have covered many issues regarding IVCC, met most of the faculty, staff and administration, and been over 85% of the campus. At IV, I have gained a proactive perspective and I feel confident that I can be an asset to the board.

How do you perceive IVCC’s role in the community? Should that role be changed?
At IVCC, there are a variety of programs that benefit the community, but we have not seen significant increases in enrollment except in the nursing program. IV should be in the trenches, reaching out to the people who are not planning on coming to school. We should follow up on students have dropped out to see if we can help them or at least to let them know that we care about their future.

How do you perceive the board’s role at IVCC?
The board’s role is to represent the community and to input their needs into the direction that the college is going. The board needs to be balanced between “outside the box” thinkers and fiscal conservatives. Another role that the current board has been lacking in, is that of cheerleader or public figure. We need board members that can accurately convey the situations that are currently being addressed and then go into the community to educate them, learn how they feel, and then report back.

Do you advocate an increase in tuition or student fees to help resolve any budget shortfalls?
With the current tuition increases directly linked to the equalization grant, there is little to be done to alleviate increases. I would like to see the whole system revisited in 2007-08. If we are currently operating with a balanced budget and a small surplus then where is the money going? I would like to see the college make a contract with the student. Roughly, Thank you for enrolling at IVCC for a 2 year. degree, your tuition and fees are locked into ‘X’ rate for 2 years.

Lori Scroggs

Why are you seeking a seat on the board of trustees?
I originally sought a seat on the board in 2005 because I believed it was important for citizens to step up and volunteer for service to schools, colleges and human service organizations; this is something I discuss often with my students. Leadership is needed in this time of limited resources, conflicting priorities, and growing social and educational demands. I was not elected in April 2005, but I was later appointed to fill a vacancy on the board (May 2005), and I feel there are initiatives I want to see through by continuing my service. IVCC has been an integral part of my life. I took my ACT test in IV’s cafeteria in the 70s, returned in the 80s and 90s to take classes, and saw my daughter graduate from IV in 2001. I had the opportunity to be an administrator from 1995-2003, and later a board member from 2005 -2007, through which I learned a great deal about leadership that I now apply. I want to give back.

How do you perceive IVCC’s role in the community? Should that role be changed?
I perceive IVCC’s role as being at the center of its “community,” and should ideally reach out in some way to each and every member of the community. The open door policy is an important one; any member of the community should feel welcome and be able to access the college’s valuable curricular resources. This requires that the community—not just the students— support the college as a valuable resource. A comprehensive community college prepares its students for meaningful work and a productive life. This is certainly a challenge with shrinking state support and property tax revenues. Rather than narrowing its role by specializing in any one certain area, I believe IVCC should continue to maintain services to all sectors of the community but do so through improved planning and increased collaboration with many sectors of the community.

How do you perceive the board’s role at IVCC?
I believe the board should be the college’s most ardent advocates. As board members, we should reach out to our constituencies and let them know about the success of our students, the efforts of our faculty and staff that contribute toward such student success, and the challenges which we face. Our role is to support the mission of the college and to engage in planning for the future within the context of that mission. To that end, we are also responsible for hiring, supervising, and evaluating the college president. I continue to view the board’s role as “big picture” and “visionary.” It is not a board member’s job to micromanage, but rather to work in tandem with the administration, faculty, staff and students to achieve the college’s goals. We have a fiduciary responsibility, meaning we act for the public good.

Do you advocate an increase in tuition or student fees to help resolve any budget shortfalls?
I do not advocate always relying on tuition increases or fee increases to address budget shortfalls. By doing so, we run the risk of making IVCC inaccessible to some members of the community by making it less affordable; this is contrary to IVCC’s mission. Unfortunately, the major funding streams are tuition and fees; state reimbursement; and property tax revenues. It is unlikely that state support will increase, and the voters have indicated an unwillingness to increase support through a tax increase, therefore, raising tuition appears to be the only option available. I would like to see, instead, innovative collaborations with businesses and governmental organizations that help share costs of programs as a mechanism to address the budget shortfalls, but in absence of such offerings, I would advocate a tuition increase to either equal or only minimally exceed the state community college average.

