Ron Parrish: Candidate Profile

Back to McHenry Commmunity College School Board 6-year term

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: Bull ValleyWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: McHenry Commmunity College School Board 6-year term Age: 73Family: Married, four children, eleven grandchildren, all college graduates (or will be)Occupation: business exec; MCC NIU faculty(ret)Education: Bachelor of Science-Industrial Engineering(BSIE)/West Virginia University - licensed Professional Engineer (PE)/State of West Virginia, Master of Business Administration (MBA)/Rutgers University, current candidate /Doctor of Education (EdD)/Northern Illinois UniversityCivic involvement: Past: Boy Scouts scoutmaster/Woodstock IL, Rotary International (@ several cities locations),Woodstock rural library board trustee, Friends of McHenry County College Foundation boardElected offices held: President of Village of Bull Valley IL (twice and currently), Chairman of Board of Trustees /McHenry County College (twice and currently), trustee of Friends of McHenry County College Foundation, co-founder of MCC Promise program. Current Elder of governing Session of First Presbyterian Church of Woodstock IL.Questions Answers With enrollment up at my many community colleges, it can be challenging to keep pace as far as available classroom/lab space, the number of qualified teachers and available course work options. How would you manage that?We are already engaged in this issue and have contracted with an independent outside consultant with expertise in space management and utilization - particularly of academic institutions. The one we selected has recently completed a similar study at other small colleges with excellent results.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?noIs a tax rate increase needed and, if so, how do you justify it?No, it is not needed. We need to be sensitive to the taxpayers and students in our community and aware and alert to other means of earning money and managing expenses.Community colleges provide many services to a diverse population. Is there a service your college should be providing that it is not, or reaching a segment of the population that it is not?I would be open and receptive to any input or requests of groups in our community that should be included in our curricula and are not, but we do serve a very diverse spectrum of our community including career-minded students, students preparing for further higher education challenges, health care institutions, agricultural needs, senior citizens, animal husbandry advocates, etc.What do you think of President Obama's proposal for offering two years of free community college education?It worries me. It sounds like an extension of the traditional American education system from the current twelve years to fourteen years with the last two optional I need to learn much more of the detail as proposed and after any amendments or alterations by Congress before I or anyone else can have an informed opinion.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?I would like to see us connect better with the community in general - both within the college and throughout the entire community. We have the people and resources already within the college to connect with each other better and to reach out to the residents who support us even more than we currently do. Infrastructure and facilities are important, but how we utilize what we already have will continue to be a major focus for me if I am elected to another term.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.Bruce Rauner (so far)What's the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?From my father: "If you always tell the truth, then it's not so hard to remember what you said".If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?Nothing different - - - It's been perfect so far. I'd just like to do it again and with the same wife and family.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?English and speech. To communicate better with the world when we left West Virginia and faced new and different culturesIf you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?Be and live the example that you want your own children to follow.