shane nowak: Candidate Profile

Back to Elgin Community College School Board

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: elginWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Twitter: Candidate did not respond.Facebook: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Elgin Community College School Board Age: 36Family: Jerry Nowak - Father Renee Nowak - MotherScott Nowak - BrotherStacy Nowak - SisterOccupation: Financial Aid AdvisorEducation: Masters in Political Science, American Public UniversityBachelor of Science, Northern Illinois UniversityAssociate in Arts, Elgin Community CollegeCivic involvement: Candidate did not respond.Elected offices held: noneQuestions Answers Why are you running for this office, whether for re-election or election the first time? Is there a particular issue that motivates you, and if so, what is it?The reason that I'm running is that I have always been interested in local politics and want to help improve the community that I have lived all my life in. I graduated from Elgin Community College with my associates degree in 2002. I then went back to Elgin Community College after I received my Bachelor's degree to obtain my Emergency Medical Technician license. I see the value of Elgin Community College and want to make sure the value is there for future generations of students. One of the primary issues with education today is the increasing student loan debt. Having gone to college and currently working in the higher education field for the past five years, I would bring a unique perspective to the current board. I work with students everyday discussing their financial aid and helping guide them to understand the complex process. I am passionate with working with the board of trustees to create a solution to the student loan dilemma.In tough economic times, many students (and working professionals) turn to a community college for its educational value. How do you ensure that a person's financial sacrifice results in an educational benefit?To ensure that a student's financial sacrifice results in an educational benefit during tough economic times, it is up to the community college to provide a world class education. The college needs to anticipate what the market needs and have programs in place to meet those need demands. The college must always be looking to future needs of the community. For example, that the role of 3-D printers will become a mainstay of the industry and as a community college we will need to meet those demands. The college must be open to listening to business leaders to what skills they are looking for their employees to have to be successful. We will need to invest in our professors to make sure they are providing real industry experience to our students. These skills that the professors provide are what students need to know to be successful in future endeavors after completing their education.From the college's point of view, what budget issues will your district have to confront and what measures do you support to address them? If you believe cuts are necessary, what programs and expenses should be reduced or eliminated? On the income side, do you support any tax or fee increases?The main budget issue that the college faces during this uncertain time is state funding because of the budget impasse in Springfield. The college needs to prepare for the funding that the state may not being able to provide. Education funding from the state of Illinois made up roughly 2% or $2.5 million of their yearly budget. The current board has a policy of having enough funds to keep the college open for six months without any additional outside sources and this is a policy that I will continue to support. I don't support any tax or fee increases due the state of Illinois having some of the highest property taxes in the nation. The board does not exist in a vacuum when it comes to property taxes and they need to know what other taxing bodies are doing before they decide to raise them. Another concern that is causing a budget issue is the declining enrollment from the Fall of 2009 to the Fall of 2016, with enrollment falling by 15%. This is a sign that the economy has improved but for the college itself that fewer students are enrolling in Elgin Community College. The board of trustees should look at ways to increase and stabilize the enrollment and this would help in turn to avoid any budget issues. I do support the cost reductions that were passed by the current board but a lot of the budget issues are being caused by Springfield.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?Elgin Community College serves a diverse resident population of over 450,000 people. ECC has made great strides in the Hispanic student population where even the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation came to the campus to better understand how this was done. The one population of students that is currently struggling is the African America community, I believe that the college should focus on continuing to try to improve their outcomes. The college does have some program such as 4th year math and transition team program for African America students and I'm willing to look at these programs to see if we can improve upon them.If you are a newcomer, what prompted you to run for the community college board? If you're an incumbent, list your accomplishments or key initiatives in which you played a leadership role.The reason that I choose to run for the Elgin Community College Trustee is that I feel very passionate about and focus on higher education. Watching students complete class after class and then eventually cross the finish line at graduation is a rewarding experience. Education is a key to helping people improve their lives and the lives of their family. As a former student, I can attest to the value that the college has brought to my own personal life and I want to give something back to the college.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?The other issue that Elgin Community College needs to understand is the demographic of their students. The size of the district is 360 square miles and I believe that there are residents that would like to go to take classes but may not be able to get to the campus due to the distance. I think the solution is to provide additional courses online or invest into distance learning.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.Kevin O'LearyWhat is the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?My father taught me one of the most important things is working hard.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?I would have bought a different car.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?My favorite subject was history and it taught me that we must learn from our past to prevent future mistakes.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?Same lesion my father gave me always work hard everyday.