Stacey Donald announces campaign for Collin College board of trustees Place 3

[caption id="attachment_227065" align="alignright" width="220"] Stacey Donald is running for Collin College board of trustees Place 3.[/caption] Stacey Donald, a professor, is running for Collin College board of trustees Place 3 for the May 6 election. Larry Wainwright currently holds the Place 3 seat and is running for another term. Places 1, 2 and 5 will also appear on the May 6 ballot. Community Impact Newspaper sent Donald a series of questions. Her written responses, edited for publication style, are below.

1. Why did you decide to run for the Collin College board of trustees? 

I wanted to become more civically engaged in a way that would allow me to use my areas of expertise to serve my community. As I watched the demise of critical thinking on both sides of the aisle during the presidential election last year, I decided that if I do nothing else with my life, I can advocate for solid education, ethical research and strong critical thinking.

2. What experience do you think prepares you for serving on the board? 

My entire adult life has been spent in higher education. I earned a Ph.D. in literary analysis with a minor in gender theory from the University of Texas at Dallas in 2013. I have taught at the university level since 2006 in a variety of positions ranging from part-time faculty to department lead in various modalities (onsite, blended, online and dual credit). I’ve immersed myself in innovative technology, which is something students are demanding more and more.

3. What issues would you like to do address and how? 

The existing board has crafted a comprehensive master plan for Collin College’s future in the midst of the explosive growth Collin is and will continue to experience. I want to help with the implementation of the plan in the following areas:

1. Adding more academic perspective to decisions regarding rapid growth. The current board members contribute impressive amounts of legal, economic and project management acumen, but there needs to be more of a balance between the business and academic aspects of college leadership. As the college continues to open new and expand existing campuses, it’s critical that the faculty are supported, developed and kept up-to-date on technology as a tool to increase student engagement.

2. Encouraging the addition of more workforce programs. These are a part of the master plan already, but we need more if we’re going to sustain our community in Collin County and maintain the economic advantage that Collin College brings to all members of our community. A big part of this is working towards a culture that values workforce certifications like HVAC and plumbing as much as we value students working towards transferring to a traditional four-year university.