CANDACE MCCREARY: 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: STREAMWOODWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Twitter: CandaceMcCreary@McCrearyforECCFacebook: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Elgin Community College School Board Age: 62Family: Candidate did not respond.Occupation: College InstructorEducation: M.A. Sociology The College of William and MaryM.A. Secondary Education Roosevelt UniversityB.A. Sociology University of Southern CaliforniaCivic involvement: Poplar Creek Public Library District 2009-PresentElected Trustee "â#128;œ Board of Trustees 2009-PresentPresident, Board of Trustees 2015-2017Secretary, Board of Trustees 2012-2013Village of Streamwood 1987-2005Fire/Police Commissioner 1995-2005Trustee-Board of Trustees 1993-1995Fire/Police Commissioner 1991-1993Plan Commission Member, Vice Chair 1988-1991Elected offices held: Poplar Creek Public Library District Board of Trustees 2009-Present: President 2015-2017; Secretary 2011-2012Village of Streamwood Board of Trustees 1993-1995Questions 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?Concerns I have from reading ECC's financial reports especially the annual audit reports concerning significant deficiency of unapproved time-sheets involving Federal Work Study Program students. Their auditor used the term significant deficiency in the annual audit report. Lacking proper internal financial controls and policies is a repetitive problem from the previous year. ECC is a state public institution and the Trustees are to have "due diligence" in their fiduciary responsibilities. It is the Boards fiduciary responsibility to assure the proper financial and payroll review process exists and making sure the president is properly supervising his executive administrative staff to do so. Management is responsible for compliance with federal statutes, regulations, and the terms and conditions of its federal awards applicable to its federal programs.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?Providing up-to-date training and having high standards to make a degree and certificate represent a significant undertaking.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?If cuts have to be made than they would have to come from under performing departments in degree or certificate programs. Departments need to justify their continuation.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?Yes, with the new library and library staff why is there no Library Technical Assistant (LTA) certificate program. Majority of libraries in the district area utilize these certificate programs.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.I have have held a Trustee position on the Streamwood Village Board of Trustees and the Poplar Creek Public Library District. Elgin Community College has grown very quickly but financially has dug the taxpayers of District 509 into a hole and are encumbered by bonds with fewer students attending. Lack of fiscal responsibility is what I question from the existing board.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?Elgin Community College has millions of dollars of bonds that need to be re-examined for refinancing at lower rates which would save the tax payers monies. This is important since the state legislature has yet to approve a state budget. Tuition increased in FY 2017 5.04% to $125.00 per credit hour while the student population has steadily decreased since 2011. Why is the student population deceasing in a growing area? What needs are not being met by ECC to cause a decrease in student enrollment? The ECC cost per credit hour has increased, compared to an increase of 25% for the median cost per credit hour as reported through the National Community College Benchmarking Project. This means that it costs ECC more than other colleges, on average, to deliver instruction for students and they admit to this. ECC admits to having substantial compensation packages for employees. Why is that? ECC has experienced a decline in degrees and certificates being awarded, once again the question must be asked why? What is ECC not offering its students to attract them to attend? Their market is students. The current Board committed the district to millions of dollars through bonds to build new buildings but with declining student enrollment and increasing costs, what have the taxpayers been committed too? What kind of forecasting was used to determine the needs of this district?Please name one current leader who most inspires you.Pope Francis because of his down-to-earth approach of looking at things.What is the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?If there is a will, there is a way.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?I have had a full life and would do nothing over or change it.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?I liked all of my subjects, some teachers were better than others and that's what made the difference.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?Live life to it's fullest. You having nothing to risk except not trying.