With a higher than average candidate turnout for the Student Leadership Council elections, The Courier reached out to all candidates running for student body president, student body vice president and student trustee. Each was emailed a set of questions ranging from why they would like the position to how they will accurately represent students. Their answers, received via email and listed below, have not been edited by the Courier. Voting begins on March 15. To vote, log into ChapLife.cod.edu with your myAccess log-in username and password.

Student Trustee

Questions:

1.)  Whats your major and year? Are you currently involved in any clubs or orgs?

2.)  Why do you want the position/why are you the most qualified?

3.)  What could you do better than the previous trustee?

4.)  Which side of the board are you on?

5.)  How will you deal with the split board?

6.)  What qualities are you looking for in a president?

Name: Luzelena Escamilla

Hometown: Hanover Park

Major: Communications; Higher Ed & Student Affairs

Clubs: Phi Theta Kappa, Living Leadership Program, Student Leadership Council

1.) I am currently a first year student at College of DuPage. I am pursuing a major in communications with a career goal of working in student affairs in a higher education institution. I am the current Phi Theta Kappa outreach coordinator and involved in the Living Leadership Program as well as the Student Leadership Council.

2.) I am interested in running to be the next Student Trustee because I believe that it is vital to have a student representative on the board in order for our college to grow. The reason I find this position fitting because of my involvement, I have created a large network of students I want to express their concerns while keeping them informed as to what is going on in the college.  

3.) A personal goal of mine is to maximize the outreach and student involvement on the board. I plan on establishing different mediums to contact students and creating an environment where constant communication is practiced. I want to target the student population by using multiple social media platforms to insure that students are up to date with important information about the college and their education.

4.) I believe, that in order to move forward, we need to move on from the idea of a split board. For the past couple of meetings we have had a full board and have been able to make decisions effectively. At the end of the day we are a group of individuals working towards the success of the students and we should keep unity and professionalism as a priority.

5.) In terms of dealing with the split board, I will listen to all of their perspectives and understand their reasoning. If it is not in the best interest of the students I will disagree. Regardless of any conflict, my job as a student representative is to make sure every decision is in the best interest of the current and future students.  

6.) Our college is a fast growing community. In order to continue its growth, a leader we select must be an innovative thinker, someone that creates community, and someone who keeps the students as their priority.  The next president should create unity and pride throughout the college. Someone that is willing to understand the student perspectives and creates a good relationship and outreach with the student body. College of DuPage is a highly respected institution that needs its reputation and recognition rebuilt.  In order for this to flourish, our president needs to work closely with administration to emphasize the credibility, stress the phenomenal student resources, and the great academic curriculum that College of DuPage has to offer.

Name: Cody Castle

Hometown: Bloomingdale

Major:  Chemistry

Clubs: Honors Program, Student Leadership Council, Phi Theta Kappa, Astronomy Club, Engineering and Technology Club

1.) I am a chemistry major, and have been a part-time student at COD for 3 years. I have been a member of the Honors Program, Student Leadership Council, Phi Theta Kappa, Astronomy Club, and Engineering & Technology Club. Once decided on running for Student Trustee I began attending club meetings outside of my immediate academic interests. It’s been quite eye-opening and rewarding!

This summer through Continuing Education and the Physics department I’ll be launching and directing youth summer robotics classes taught by COD students for the first time. As well as beginning a non-for profit chapter managed by students in the Fall.

2.) I debated submitting my transfer applications this semester, but something did not feel quite right. Over the years, I have made so many friends taking classes at COD. I have been influenced by some really fantastic and inspiring students, faculty, and staff. Unfortunately, COD is not represented better compared to when I had my first day of classes. My home’s reputation has been tarnished The students deserve better than the recent actions of the board.

If being a part-time student while working to support myself has taught me one thing it would be time-management. That is the most important attribute for the next Student Trustee who represents 30,000 people. Second most important is staying objective. My work as a scientist and engineer at COD and other institutions would not have happened if I was not objective every step of the way through researching, designing and running experiments, asking questions, etc. I understand that being a Student Trustee is a very mature responsibility, and one that I would not have pursued my first or second year.

