COD interim president talks about his vision for the school
Interim College of DuPage President Brian Caputo cited a personal reason for temporarily withdrawing as a candidate to become the next permanent president of the school.
Caputo last week removed himself from consideration hours before he was scheduled to appear as one of three finalists for the post. But on Monday, he reconsidered the decision and returned to being a presidential hopeful.
The Glen Ellyn-based school's board of trustees was scheduled to interview Caputo for the president's job on Thursday night. Before that meeting, Caputo participated in an hourlong forum that gave the public the chance to ask him questions.
The first question Caputo got from the audience was why he withdrew his name.
"How did I know that one was coming?" Caputo said to laughter.
"Well, I will say this," he said, "I had a very personal concern that ultimately was resolved."
Caputo said the board of trustees then invited him back into the process. "And I very eagerly accepted," he said, without further explanation.
COD trustees are expected to decide later this month whether the 59-year-old Aurora resident will be hired to replace Ann Rondeau, who stepped down after roughly 2½ years to accept a post as president of the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California.
The other finalists being considered are Johnny Moore, president of Pierpont Community & Technical College in Fairmont, West Virginia, and Ken Trzaska, president of Seward County Community College in Liberal, Kansas. They both were interviewed and participated in public forums last week.
Caputo has been serving as interim president since Jan. 1. Before being named interim president, he served as COD's vice president of administrative affairs and treasurer.
As interim president, Caputo said he has "continued to move the college forward" in a variety of areas.
He said the school's primary focus should be student success.
"When we talk about our plan for future," he said, "student success is the centerpiece. And I believe that we should be a center for unparalleled student success."
Caputo said he also wants COD to be the recognized provider of art and culture for the Western suburbs.
"The MAC (McAninch Arts Center) that we have now is a true gem," said Caputo, adding there are plans to expand its art gallery before the arrival of an exhibition of works by famed Mexican artist Frida Kahlo in the summer of 2020.
In addition, Caputo said he wants COD be "a major engine for economic development in DuPage County."
He said the school is equipped to achieve that goal, in part, because of Innovation DuPage, a new business incubator and accelerator.
He also mentioned Project Hire-Ed, a workforce development program.
"We need to push that out further," he said.
When it comes to COD's STEM - science, technology, engineering and mathematics - programs, Caputo said there's plans to create a new STEM facility on the campus.
"This is what we need to begin to distinguish ourselves as a regional leader in STEM," he said.
Caputo joined COD in March 2017 after serving nearly 19 years as Aurora's chief financial officer and city treasurer.
When asked about his career beyond COD, Caputo paused and said, "I will never leave this institution."