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Three residents vie for Board position
College student?
I would say the average student
at Clackamas Community Col
lege would probably be in his/her
upper 20’s, that he/she has spent
some time in the occupational
world, realized a need for educa
tion to achieve some advance
ment in employment.
Considering your description
how do you think you, as a
Board member, can help that stu
dent’s needs?
As a Board member, strictly in
a position, you would not really
be in a relationship with students.
Now in my particular case when
last year I was taking some classes
with students in the vocational
area I found that I was spending
a lot of my class time counseling
with students.
What role do you think sports
and other student activities and
clubs play in a college educa
tion?
They are very important in a
student’s education. These
things go on a student’s resume
later when they look for work.
And the employer looks at “is
this student just a student or
does he/she have interest in
his/her fellow men, does he/she
communicate with other people,
does he/she work in groups.”
Do you feel student input is
important?
Yes, by all means, they are the
consumers, the customers.
As a Board member, how do
you think you can get that input?
There is a student government
connection with the ad
ministrative government of the
campus. I would say that in any
case where students do evidence
desires and wishes that there
should be a follow up around to
see if it is a common kind of thing
and how common it is.
If you are elected to the posi
tion would that be a stepping
stone to another office?
It could be, but I don’t really
have any plans as such, so that
would be an accidental thing
from my perspective.
What is the largest issue facing
die college in the next year?
Securing financing a budget,
going for a two year serial levy.
Personally, I would like to see the
college have a tax base, so they
have some assured funds from
year to year. (However,) I may
have a whole nest full of voters
out there which would tell me we
don’t want the college to have a
tax base and if they were a ma
jority I would have to respect
their wishes.
What do you feel a student’s
role in the government of the col*
lege should be?
This is from a philosophy I’ve
written a couple of years ago and
I still believe in it. “I believe in
the involvement of the college
faculty and the students,
s Representatives from each of
| these bodies should participate in
c the decision making process. I do
i believe it is possible to involve
£ faculty and students in the
| governments of the college
€ without relinquishing the authori
ty of the president by the govern
ing Board.” The involvement of
students really represents a learn
ing process by which they benefit
by being exposed to many sites
and issues.
How would you describe the
typical Clackamas Community
Mimi Urbigkeit’s, the third
Board candidate, current occupa
tion is part-time housewife, and
part-time bookkeeper. She has
worked part-time as a book
keeper in her husband’s office,
Urbigkeit law firm, for 11 years.
Urbigkeit has been a librarian
and has banking experience. She
also does community volunteer
work, including “meals on
wheels,” is on the governor’s task
force, and serves on the city
Library Board.
How would you describe
yourself in one word?
Thoughtful.
What three things make you
the best candidate?
1. My knowledge of the com
munity, and my involvement
with the school district. 2. I am
a strong supporter of education.
3. I work well with people.
What do you feel is the
largest issue facing the college in
the next year?
Probably the financial
squeeze and the need for
establishing a Tax Base that the
college can depend upon.
What do you feel a student’s
role should be in the govern
ment of the college?
I think if the student’s in
terested in having a voice, they
certainly should have a voice.
Students frequently have very
good ideas. They are not locked
in doing things one way, they
are eager to explore alter
natives.
If you had to describe the
typical Clackamas Community
College student, what would it
be?
I know that the ages range all
the way from teenagers to adults
up in their years. I would guess
that the largest number is pro
bably post high school. Many of
them are preparing to go on to
further education. They are tak
ing the first year or two close to
home to save cost. Then there are
lots of other people who are
already in the work force, and
they are taking classes part-time
for specific goals.
How, as a Board member,
would you provide the needs,
these students might have?
I think it is a general approach
for setting policies, and having
some influence over how the col
lege in general is administered.
What role, do you think,
sports, student clubs and student
activities play in a person’s col
lege education?
For many students I think it is
a very important role, for some
students I don’t think they are
very interested in that. I think it
should be something that is
available to students who need
that, but I don’t think it should
be the major trust of the college. I
think student activities are very
important to developing in
dividual skills, personal skills,
time management, working with
people, and certain creative skills.
Do you feel that student input
would be important?
Yes, it should be encouraged.