3.) Our current Student Trustee, Gloria Roark, has done a fantastic job. (Especially given the Board’s environment during her tenure.) I believe that I can make this year better for students by actually drafting policies and agenda for vote, therefore making a more lasting impact on students.

I fully plan to bring action to her initiatives. This includes increasing textbook affordability in collaboration with the faculty associations (The COD and Follett bookstore’s contract is up for renewal this coming year), as well as expanding scholarship opportunities for undocumented students and not increasing tuition. (A necessity with the current state government decisions.)

4.) The students’ side: an independent one.

5.) Respect! I am very aware of the polarity on the board. Making sure that I am respected with every word and vote that I would have, and that I present and promote a respectful attitude for myself and other board members is the key to a successful next year for the college. Also, respecting that people will not always get along, and simply disagreement is never a reason to not listen to others. Variety is the spice of life!

6.) The nomination of the next President of COD is a decision that must be sensible and joint between students, staff, faculty, administration, alumni, and the rest of the COD community. I would like to see an individual who has proven experience as a respectful and prudent leader to each and all of those groups. Experience with making a large higher education institution more transparent will be a necessity. Ideally, a person who was once a student at a community college themselves would be fantastic. I want someone who has the drive to promote collaboration between constituents to make COD become the most hirable, accessible, and desired community college in the nation.

1.)  What’s your major and year? Are you currently involved in any clubs or orgs?

2.)  Why do you want the position/why are you the most qualified?

3.)  How will you gather students opinion and represent them?

4.) What qualities are you looking for in a president?

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President

Name: Kiley Pooler

Hometown: Downers Grove

Major: Mathematics

Clubs: Phi Theta Kappa and Student Leadership Counsel

1.)  I am currently Freshman pursuing a Math Major and hoping to double minor in French and Spanish. I am very heavily involved with the honors society, Phi Theta Kappa, and of course the Student Leadership Council. I am an Outreach Coordinator for PTK, which requires me to table at events, reach out to new members and do some of the marketing.

2.) I work in the Office of Student Life as the Living Leadership Program Assistant. The program is all about finding new and innovative ways to enhance your leadership skills in your own way. While learning better ways to bring people together, lead and assist; I have also met many club officers. Through these relationships and connections I think I have a good grasp of what the students want and or need. Through our current president, student trustee, and the many trustee meetings I have attended, I have learned how the meetings function, how the presidential search has been going, how the community feels about all that is going on, as well as how impactful the trustee’s decisions are to the student body. Furthermore, I have plenty of experience from high school with leadership development. While these are great assets to have I think my greatest is my desire to improve the life of the student body. I truly want to reach out to the students and help them get their voice heard. The students should know who is representing them and that they can make a difference.

3.)  By working closely with the Outreach Coordinator, I hope to have the SLC business meeting agendas posted and emailed in advance. I would like to start posting more things on ChapLife, that way it is available to all and any students that are interested. I would also like to send out more informational emails to current SLC members, as well as club officers. I’d like to get more club voices heard; in doing so I would try to attend different club meetings and get to know the officers and members on a more personal level. Furthermore, if I am able to, I’d like to ask some faculty if they would be willing to give out surveys to their classes when we have big decisions to make. While this is a small number and just the start, I think with more outreach efforts more students will begin to understand and know all that is happening on campus.

4.) The College of DuPage truly has great faculty and staff. As we work towards getting our accreditation back, I think the new president should help work on amending the relationships between the teaching faculty and the administration. The College of DuPage needs to stand united once again and the president should work with diligence to make this happen. I would love to have a president that has a history of being involved with higher education and a vast wisdom of leadership. On behalf of the students, I think the next president should be approachable and well known throughout campus. I think this will strengthen relations with students, and the community as a whole. With all that has been happening, I think some people have lost sight of what is most important at the college, the education the students receive. Our next president should have the students as their top priority. The next president should have the perseverance and versatility to help COD establish greatness once more.

