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Presidential candidates dish on vision, goals

T.J. Thomson
Both candidates had meetings with professional and support staff, faculty, and the Chadron community during their two-day campus visit. – Photo by T.J. Thomson
Both candidates had meetings with professional and support staff, faculty, and the Chadron community during their two-day campus visit. – Photo by T.J. Thomson

Two men contend for Chadron State’s presidency, although for different reasons, as the campus community discovered through on-campus meetings with both candidates earlier this week.

Guy Mills, president of Northwest Kansas Technical College, Goodland, Kan., said Monday afternoon that he was motivated to apply for the position due to his fondness for the geographic area, as well as positive experiences he had while teaching at the Pine Ridge Reservation earlier in his career.

“This is just the type of college with a great reputation and a great history,” Mills said.

CSC Interim President Randy Rhine said Tuesday that his desire to expand his campus leadership role, as well as his fondness of the campus and its students, faculty, and staff, fueled his desire to apply.

Common topics addressed by both candidates included veterans’ affairs, past experience with the NCAA, institutional goals, and technology and its role in student learning.

After providing a brief biographical background, Mills said that NKTC was the first iPad campus in the nation at a two-year school.

NKTC requires each of its students to purchase an iPad, and uses it extensively in its 16 academic programs.

“We went from toy, to tool, to culture,” Mills said to the group of 27 students about the device.

Mills said he doesn’t anticipate making CSC an iPad-only campus.

“I don’t have a predetermined desire to force something to happen that isn’t happening naturally,” Mills said, adding, “I encourage change, but I wouldn’t be the instrument of change.”

Speaking to Chadron State’s identity, Mills said he believes CSC needs to improve in the definition and strength of its institutional identity.

“CSC’s got to build a better national and international identity,” Mills said. “The question is, what should we build that identity around. I’m not yet familiar enough with CSC to know what that is.”

Rhine, speaking to a 14-member student group, laid out his “initial priorities” in a three-pronged approach.

First among Rhine’s priorities is planning for growth, followed by finishing construction projects and “letting structures that we’ve invested in mature.”

Responding to a question about financial aid and the scarcity of student work-study positions at CSC, Rhine said though students have had issues with financial aid this year, college administration is working to improve the financial aid process.

“We processed more than $1 million in aid this year than we did at the same time last year,” Rhine said, adding, “We’ll make sure to award every work-study dollar that we can.”

Mills said he had “zero” background or experience with the NCAA. Rhine said his experience, while limited, has increased in recent months.

Both candidates travelled to Wayne Wednesday for interviews with the Nebraska State College System’s staff. The candidates have an interview with the NSCS Board of Trustees today as part of its business meeting at Wayne State College.