Florence Appel: 2021 candidate for College of DuPage board

Eight candidates running for three, 6-year terms

Bio

Village: Lombard

Age: 71

Occupation: Retired college educator (Emerita)

Employer: Saint Xavier University

Civic involvement: Volunteer for PADS, York Township Precinct Committeeperson, voter protection specialist, volunteer for several local political campaigns, active member (former board member and religious education teacher) in my house of worship, Prairie Food Co-op member, former Girl Scout Leader

Q&A

Q. Why are you running for this office, whether for reelection or election the first time? Is there a particular issue that motivates you, and if so, what is it?

A. My 32-year career in higher education as a faculty member, department administrator, union leader/contract negotiator, and National Science Foundation grant writer/administrator has prepared me well to serve on the COD Board. I understand the importance of serving students, the centrality of faculty as the lifeblood of an academic institution, the community college charge to attract and retain students who can benefit most from its offerings, and the necessity to develop relevant and fiscally responsible academic programming. I also appreciate the role that a public institution plays in the cultural life of the community. I believe my voice will be valuable on the Board.

Q. How would you grade the current school board on its response to the pandemic? Why?

A. I believe that the COD Administration and the Board responsibly follow the guidance of the CDC, the ICCB (Illinois Community College Board) and the DuPage Department of Health. They honor the science and public health experts, requiring on-campus attendance for only those courses, and portions of courses, that require it. They provide three instruction modes: synchronous online (remote), asynchronous online (remote), and the hybrid model of in-person and remote. If a community member must be on campus, the College has enforced standards to screen temperatures, limit the number of people in a physical space, require masking and practice social distancing. Hand sanitizer is provided and hand-washing is promoted. Access to enter campus buildings is limited. Students can get course materials curbside. Student services are delivered by phone, email and video chat. The Library interfaces with students online. The COD website posts timely updates that are accessible on every page.

Q. Did your district continue to adequately serve students during the disruptions caused by the pandemic? If so, please cite an example of how it successfully adjusted to continue providing services. If not, please cite a specific example of what could have been done better.

A. COD is responsibly protecting public health during the pandemic. But learning within necessary constraints presents significant challenges for the community. Everyone must acquire and master new technologies and reorient to new forms of communication and community.

Students must conform to instruction modes deemed safest for their courses. Remote instruction, synchronous or asynchronous, is not for everyone. Many students face impediments to remote learning, including lack of adequate technology and WI-FI and inadequate quiet space conducive to engaging fully online. Significantly, students on the fringes of academic preparedness and nontraditional students are least likely to flourish in remote learning settings. Despite their and their instructors' great efforts, they encounter insurmountable hurdles, and they often drop out. By Fall 2020, enrollments were down almost 10%, with Hispanic enrollments down 17% and Black enrollments down 8%.

Faculty have met the challenge of reinventing their pedagogy to address the remote learning needs of their students. This is a massive undertaking, especially in the midst of a semester.

Staff has also met the challenge, employing new technologies and going above and beyond to serve students.

Q. Do you have a plan on how to safely and effectively conduct classes in the spring? What have you learned from the fall semester that you would change in the spring?

A. I assume you mean Fall 2021. I expect that hybrid instruction will continue, moving toward more in-person teaching options as the number of vaccinations increases and the number of COVID-19 cases decreases, following CDC guidelines. As the College emerges from the pandemic, it must recognize faculty and staff for their substantial efforts to serve students under very challenging circumstances. They must be consulted as COD charts a new course. Returning to business as usual is not an option. Nor is maintaining the current level of remote instruction and delivery of services. Moving forward, creativity and pragmatism must both be summoned.

Special attempts must be made to reach out and support students who have fallen away from the College during the pandemic due to impossible personal and economic circumstances. A robust discussion must take place among all stakeholders, and the Board must listen. New program ideas to prepare students for emerging careers must be considered.

Q. 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?

A. I interpret this question to mean “how do you ensure that a COD education is worthwhile?” Students are drawn to COD for different reasons, including terminal associates degrees, transfer degrees (and courses) to 4-year schools, certificates and licenses targeted to specific career opportunities, continuing lifelong education, enrichment classes. Some require developmental remediation instruction in areas of math and writing. One thing they all have in common is that they encounter faculty who develop the curriculum, deliver the courses and establish relationships as teachers, advisers, mentors and collaborators with them. Faculty are on the front lines of the COD experience. They have made a commitment to COD students no matter how tough the economic times are, no matter how challenging the conditions of a pandemic.

And so, first and foremost, the institution must support and invest in its faculty. It must also provide students with opportunities to explore career opportunities, chart their courses of study to reach their goals, and take advantage of internships and apprenticeships. The Guided Pathways initiative that was introduced several years ago is a comprehensive approach to this.

Q. From the college's point of view, what budget issues will your district have to confront 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?

A. Lower enrollments result in less revenue from tuition and the state of Illinois. Enrollments have been trending downward for more than 5 years. In addition to the game-changing pandemic, the College is concerned about a steadily decreasing high school student population.

Enrollments fell nearly 10% in Fall 2020, with Hispanics down 17% and Black & White students down 8-9% each. COD must honor its mission as a public institution and prioritize outreach to students most affected by the pandemic. While it is unlikely that all students who left school will be able to return, the effort must be made on their behalf.

Other efforts to address enrollment include an ongoing program awarding dual (high school and college) credit to high school students, continued outreach to everyone in the district with some college credit but no degree, and vigorous promotion of the pursuit of grants that support student tuition, recruitment and retention. Also, efforts to develop curriculum for career preparation in emerging business areas in the district should be deliberate in attracting students who have been displaced in the workforce.

In addition to these efforts, modest increases in tuition and property tax contribution have been considered and may be warranted.