In their words: Casper College Board of Trustees Candidates Forum
Casper College and the Casper Star-Tribune partnered to host a forum for candidates for the college's board of trustees Oct. 28.
Attendees had the chance to hear from the candidates for the college's board of trustees. The college is in the midst of some landmark changes – namely, searching for a new president. Below are some of the questions and answers.
On the role of a Casper College Board Trustee:
Liz Batton
We're not in just a little tiny bubble. We are a community and all of us go places and run into people. And sometimes it's people we know, sometimes it's people we don't know so well. And as long as nobody's ever afraid to say, "hey, what about" and you can give an honest opinion, or get their information and get back to them, we're moving forward. That's what I love about this community.
Dale Bohren
We must identify the right things to do, and then we must do them. The college board has only one employee, and that would be the president of the college. The board's vision and intentions are all through that one position. The most important task the board will complete in the near term is finding and employing the next president of Casper College. The person can't be a placeholder. They must be forward thinking. And finally, I hope to rekindle the college's relationship with the Casper community. If Casper College is truly the gem on the hill, we need to act like it.
Kim Byrd
We need to assure that the college is serving our students and the community. The board does approve the final budget and assure that funds are being used appropriately. I think it's important for us also to be positive ambassadors of the college and the community. I do believe that the board should be a guide to the executive team, but not overstep, but at the same time be an active member. Ask questions that are relevant. And show support for the students and employees whenever it's possible.
On the board's role in making decisions about curriculum
Brad Cundy
I think the board has a role in helping choose things that are meaningful in the career path, but the curriculum isn't something that they should be involved in. It gets back to just, you know, there's needs out there, be it in non-accredited areas or accredited areas and paths to go to four-year degrees and two-year degrees, and the board needs to be balancing those with the needs of the community and the industry and academics.
Anna Kinder
As we know, everyone has a different learning style, much as everyone has a different teaching style. So, perhaps there may be a different concept that could be presented my way versus someone else's, that could be better understood by the students. I also think that the trustees don't have the role of curricular decisions. That would be based on what the president, the faculty, executive team, all of those identify what the curriculum is, meets within the strategic plan and the needs of the community would be essential in that.
Jay Swedberg
I also support academic freedom. That means you can discuss ideas in a safe environment. It doesn't mean that anything goes, but you need a free environment to discuss ideas and to learn. As far as curriculum, that's not the boards priority at all. That needs to be developed through the president, the executive committee, and the department heads.
On Casper College offering 4-year degrees
Liz Batton
I think it's really important we have that agreement with [the University of Wyoming] and work on things. I do believe Casper College will be able to add a bachelor's of applied science in areas that UW-CC does not currently service, so we can continue to grow and do more.
Dale Bohren
If it's market-driven and there's a market for a for a degree program, absolutely. I think that there's eight universities that have offer four-year degrees through Casper College, including UW. And I think that that was a workaround because we don't have a four-year program in Casper, which almost any other state has more than one four-year university, but we don't.
Kim Byrd
I don't believe it would be good for Casper College to be competition with the University of Wyoming. If we were to offer a four-year program that would need to be in an area that UW does not have and have a marketable program long term so our students could find jobs in those areas. The only other thing that I would add is that we would just need to realize too it changes our accreditation process, so financially we need to think about that also.
How can the board support the mental and emotional health of students?
Brad Cundy
The board gets the report on monthly basis and I can tell you that right now it's not good. The care reports are way up, and it creates stress throughout the whole system because it overwhelms the handful of counselors that are in the Wellness Center. It's something that's near and dear to my heart. I lost a son 13 years ago to suicide and never a day goes by that I don't regret that I didn't help him more or know more about what he was struggling with. The board needs to be there to support the staff and to do whatever we can to increase the budgets within the scope of the budget.
Anna Kinder
This actually is something that I work up with on a daily basis dealing with the community. We're spending a lot of time on mental health and well-being. So as a board trustee, my thought would be I would be able to provide some insights that may be different than some of my colleagues here to help shape policies that support both physical and mental well-being of students, faculty and staff. The social issue that is the majority of our problem with mental health is access to resources.
Jay Swedberg
I agree they need to have policy that supports a safe environment for people to learn, which includes trying to discourage harassment and bullying. We need counselors for years but there's more things being done with tele-health, we can use the resources of the community. We can use Central Wyoming Counseling and Wyoming Behavioral Institute. It's a big problem and we're all going to be aware of the problem, and be willing to encourage people to get help, rather than to sit at home and ignore it.
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