Vaseem Iftekhar: 2025 candidate for College of Lake County Board

Bio

Office sought: Lake County District 532 board (Vote for 2)

City: Hawthorn Woods

Age: 77

Occupation: Retired

Previous offices held: Appointed to College of Lake County board (April 2020 to April 2021)

Why are you running for this office, whether for reelection or election the first time? Is there a particular issue that motivates you?

The College of Lake County (CLC) provides useful quality education and skill sets for everyone regardless of financial situation. I am eager to use my decades of experience in project management and strategic planning to ensure effective governance. My experience will be very useful in managing, modifying if necessary, and implementing the strategic plan of the college.

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?

The skill sets and education acquired at the college should match the demands of the business world. It should consider changes in employee requirements. Course planning should consider the demands of the marketplace and present and future employment opportunities. The college should work closely with businesses and explore opportunities, including internships, etc.

How would you describe the state of your college’s finances? What issues will your district have to confront in coming years 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?

The projected 2025 budget estimates a deficiency of 8.3%. The revenue need to increased to overcome this fiscal deficiency. We need to strengthen relationship with companies doing business in Lake County and seek financial support and establish a mutual beneficial relationship. We need to strengthen the revenues generated by the CLC Foundation. Many students come from local areas surrounding the campus. We need to do a better marketing job in enrolling students all areas of lake county. I do not support tax increases as taxes or fee increases.

What are three specific nonfinancial challenges your community college will have to face in the next four years and what are your thoughts about how each should be addressed?

We may see a reduction in federal education grants etc. in the new federal administration and as such we have to come up with innovative ways to increase revenue including better marketing and public awareness of quality education at a low cost with an aim of increasing student enrollment.

If the newly proposed federal tariffs go into effect local manufacturing will increase and the courses being offered should reflect hat change in demand in the manufacturing areas, The technical center recently opened at the college should take this into considerations in planning of courses.

Describe your experience working in a group setting to determine policy. What is your style in such a setting to reach agreement and manage school district policy? Explain how you think that will be effective in producing effective actions and decisions of your school board.

My corporate experience as Director of Project Management at Abbott and other large pharma companies which has global multidisciplinary teams has provided valuable experience in working in a team environment. I strive to gain consensus within the team and arrive at a decision after reviewing facts. The College’s long-term strategic plan, which has already been agreed upon, should be the guiding document.

What makes you the best candidate for the job?

I have over three decades of project management, strategic planning, and research and development experience. I consider myself a public servant. I was elected three times as the president of the Islamic Foundation North which is the largest mosque in Lake County. As such I will bring in diversity to the board which is one of the goals of the college, I was also selected to work as a trustee of the College of Lake County during the period of the pandemic. I served as a member of the Daily Herald sounding Editorial Board.

As a first-generation American citizen, I worked part-time as a student to complete my MBA holding a full-time day job. As such I can relate to the needs of the majority of students at the College of Lake County.

What’s one good idea you have to better your district that no one is talking about yet?

We have to do a better job of highlighting the value of the college throughout the county through a good awareness or marketing program. I believe that the College of Lake County is an asset as it provides educational opportunities at a relatively low cost. There is a strong need to collaborate with local businesses through an awareness program. Local businesses will be able to get quality employees locally. There is a strong need to do a better job in publicizing the value of a good education and acquiring valuable vocational skills to be successful in chosen careers. A vocational diploma or joining other universities after two years at the college is a great value proposition that needs to be publicized in all parts of Lake County.