Robert Boron: Candidate profile

Bio

Name: Robert A. Boron

City: Northbrook

Office sought: Trustee, Oakton Community College

Age: 66

Family: Wife, Arona; three adult children and one grandchild

Occupation: Attorney

Civic Involvement: Member, Stakeholders' Interview Committee for replacement of the retiring Superintendent of the Glenbrook High Schools, November, 2018; member, Northfield Township High School District 225 (Glenbrook High Schools), April, 2003-August, 2017 (Vice President 2007-2017); Illinois State Bar Association, New Lawyer Mentor, 2015-2019; Vice President of Youth Programs, Congregation Beth Shalom, Northbrook, 1999-2003; North Suburban YMCA, youth martial arts instructor, approx. 1995-2003; Northbrook Baseball coach or assistant coach, approximately 1992-2004.

Previous elected offices held: Member, Northfield Township High School District 225 (Glenbrook High Schools), April, 2003-August, 2017 (Vice President 2007-2017)

Issue questions

Describe your vision for the primary role of a community college:

There is not one primary role of a community college, but rather three distinct roles, depending upon the constituency to be served. The first role is to provide an affordable institution in which those graduating high school can begin their postsecondary education, with a goal of continuing on to a traditional four-year college or university. A community college can allow a high-school graduate to affordably continue his or her education while providing a head start toward a college degree. Often these students desire some extra time to decide upon a career path, and can get a taste of potential careers without the financial commitment a four-year college requires. A second constituency would use Oakton to obtain the skills and training needed to engage in a career which does not require a college degree. To these people, a community college provides the most economical path to their desired careers. To a third constituency, Oakton represents the most convenient and accessible source of continuing one's education for personal advancement and intellectual enhancement. In all cases, a community college is affordable and accessible, while offering curriculum which addresses the wide-ranging needs and desires of residents of the Oakton Community College district.

How well is your community college fulfilling that role? What changes, if any, need to be made?

While I do not believe that Oakton is failing to meet the needs of the community, I believe it would benefit by further exposure to the community, making more members of the community aware of the curriculum which is available. I believe that there are additional opportunities to market to the community through online communications. In studies performed during my tenure on the Glenbrook High School board, we learned that not everyone likes to obtain information in the same way. While some constituents prefer traditional mailings, others prefer digital communications. I believe Oakton would benefit from a similar study, to determine if residents of the community wish to receive traditional mailings of course catalogs or more economical digital notifications. My wife and I have taken courses at Oakton, so Oakton has our email addresses. Oakton could use this database to provide notifications of, and links to, upcoming courses, thus providing an immediate and low-cost means of reaching those residents who have previously taken courses at Oakton. I also believe it is necessary for the trustees to become more visible to the community, thereby making them more accessible to their constituents. This can be done with simple changes to Oakton's website.

Are you currently employed by or retired from a school district. If so, which one?

No.

Is any member of your direct family - spouse, child or child-in-law - employed by the school district where you are seeking a school board seat?

No.

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 believe there could be more opportunities for dual credit opportunities for those high school students seeking to simultaneously achieve college credit. This is not as simple a proposition as it might appear to be. The different high schools of the Oakton Community College District have different standards for their students, and for the credit to be earned. Those high school districts must be satisfied that the courses being offered for dual credit are rigorous enough to merit that dual credit. Coordination of curricula is a process that must evolve over time to ensure that the curriculum being offered by the two institutions are in sync. I also believe that there must be a constant evaluation of both in-house and online course offerings, to ensure that the courses being offered are not outdated, in light of advancing technology and in light of the constantly changing landscape in education. I have noted that, especially in online courses, offerings are not as current as they might be, especially in technology-based courses.