Wendy B. Yanow: Candidate profile

Bio

Name: Wendy B. Yanow, Ed.D

City: Evanston

Office sought: Oakton Community College Board of Trustees

Age: 64

Family: Husband: Mark; Sons: Max and Daniel

Occupation: Adult and Higher Education

Education: Undergraduate coursework, Wilbur Wright, City Colleges of Chicago; BA, University of Illinois, Chicago Liberal Arts, Music; MA and EdD, National-Louis University, Chicago, Adult Education

Civic involvement: Volunteer Teacher, Dorothy Stang Popular Education Adult High School, Chicago, 2017 and 2018; Anti-racism community teacher/facilitator and activist

Previous elected offices held: None

Incumbent: If yes, when were first elected? No

Website: wendybyanow4oakton.com

Facebook: Wendy B. Yanow For Oakton Community College Board

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Issue questions

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

I believe the primary role of a community college is to serve its community with high-quality, affordable, public higher education that is inclusive and accessible to all. To serve its community so deeply necessitates a focus on teaching, learning, equity and engagement. The community served by the college includes among other constituencies, recent high school graduates, some of whom will use the experience as a pathway to a four-year degree, alternative high school students, adult literacy and high school students, non-English proficient students and lifelong learners. The constituency also includes students seeking career preparation or career development or those wishing to change careers. And it serves the local industries and employers needing well prepared graduates. The community college is central to the economic well-being of the community and the people it serves.

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

Oakton is doing an excellent job fulling its role in the community. In addition to offering more than 2500 learning opportunities each semester, Oakton's current strategic plan, Success Matters, focuses on essential criteria of access, equity, and diversity. Serving a community as large, complex and diverse as Community College District 535 requires emphasis on these considerations. In addition to the academic programming at Oakton, there is an emphasis on career preparation and development and lifelong learning with sufficient resources in place to serve those initiatives.

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?

I am not currently employed or retired from a school district. No

Is a tax rate increase needed and, if so, how do you justify it?

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?

Focusing attention on equity suggests that Oakton seeks out and responds to needs identified by students, faculty and staff. That said, given the population in Evanston and at Evanston Township High School, the percentage of students continuing on to Oakton from ETHS is surprisingly low compared to other district high schools. While there have been numerous suggestions as to how to rectify that situation, the reasons for the more limited participation have not been clearly identified. The appropriate next step would include an in-depth exploration of the reasons for the limited Oakton utilization, after which a suitable response could be designed.