The college is presently looking at ways to reduce expenses and to generate additional revenue within the athletic program. Should IVCC continue to have an athletic program? Should any changes be made to the athletic program or the way it is funded?
I believe that the board needs to ask this same question to all the college stakeholders: students, faculty, staff, community members, and alumni. Athletics, as well as other student activities (e.g. student government, student newspaper, clubs) provide opportunities for students to become more involved in college, and research has shown that this involvement leads to greater student success. There are some students who would not have attended IVCC – or perhaps even have attended college—if it weren’t for their participation in athletics. Athletics contributes to the core mission of the college – specifically, addressing students’ “individual needs and interests.” Therefore, we should be very cautious before we discontinue or significantly alter the athletics program. Instead, we should continue to offer the program, but look at potential ways to cut costs. The college administration wishes to explore scheduling fewer contests, limiting travel, establishing a booster organization, and/or limiting the number of athletic tuition waivers. I support these measures as ways to continue to offer athletics, with some cost savings generated. The athletic program won’t ever “pay for itself,” however, we as a board can set an amount we are willing to dedicate from the educational fund for athletics, and require programs to watch their expenditures, fund raise, or set more conservative schedules in order to meet the budget requirement.

Are there other issues that will be important?
Another issue that is important in the current campaign is diversity of perspective. A highly effective board should have diverse members with varied backgrounds and expertise, as well as a commitment to the community-oriented mission. In order to continue IVCC’s tradition of excellence, we need board members who will work as a team—toward an effective synergy. I believe I can contribute to that synergy due to my unique experience and broad perspective gained through my education in public universities, administrative and board experience at IVCC, and my current faculty experience at a private university.

Bill Strong Jr.

Why are you seeking a seat?
Over the years, I have been a graduate of IVCC, a substitute teacher at IVCC, and a parent of an IVCC student. I took classes from IVCC that led to becoming a licensed real estate broker and certified residential appraiser. Personally, I see the value of “a place so close that can take you so far!” Now, I’m at the point in my life where I feel I can give back to the educational community that played an important part in my life.

How do you perceive the board’s role in the community? Should that role be changed?
IVCC’s role in the community is to perceive what the academic needs for the area are and to provide those needs. A needs assessment from the business community, the governmental entities, and the school districts needs to be prepared to validate that the courses offered are indeed vital ones for the area. IVCC is already doing a great job in offering these classes.

The role should not be changed. What is the board’s role at IVCC?
The faculty and administration at IVCC need the tools to perform their assignments to the best of their ability. They’re all professionals. I see the role of the members of the board to assuage the system to help each department in reaching their goals. Do you advocate an increase in student tuition or student fees to help resolve any budget shortfalls? Why? I recently attended the IVCC Board of Trustees meeting which discussed this very issue. The board indicated that the state is not providing their fair share in financial aid to the community colleges. The department heads have a formula they use to determine the costs for student tuition. Good fiscal management dictates that a tuition increase is necessary at this point in time.

The college is presently looking at ways to reduce expenses and to generate additional revenue within the athletic program. Should IVCC continue to have an athletic program? If so, why? If not, why? Should any changes be made to the athletic program or the way it is funded?
Athletic programs can provide great revenues for a school. Each athletic sport has to stand on its own merit. The opportunities for both men and women have to be equal. If the sport is standing on its own merit and the opportunities are equal between the sexes, then the sport should remain part of the program. If the interest is not there to provide necessary finances to keep it afloat or it is not equal between the sexes, then the program must be eliminated.

Are there other issues that you feel will be important to this election?
First of all, I feel that the location of IVCC is great! However, I felt hat the presentation at the entrance and the landscaping could be dressed up a bit. This could be done with lighting and greenery. It could become much more attractive! Secondly, visitors to IVCC need to be given a much better parking arrangement than presently exists. They need to be directed to the area in Lot 1 that has the parking spaces for them. At present, it is confusing and inhospitable. It can be done better!