How, as a Board member,
could you get that input?
Probably by visiting the cam
pus, by talking to students, my
phone number is in the book
and I’m accessible to anyone
who wants to call and discuss
things with me.
Is this a stepping stone to
another office?
I don’t think this would be a
stepping stone to another office. I
am just interested in the job. I
think the community college is an
important resource for our coun
ty. I feel the people of the county
has invested a major amount in
it, and it is worth it.
Henry Pete, one of the three
candidates for the Board posi
tion, is the Founding President
of Rogue Community College,
Grants Pass, Oregon. He retired
after serving in that position for
nine years. Pete has held many
positions in Education, in
cluding Superintendent of a
Grade School, and Vice
Principal of Sandy High
School.
If you had to describe
yourself in one word, what
would it be?
Enterprising.
What three things make you
the best qualified?
1. I think the experience. 2.
The fact that I have the time to
devote to it. 3. I do have the
energy and I like to work with
people.
What do you feel is the largest
issue facing the college in the next
year?
To continue to expand the pro
grams and to reach out to all
parts of the county. The im-
mediate one of course is to assure
that there is a good financial base
for the college. Without it, you
don’t have anything.
What do you feel should be the
student’s role in the governments
of a college?
I think that students should be
able to feed in their views into the
decision making process. In order
to do it the students need to think
through the same way an ad
ministrator has to. It isn’t a ques
tion entirely of saying, “I want
this and I want that,” it is an
assumption of responsibility of
what it takes to provide those ser
vices. I think in a community col
lege especially the student’s role is
very, very helpful, because the
community college has the flex
ibility to serve students’ needs.
Some of the other four year col
leges and universities may not
have that flexibility, but a com
munity college does.
How would you describe the
typical Clackamas Community
College student?
I would describe the typical
Clackamas Community College
as one who is a serious student
who knew what they wanted out
of the school and would not be
satisfied unless they got what
they wanted from the school.
And that is quite a bit different
than some students who go to
four year colleges and univer
sities, and don’t know what
they’re there for in the first
place.
What, as a Board member
could you do to provide for
their needs?
The Board’s role is to require
the administration to have a
plan where the students would
have a way to voice grievances.
If there was something wrong,
that they had some way of say
ing something about it, and get
something done about it.
What role do sports, student
activities, and student clubs
play in a college education?
I think they are important.
Hopefully, college is the mirror
of what kind of life people will
lead for the rest of their life. I
personally believe very, very
strongly in the emphasis on the
life long sports and activities. I
think if they can get a wor
thwhile start on those in college,
then they themselves will be a
happier, well adjusted person
for the rest of their lives.
Do you feel student input is
important?
I would say so, you can’t
operate without it.
How would you, as a Board
member get that input?
I would charge the ad
ministration with developing a
structure that provided that.
The main thing the Board
member should be interested in
is that they see the process (ad
ministration getting input from
students) is taking place.
Would you use the position as
a Board member, if elected, as a
stepping stone to something else?
Community service is how I see
this position. This position is not
a stepping stone on to something
else. Everybody has a motive for
community service, I have some
background of experience and
talents and would help to make
the college a good college, and I
want to volunteer that time. I
have a real strong commitment to
what a college does, and what a
college can do, and in any way I
can help, I want to do that.
by Heleen Veenstra
Editor________ ______________________
Dr. Alvin Pfahl, the Board
candidate from West Linn, holds
currently the position of a Real
Estate Developer. Before that he
was a Regional Coordinator for
State Department of Education
and Clackamas E.S.D., Ad
ministration Supervisor of the
West Linn School District,
Guidance Teacher, Teacher In
tern-Supervisor, and a teacher in
West Linn. Pfahl also served on
die Citizen Advisory Committee
for Occupational Education and
was one of the people who started
the Clackamas Regional Skills
Competition.
If you had to describe yourself
in one word, what would it be?
Ambitious.
What three things make you
the best candidate?
1. Long close association with
the college program. 2. Knowing
my community and the zone that
I would represent as the com
munity college Board member. 3.
K»s4
I would bring the Board profes
sional planning skills and good
group work skills, to arrive at
good decisions.
»kamaa Community College