Finalists for the Klamath Community College president position share their views with students, faculty members, and community leaders
Herald and News
March 30, 2012
The two finalists for Klamath Community College president shared their education philosophies and development strategies with community members, students and college faculty last week.
The public forums for Jerome “Jerry” Migler and Roberto Gutierrez, held Wednesday and Friday, respectively, were a mix of question and answer sessions that included each candidate detailing his personal background. Both fielded questions pertaining to revenue sources, online courses and community economic development.
Migler: The community college is a tremendous resource, he said. It offers opportunities to help people who want to work in a vocational career or transfer to a larger college. It helps improve the workforce and provides the community with citizens and taxpayers.
Gutierrez: Community colleges help with economic development, Gutierrez said. The first thing employers look at in an area is the level of education, he said, and having a well-educated workforce helps attract those employers. As part of that, community colleges should offer customized training to students that meets the needs of the community and its businesses.
How would you find funding for the college?
Migler: There’s no magic bullet, Migler said, and funding often ends up coming from several smaller sources. Foundations are a big part of the future. As tuition costs increase, they can help provide scholarships, fund new program start-ups and assist with capital campaigns, Migler said.
Gutierrez: Grants are a big part of funding, Gutierrez said, and he has been successful in acquiring grants in the past and knows that landscape very well. He said community colleges need sources of income other than the state, or they’ll be status quo.
