James E Pilmer: Candidate Profile

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:BioKey IssuesQA Bio City: AuroraWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Waubonsee Community CollegeAge: 51Family: Married to Karen 26 years, two children Lindsey age 22 Elementary School Teacher, Kyle age 18 Senior at West Aurora High SchoolOccupation: Assistant Vice President for Administration at Aurora UniversityEducation: AS Waubonsee Community College, BS Eastern Illinois University, MBA Aurora UniversityCivic involvement: Past President/Past Secretary Aurora Lions Club, Past Trustee of Aurora Township, Past Governing Board Member and Vice Chair for Provena Mercy Medical Center-AuroraElected offices held: Trustee, Aurora Township 1997-2001Have you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: NoCandidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 Commitment and discipline to fiscal responsibility.Key Issue 2 Commitment and discipline to continuous quality improvement.Key Issue 3 Commitment and discipline to continue the practice of five year strategic planning process for all areas of the college.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?The community responded in 2002 at the request of college leadership to approve referendum to fund the 2020 master plan for the growth in the district. Most of the ""bricks and mortar"" are completed in the 2020 master plan which opens two new full service campuses and classroom space in Sugar Grove. In addition, faculty and staff work through innovated class scheduling models to maximize classroom space throughout the campuses. This innovative model works to best utilize space needs during day, evening and weekend course schedules. This scheduling process is an efficacy for space and produces energy savings for the college, students and faculty. The scheduling model is also helpful to our students who have careers and other responsibilities. Through strategic planning the staff monitors trends and the need for changing or adding new coursework and faculty needs to meet the learning objectives for students.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 equates into an educational benefit?Waubonsee continues to monitor the strategic quality control process which gives the accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission. Through strategic quality control processes, Waubonsee measures many variables which include class size, student outcomes, retention and graduation. These are some of the variables towards creating an academic culture and environment for learning and student success.Is a tax rate increase needed and, if so, how do you justify it?No it is not needed. We are living and governing in a historic period with unique circumstances of uncertainty, unemployment,lower property tax bases, yet increasing needs for education and the demand for quality in services. Through solid fiscal management and consistent strategic planning, Waubonsee as a local unit a government will remain in a leadership position to deliver quality instruction in the changing environment.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?The uniqueness of a community college and in particular what Waubonsee has been successful at, is adapting to change. Innovation, technology, and demographics are consistently changing. As an institution we need to remain adaptable for the change so we can be first to the academic market with programs and services. Waubonsee plays a role towards helping our society achieve life long learning opportunities as changes and new challenges occur. If Waubonsee cannot provide the service or program they guide the student within the public community college system towards attaining their learning objectives.If you are a newcomer, what prompted you to run for the park board? If you're an incumbent, list your accomplishments or key initiatives in which you played a leadership role.As an incumbent one key accomplishment is fostering a spirit of cooperation and unity among the Waubonsee board members for the advancement of students, staff, and district citizens. Board members are diverse from communities within the district and with various professional backgrounds. Each member takes the responsibility towards researching and staying current with issues and affairs of the college. I'm privileged to volunteer in this productive culture towards advancing the mission of the college on behalf of the students, staff and citizens of the district.