Matt Gambs: Candidate Profile

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Note: Answers provided have not been edited for grammar, misspellings or typos. In some instances, candidate claims that could not be immediately verified have been omitted. Jump to:BioQA Bio City: NapervilleWebsite: mattgambs.comOffice sought: College Of DuPage School Board Age: 45Family: With my wife Chris and I live in Naperville and we have two sons, Charlie (14) and Mike (10)Occupation: BankerEducation: BAS in Economics and Political Science from Regis University Denver, Col. A Masters of Arts from North Central College, Naperville, Ill..Civic involvement: Current Chairman of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce. Chairman of the Board of Trustees of All Saints Catholic Academy in Naperville, Ill., Board of Trustees of Regis University, Denver, Col. Board member Turning Point Foundation, Naperville, Ill.. Past Chairman of the Board of the Heritage YMCA Group.Elected offices held: I have volunteered extensively for local, regional, state and federal campaigns for the past decade, but felt compelled to decide to run as a candidate for the first-time.Questions Answers What can the board do to help improve the relationship between the administration and its employees, including full-time faculty members?The preeminent challenge for the next board of trustees is communication and trust-building within the College, its faculty, staff, and students, and with the broader community. We need to evaluate how, when and why we communicate with our staff. The faculty is the lifeblood of the College and they key to our students' success. As the board, we must lead by example, including how we communicate at the board with each other and accept differing points of view. We need to facilitate open and honest conversation with the faculty, and the College's students, staff and district taxpayers.Are you currently employed by or retired from a school district, if so, which one? Is any member of your direct family - spouse, child or child-in-law - employed by the school district where you are seeking a school board seat?NoneWith enrollment up, what should COD be doing as far as available classroom/lab space, staffing and course work options to keep pace with the growth?Having world-class facilities has been a high priority of the current board and administration. This has been a positive investment and the taxpayers have been well served by the transformation of the campus. However, while adequate space was an issue, the College's buildings and facilities don't teach students - our educators and curricula do. So it is important to pivot from the physical transformation of the campus, and to a focus on online and non-traditional learning environments. The College should, and must, welcome this evolution of learning. This will require the administration and board to balance competing infrastructure, management and staffing needs. The board must insist the administration review and report on the current capacity of the college's data infrastructure and put a greater emphasis on meeting online and non-traditional growth, as opposed to solely focused on expanding the physical campus.The board recently agreed to keep the college's operating property tax levy flat for this year. Is the college reaching a point where a tax levy increase is needed? If yes, how do you justify it? If no, why do you believe that?I would have voted to hold the tax levy flat this year. The board and administration must exhaust every other cost-control measure and continue to pursue alternative-revenue options before we seek additional taxpayer resources. It is very unfortunate that the State is not honoring its commitment to College, and offers pennies on the dollar that it should under the law. Over the years the College has done a good job managing its balance sheet and maintaining a AAA bond rating, but this can't be backstopped by higher property taxes in perpetuity. Unlike so many local K-12 school districts, I do not support maxing the property tax levy every year. This treats taxpayers like an ATM and discourages cost-saving measures. When on the board, I will not support budgeting that assumes an automatic increase in the tax levy.According to a recent Daily Herald report, COD board members approved more than $26 million in spending over a 16-month period without seeing what they were specifically paying for. That's because of a long-standing board policy that allows administrators to pay bills of less than $15,000 without providing itemized reports. Should that policy be changed? Why or why not?The College is a massive institution with complex finances, but that doesn't mean we can't be open and honest with our spending. The policy should change so that the board, public and taxpayers can access and review for themselves where the College is spending its money. I have extensive background in business, as an entrepreneur and as a trustee of a higher education institution and I can say I find this policy troublesome and out-of-line with industry standards. As a trustee, it is your responsibility to ensure scare resources are spent wisely to the penny and we should see every expense. Every dollar in revenue the College gets is taxpayer money, whether it is student fees, property taxes, or state grants. The community college system is established as a public trust, and we as a board, must do a better job earning back the trust of taxpayers. I commit to improving the accessibility of our finances and to better communicate how and why we are spending resources where we do. I would like this to be the first order of new business of the new board.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?Over the years, policy makers have overlooked the community college system as they debate workforce readiness and education policy. Community colleges play a critical role developing future leaders and helping residents on the path to economic security and individual achievement. Whether one of the College's students is just beginning their academic pursuits or pursuing new skills in the hopes of a career change, COD is their gateway to prosperity and individual responsibility. I am running because I believe my experiences as a veteran of the Marine Corps, business executive, entrepreneur and higher education trustee of my alma mater in Colorado, have provided me with a unique skillset to help the board and the College move forward. I believe the private-sector has an important role to play in shaping the direction of the College and its educational offerings. The College needs professional and experienced management on its board. I don't have pet issues, other than I saw how things were running and felt the call to public service. As a father of two school-aged children, I want the College to fulfill its promise to its students. As a business leader, I want the college to train students for current and future careers. As a taxpayer, I want the College to provide an excellent value to the community that provides it financial resources. Simply put, I want the College of DuPage to remain and improve on its reputation as one of the best community colleges in the nation.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.Pope FrancisWhat's the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?The value of listening to all side of a story.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?There are some real good ones to choose from, but I would not change a thing.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?I loved history and social studies at all levels of my education. The lessons of past help me make better decision in the present.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?Learn to appreciate the smallest elements of life. Find joy in the service of others.