Oakton candidates share qualifications, priorities

Four newcomers vying for two six-year seats on the Oakton Community College board have been sharing their qualifications and priorities for the position with voters as they campaign for the April 4 election.

Martha Burns of Evanston, Carmina Cortes Gonzalez of Des Plaines, Paul Kotowski of Skokie and Travis Zimmermann of Northbrook together represent a wide stretch of the Des Plaines-based college's attendance area.

Burns touts her history of education leadership, having served on the Evanston High School board from 2001 to 2013.

"Education is something that's extremely important to me," Burns said. "The way I look at Oakton is it's a diamond in the rough."

She also previously worked for the Community and Economic Development Association of Cook County for 17 years and believes community colleges like Oakton should reach out to people in their teens and 20s about the possibilities of education.

Burns said she'd like to show people working at places like McDonald's for a living how they can learn management skills through higher education.

Gonzalez, a visual artist and program assistant at the Des Plaines History Center, said she was asked to run because of her background as an educator, as well as to bring more diversity to the board.

Des Plaines has a strong Latino population and 41 percent of Oakton's students come from the city, she said.

Gonzalez said she doesn't have many criticisms of prior decisions at the college, including the creation of a new student lounge that she believes creates a comfortable and useful environment.

But she believes her background can help the board know better how to reach out to students with guidance on how to complete their studies faster - both an academic and economic benefit.

"Some students have lost their way in the system, taking classes they shouldn't," she said.

Kotowski, who believes his professional background in law and accountancy would help maintain the college's financial strength, has high praise for the role Oakton played in his education.

"Oakton, I believe, is one of the best community colleges in the United States," he said. "I probably wouldn't have been able to go to Loyola (University) and become a lawyer if Oakton hadn't come first. Junior colleges are becoming the focal point of higher education."

While also is uncritical of prior decisions by the board, but said he would propose raising tuition for out-of-district students as a way for Oakton to continue to make ends meet.

"I don't want to preclude anyone," Kotowski said. "It's a tough decision to make. This is not an idea to push people away."

Zimmermann, who works in research and development and has a doctorate in health care policy and ethics, agrees that the approximately 20 percent of students who live outside the district should pay more.

He's the candidate who brings the most criticisms of prior decisions to the race.

Believing that the college's property taxes are too high, he suggests that less money should be paid on advertising for prospective students and on guidance counselors for current students.

Zimmermann adds that he believes the $1 million spent on the new student lounge was excessive. Nevertheless, he said his primary goals would be to strengthen the faculty and the facilities, in that order.

"I would like to see four-year programs as well," he said, adding that it would eliminate any worries about credits transferring.

Gonzalez in particular disagreed that four-year degrees fit into the cost-effective business model of a community college. Zimmermann argues that providing competition for other institutions would help lower the costs for all.