Karen L. Cotter: 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: PlanoWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Waubonsee Community CollegeAge: 59Family: Married,one adult childOccupation: Retired Business Executive, Counselor (2006-present)Education: Bachelor of Arts, Gannon University, 1973Master of Science, Benedictine University, 2006Civic involvement: Past Board of Directors Member, Valley Industrial Association (1996-2000)Past Board Member KDK Job Training (1988-1996)Fox Valley Hospice Volunteer (1997-2006)Consumer Credit Counseling Volunteeer (2000-01)Crisis Line Volunteer (2003-04)Kendall Co. Senior Providers, Treasurer (2010-present)Elected offices held: Trustee, Waubonsee Community College District 516 (1999 to present)Have you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: NoCandidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 Providing quality, affordable educational opportunities to district residents.Key Issue 2 Responsible stewardship of taxpayer and student dollars.Key Issue 3 Providing a safe and secure learning environment for students, faculty and staff.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?Meeting the needs of students is of primary importance at Waubonsee Community College. As a result, the Board of Trustees , College Administration and Faculty strive to continuously update and improve campus facilities and course offerings. In June, 2011, the New Aurora Campus will open significantly expanding learning space, course offerings, and giving students an opportunity to earn an entire degree at the Aurora Campus. In fact, students will soon be able to earn full associate degrees at three of the four Waubonsee campuses. Going forward, creative use and renovation of existing facilities along with continuing review and updating of current course offerings as well as continual development of new curriculum offerings will allow Waubonsee Community College to meet the needs of current and future 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?The Board, Administration and Faculty at Waubonsee Community College recognize that we are facing challenging economic times. Such circumstances demand that students receive value for their investment of time and dollars. The educational offerings at Waubonsee are designed to provide students with the skills needed to succeed in today's job market. In addition to offering training in long-standing job opportunities such as nursing, truck driving, and computer skills, courses are also offered in new and emerging areas such as jobs in the green economy and sustainability. Convenience is important to students so classes are offered at campuses in Sugar Grove, Aurora, Copley, and Plano as well as remote access via online courses, telecourses and two way interactive courses.Is a tax rate increase needed and, if so, how do you justify it?The Board of Trustees at Waubonsee Community College is fiscally conservative and takes very seriously its responsibility to be good stewards of taxpayer dollars. The Board also recognizes that it is charged with ensuring that a quality education is provided to students enrolled at the college giving them value for their tuition dollars. It is the balance between these interests that the Board must consider when deciding whether to raise taxes or fees. The Board strives to keep tuition as low as is fiscally prudent while also being mindful of taxpayers' desire to minimize tax increases. Each year the college assesses the need for updating equipment, technology and facilities in order to provide state-of-the-art training to students. In addition, the cost of attracting and maintaining a group of talented, committed and innovative administrators, faculty and staff is a primary consideration. The current severe budgetary problems of the state of Illinois continue to cast a light of uncertainty on future state funding which is a concern when preparing college budgets for future years. Each year the Board carefully considers all of these factors when determining if a tax or fee increase is needed.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?In January, 2011, the Plano Campus of Waubonsee Community College opened for classes. This campus serves the population of the far southwestern area of the college district and makes an affordable education available to area residents at a campus that is convenient and within easy driving distance. A student can earn a full associates degree at the Plano Campus. This area of the district has long been underserved and this new campus will provide learning opportunities for full-time students as well as providing residents with opportunities for acquiring new skills, pursuing areas of interest and sparking interest in lifelong learning.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.The years of my tenure as a Trustee have been years of growth. Despite the current downturn in the economy, the demand for educational opportunities in the district continues. Going forward, rapidly changing economic and technological changes will require individuals to regularly update or learn new skills in order to remain competitive in the job market. This trend has been developing over the past decade and during that time period Waubonsee has developed and implemented a 2020 Master Plan to meet the needs of the future. During the past decade, the voters of the college district approved referenda to prepare for tomorrow's challenges. These referenda provided funding for the new Aurora Campus which will open in June, 2011; the new Plano Campus which opened in January, 2011. Also constructed in the past five years were a state-of-the-art Science Building, an Academic and Professional Center, and a new Student Center all located at the Sugar Grove Campus.