The Clackamas print., January 24, 2018, Page 3, Image 3

NEWS
ï
photo by Merari Calderon Ruiz
Forums
assist in
search
for new
president
BY ALh WILUER
DISTRIBUTIQHXQORDINArOR •'
Two candidates, Tim Cook and Jessica
H o w ard , P h .D . fa ce d c o m m u n ity
m em b'ers, stu d en ts, and fa cu lty in
Niemeyer Center’ s theater for parts one
and two of the last stretch of Clackamas
C o m m u n ity C o lle g e ’ s p re s id e n tia l’
candidate search.
C o o k ’ s forum was W ednesday. He
took to the stage in a dark pinstripe
suit, white shirt, and red paisley bow tie.
Cbok is currently the yice president of
instruction at Clark College in Vancouver,
'W ashington.
The audience was comprised of mainly
faculty, staff and board members mixed
in w ith a few students. A ll avidly read
the dual biographical pamphlet and exit
survey they had been given to aid the
board in their eventual final selection.
Each candidate will be given equal time
on separate days to introduce themselves^
and answer questions from the audience
in an open forum. No other candidate may
attend another’s event.
“ I ’ve been kind o f subtly aware o f
i t ,” said Ju stin M cD an iels, a form er
student and current Program Outreach
Coordinator at Clackam s, w hen asked
about their thoughts on the selection
process. “ I think that I was more waiting
for these open forum s, because th a t’s
when I knew I could really participate.”
C o o k ’ s fa m ily are fifth generation
residents o f Clackam as County. Cook
graduated fro m O regon C ity H igh
School in 1986. He is a first-generation
college graduate and worked both on
and o ff campus throughout his college
experiences.
Cook has an easy sp eakin g style,
engaging directly w ith the audience.
W hen he speaks it’ s o ff-th e -cu ff and he
Clackamas Print - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Four candidates remain for a replacement for soon-to-retire Clackamas Community College President Joanne Truesdell
Four forums are being held, one for each candidate, allowing them to introduce themselves to the college. The final
forum is scheduled for Jan. 24 at 4 p.m. in the Niemeyer Theater.
photos provided by Clackamas Community College
chuckles a little when he’ s reminded to
use the microphone.
" When audience members asked Cook
questions, he answered standing directly
in front o f them as close to them as
h e could get. Cook stressed listening,
building relationships, trust, and making
observations as important first steps of
the presidency.
“ The two days I was on campus was
probably the most talking I’ve done in
quite some tim e,” he said during a later
interview . Co o k’ s form seemed w ell-
received and was w ell-intended. He said
he hopes people heard his passion for the
school and for the job.
Thedayafter Cook’s forum, the second
of the two forums tookplace. Held last
Thursday, this forum featured Howard.
Howard is campus president at Portland
Community College’s Southeast campus.
She confidently walked onto the stage
with a big smile, in a gray skirted business
suit and w hite shirt, The audience is -
m ostly the same group of people from
the day before, with the addition of few
more students, they seemed excite^ but
were patiently waiting.
Howard of San Antonio, Texas worked
multiple jobs, and recieved a Pell Grant
throughout college. While Howard was
an administrator at San Antonio College
she took classes towards her associates
degree to demonstrate to both staff and
students that it could be done.
“ The thing that struck me m ost, the
Dr. Tim Cook
Dr. Jessica Howard
first day I was nervous; it takes a lot of
nerve to take college courses,” she said.
Howard is an easy joke teller to which
the audience responded favorably. Her
jokes occurred naturally. She speaks
with careful consideration and answers
with thought and genuine feeling. She
addressed the questioner but remained
standing in the center o f the stage.
Howard is “ inspired by the collaborative
in c lu s iv e c u ltu r e ” o f C la c k a m a s
Community College and she said one of
the college’s greatest strengths is that it
“ authentically puts students in the center
of its considerations.”
Both candidates are warm, welcoming,
knowledgeable of Clackamas Community
C o lle g e and u n d erstan d in g o f th e
operations o f colleges in general. The
candidates Stressed th e w elcom in g
s tu d e n t-first culture orientation on
campus and seenjed enthusiastic about
meeting both staff and students to engage
in learning w hat’s important to them .
The Clackam as Com m unity College
board has a big decision ahead of them
w ith two candidates left to go. It’s not
too late to give your opinion on the final
four candidate^.
Two more candidate forums will take
place this week, on Jan. 22 and Jan. 24
(look for a follow up in nejrt week’s paper).
The college has recorded all the forums
and w ill be posting the videos to its
website, so if you missed one, you can still
see them. You may even be able to submit
an opinion to the board, participation is
free.
theclackam asprint.net
January 24, 2018