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Vice President

Name: Ugne Narbutaite

Hometown: Aurora

Major: Kinesiology

Clubs: Living Leadership Program, Student Leadership Committee

1.)  I am currently a first year at College of DuPage and plan to major in Kinesiology at the University of Illinois at Chicago. I’m in the process of completing my Living Leadership Program and attend some of the events hosted by SLC.

2.) I want to be the trusting face that students can come to. I’d like to continuing improving our organization by planning to add more projects to help our college. I’m an open­minded person and love to consider everyone’s opinion. Also, being an employee at The Office of Student Life, I can get the inside on what goes on within all the clubs by interacting with each member. When needed, I am able to help each club with any questions or concerns they might have.

3.) By holding meetings, I would be able to hear everyone’s opinion and ideas. Knowing that some students are shy with speaking out their thoughts, I would find a way to have a one-­on-­one conversation with them asking if they might have any input. I would always let them know that they are always free to email me or to meet with me during my office hours.

4.) I would like the president to be as involved with the students and much as possible and always incorporate their ideas. I want them to keep everyone informed with upcoming events and be able to work diligently with all.

Name: Denise Calma

Hometown: Carol Stream

Major: Criminal Justice

Clubs: Page Turners, Student Leadership Committee, Pride Alliance

1) I am currently in my second year majoring in Criminal Justice. I am involved with the Page Turners, SLC, and Pride Alliance

2) I am running for vice-president because i feel that there are students who don’t have a lot of say here in the college and i want to show that everyone has one. Also i am currently one of the Presidents in the Page Turners so i feel that this position can be a new stepping block for me.

3) I feel to gather student opinion one has to show that they aren’t that different from everyone else. So if i become vice-president i will create a page that students can use to address their concerns and then I would represent them by voicing their opinions when the time comes.

4) My main qualities that I look for in a President is that is he or she willing to compromise with other parties other than their own.  Also i see that a president should be able to be seen as a person and connect with the students instead of seeming distant.

Name: Shara Refugio​

Hometown: Villa Park

Major: Management

Clubs: Student Leadership Council

1.) This is my 3rd year here and my major is Management. I am currently the Coordinator of Operations for the Student Leadership Council.

2.) When I was still thinking of running for a position, people have told me that I could be a president but I was thinking about it and I realized that my skills will be more useful as a vice president. I can help more people as a vice president than as a president. As a current officer for the Student Leadership Council, I have seen what the vice president do. I have helped the current vice president with his tasks. I am also a part of one of the college-wide committees which is one of the primary tasks of the vice president and I have had the opportunity to share my inputs as student representative. I am most qualified because I already know the basic duties of the position so now I can focus on thinking more ways of how the position can be of more use to the student body.

3.) Representing student opinions is easier than gathering student opinions. The vice president has connections to the people in the upper administrators of the college and they really appreciate student input so every time we give a student input they are really excited about it. But to gather the student opinion is hard because not a lot of students know what’s going on around the college because some students are your typical school-work-home students. So I think asking people in my classes are helpful, also asking professors if they can post a question on blackboard and see if there’s any response from that, but I think the most effective way is just going up to them and asking them about their opinion about a topic if they know about it and if they don’t, then that would be a great time to inform them about it.

4.) The qualities I’m looking for would be someone with a higher education background and someone who wants to connect with the students, someone who has students interest in mind, and not just think of COD as another business venture.

Name: Luis Fernandez Lopez

Hometown: Carol Stream

Major: Business Administration

Clubs: Student Leadership Council, Latino Ethnic Awareness Association

1.)My major is Business Administration; this is my first year at COD.

2.)Being part of Student Leadership Council and Latino Ethnic Awareness Association has given me a broad perspective on what college students needs have yet to be met; as well as given me knowledge on how to be a leader.

3.) I would attend various club meetings so that I get to know the students I’m representing and listen to their opinions.

4.)I’m looking for someone who is involved in clubs and organizations at school. Someone who is involved in clubs and organizations at school. Someone who has a passion for helping others and being a true leader.