The College of DuPage Adjuncts Association (CODAA) and the Student Leadership Council (SLC) hosted a forum for the candidates running for the three open positions on the COD board of trustees. Students, faculty, staff and citizens of District 502 were open to ask questions to the candidates throughout the two and a half hour event.

How do you see your role as a board member?

Taso Triantafillos: I firmly believe in working as a team, so bringing up topics, engaging the community members, student body, faculty. Getting ideas of what they’re expecting to see, and making sure we’re bringing it back to the table and having a discussion around that.

Christine Fenne: I see my role as a board trustee to collaborate with the other trustees as well as the faculty team, and the student team. I think that understanding what’s before the board, and doing good research and reading of the themes that impact the board monthly and then having open discussion about that and understanding the entire issue before coming to a decision. Thank you.

Dan Markwell: I see my role as being a communicator with the staff, the students, and community here at College of DuPage and working with my fellow trustees to create policies and a direction for the college that represents the desires of our community.

Alan L. Bennett: I see my role as being able to work with the President, sharing with them my experience and background in public policy, decision making and in Illinois public higher education to correct the deficiencies that the college is facing and achieve full accreditation and fully implement the 19 recommendations. I may say that recently I was interviewed by representatives from the full time faculty union and was very impressed with their concern and dedication for the college and they really struck me as a very positive note that the faculty members that I did meet were so concerned and dedicated to the college.  

What is one concrete step you will take to improve the experience of the student here at the college? Be specific.

Dan Markwell: One thing that I know the college has been working on that I would like to see come to fruition would be food service on the north end of campus. I would also like to see the bridge built over Lambert road, connecting the Homeland Security complex to the rest of campus.

Christine Fenne: I would like to evaluate the tools and technology that are available at the satellite campuses to make sure that the tools that they have available there are the same and equivalent to what is at the main campus.

Taso Triantafillos: When I start thinking about the student experience I think about a couple things. One is are we getting feedback from the student body to make sure that we’re thinking about what they’re actually needing, as far as tools. Are we delivering content online, are they able to take courses online, are they able to do things online that leverage technology a lot more. So being a technology person, I’d like to see a lot more technology offered up and leveraged for students. So that actually helps with the satellite locations as well for student enrollment.