Nancy Robb: 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: BarringtonWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Harper College School Board Age: Candidate did not respond.Family: John Robb--husbandOccupation: Retired Superintendent - Township High School District 211Education: Ed.D. Roosevelt University M.Ed. University of Pittsburgh B.A. Wittenberg UniversityCivic involvement: Harper College Educational Foundation; Excel Beyond 211 Dollars for Scholars-a program dedicated to mentoring, advising and supporting first-generation , low income District 211 graduates aiming to increase their college success and completion; Buehler YMCA Advisory Board; Women in Need Growing Stronger (WINGS) Leadership BoardElected offices held: Candidate did not respond.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?Keeping abreast of enrollment data and trends, industry needs, and the local economic conditions is critical in projecting student, faculty and facility needs. Analysis of this data, along with effective strategic planning assists in the management and operations of the college.Are you currently employed by or retired from a school district, if so, which one? 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?In July, 2014 I retired from Township High School District 211. No member of my family is employed by William Rainey Harper College.Is a tax rate increase needed and, if so, how do you justify it?No, a tax rate increase is not necessary. Harper College is fiscally sound due to the strong financial management of the college working closely with the Board of Trustees.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 the leadership at Harper College has been very responsive to the needs of the community. The state-of-the-art Career and Technical Education Center is a result of the willingness to listen to the requests of the local businesses to provide students with the skills to fulfill the needs of the business community. In addition, the Northwest Educational Council for Student Success, the formal partnership that Harper College has with Township High School District 211, Township High School District 214 and Barrington Unit District 220 provides a forum for collaboration between the high schools and the community college. Through open communication and strong partnerships, Harper College has the mechanisms in place to meet the needs of the diverse population.What do you think of President Obama's proposal for offering two years of free community college education?I applaud the President for recognizing the vital role that community colleges play in providing strong and affordable educational program options for students. I look forward to reviewing the President's proposal for funding this national community college program. This proposal is validation that Harper College is on the forefront as it seeks to provide all students within Harper boundaries the opportunity to earn a Harper College Tuition Scholarship through the Harper Promise Program.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?Community college completion, transfer and graduation rates are a challenge nationally. It is important that Harper College continue to work towards increasing the college completion, transfer and graduation rates for all students.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.I am inspired by the philanthropic efforts of Bill and Melinda Gates.What's the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?Both of my parents were educators. I learned the value of education and being a life-long learner.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?I would have taken the opportunity to study abroad during my junior year of college.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?Psychology was my favorite subject. The ability to understand and work with people has been helpful in all aspects of my life.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?The importance of a positive attitude and the fact that attitude is a choice we make each day.