Dennis Thompson

Why are you seeking a seat?
Illinois Valley Community College is a valuable resource for the surrounding areas. I am interested in the success of the college and currently have the time to serve as a board member representing the citizens of this community. As a current but new board member of the board, I have learned a great deal in the last two years and feel even more committed to supporting all the excellent services the community college provides.

How do you perceive IVCC's role in the community? Should that role change?
The community college has a fundamental role to provide associate degree programs at a reasonable expense. It likewise provided retraining programs to upgrade job skills, which is important not only for the individuals receiving the instruction, but also for improving economic development opportunities for the whole area. In addition, IVCC serves an important role by providing single session classes that have high interest and cultural significance. I believe the college plays an integral part in establishing a quality of life for all of us who live within its boundaries. As far as the role changing, I don't believe the fundamental role of IVCC will change, but technology has already and will continue to change how we provide instruction, access data or evaluate a student's performance. The ability of the community to reach more diverse resources has expanded access to both traditional classes and those needed to meet new certification requirements. Changes in the local economy may create opportunities to respond and serve the area in ways we have not thought of yet.

What is the board's role at IVCC?
The board's primary role is to hire a president, set policies and procedures that help govern the college and monitor the progress of the college in reaching its goals to serve the district. It is important in carrying out these responsibilities that we work closely with the president to support financial, academic and general program initiatives that enable the institution to succeed in its mission. Information that is provided for the board should be accurate, timely and relevant to the topics under consideration so that board members will have gained knowledge as well as have a basis to help make decisions. A cooperative spirit between the administration, staff and the board all support the best interest of the community we all serve.

Do you advocate an increase in student tuition or student fees to help resolve budget shortfalls? Why?
Under the current funding conditions from state and federal sources, the college would not be able to offer the programs and services the students enjoy without tuition revenue. Based on the f act that we have limited resource possibilities, I do support tuition increases. It has been the board's position for at least the last two years since I have been on the board to try to minimize the tuition increases. I sense that the IVCC board in the past has also followed this same trend. As far as the fee structure associated with individual programs, I feel the administration has analyzed the increased cost of certain programs (nursing, drafting, etc) and has a method of annually reviewing the schedule of fees in the best interest of the college. Those students, who benefit from the specific programs which have higher fees, pay those fees; so, these supplemental fees do not impact all students. This policy seems fair and equitable for all students.

Should IVCC continue its athletic program? If so, why? If not, why not? Should changes be made to the athletic program or its funding?
I do believe the athletic programs should be continued. I think the extracurricular programs, clubs, student government organizations all make the college more complete for some individuals. Not all students take advantage of the opportunities but many feel it does benefit the student body in general. With this in mind, all extracurricular programs cost money, but very few pay for themselves and therein lies the dilemma. I would prefer a method of funding that does not require transferring resources from the Education Fund to support these activities. Possible options to be used as revenue sources for extracurricular opportunities might include using funds from the bookstore, cafeteria or other on-campus ventures; also, activity fees, participation fees, and the formation of an athletic booster club could create some additional revenue. Recommendations to help reduce expenditures are always under consideration, but the bottom line is: If we are going to have extracurricular programs, it would be wise to consider various options and chose the best ideas that will benefit our college.

Are there any other issues that will be important?
Your questionnaire shows that you have identified the main concern for the college which is acquiring sufficient resources to offer programs for all students, Having sufficient resources allows for the proper funding of academic and extracurricular activities, hiring qualified staff, maintaining facilities, and being prepared to respond to needs that are not yet on the horizon. Any other issue either allows for expansion or results in limitations for the college. The financial strength of the college district will determine what can be offered and what may have to be limited. I believe I have the educational experiences that will be helpful in making decisions that will affect the future of IVCC. I also feel my administrative career ahs given me a unique perspective on setting priorities in relation to educational programs. The solutions for the future of IVCC will not rest with the Board of Trustees alone. The administration, staff, students and the surrounding community all have a part to play in the success of the community college.

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