George Lowe: 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: CaryWebsite: glowe7036@gmail.comTwitter: Candidate did not respond.Facebook: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: McHenry Commmunity College School Board Age: Candidate did not respond.Family: Candidate did not respond.Occupation: RetiredEducation: Associate of ScienceBachelor of ScienceCivic involvement: Many in the past.Elected offices held: Board member - CaryBoard member - McHenry CountyBoard Member - McHenry County CollegeQuestions 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?My principle objective in being a candidate, for the office of Trustee for McHenry County College (MCC) is to provide a quality and affordable education experience for any student.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?By encouraging the college to maintain a quality faculty and staff. Provide classes at the most appropriate time for the most students. Provide on line classes for those that can best use them, offer more GED classes because employers are requiring a GED. Cost is an ongoing battle. We need to constantly survey the students to judge MCC's performance.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?MCC is among the most efficient in the state at keeping the student costs low. Among the financial issues that confront the college is the lack of state funding. Because of that tuition is high. This has been an ongoing issue that doesn't go away. Most of the costs are in the form of salaries, insurance, heat, light, etc. other items such as snow plowing, mowing grass vary with the weather. It is an ongoing fight that never ends.The only tax that is viable is a possible referendum for an addition to the college.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?I would like to see more online classes. Many students have trouble with these classes because of a lack of lecture time. I would like to see a hybrid of some sort so the student gets the how's and why's of the class. More ESL at varied times would be beneficial. The demand for medical assistants is up and more classes would help.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'm neither a newcomer nor an incumbent: but, a former board member. I have seen the college through several additions on the current campus and the Shaw Center at McHenry. The purchase of property adjacent to the campus for future expansion. The first purchase was on either side of Tartan Drive. We laid the ground work for the purchase of property north of Tartan Drive at Rt. 14. I have been involved with three additions to the current campus and the Shaw Center. The last addition was on the north end of the main building, which is now the new front entrance. This was done in conjunction with the Capital Development Board, part of the state government. The project was 12 million dollars, 3 from the college, 9 from the state. It was so well managed that the college remodeled the are department and built lab's for biology and chemistry departments with the leftover money. I was an ardent supporter of the nursing program when it was first brought to the attention of the board and I still support it.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?My main issue is to provide a viable community college for all the residents of the district. I do believe that with all the electronic marvels that we have today we can do more with that technology.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.Donald TrumpWhat is the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?Don't tell dad you got spanked.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?Stay in the Army.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?ScienceCivicsIf you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?Get a good education.