Daniel E. Casey, Moraine Valley Community College Board of Trustees

PALOS HILLS, IL — Daniel Casey is running for the Moraine Valley Community College Board of Trustees. There are 10 candidates running for two open seats in this race. Both terms are for six years.

>>> Are you a candidate for local office? Please email Lorraine Swanson, [email protected] and we'll send you a candidate questionnaire to feature on Patch.

The consolidated election is April 4.

You can find Casey's answers to the Patch candidate questionnaire below:

Your name: Daniel E. Casey

Age (as of election day): 51

Town/city of residence: Palos Heights

School district: 218 / 128

Family: N/A

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government? If yes, please explain. No

Education: MBA, Finance – St. Xavier University; B.S., Finance, Eastern Illinois University

Occupation: Global Head of Credit Portfolio Management, BP

Campaign website or Facebook or other social media: Dan Casey for MVCC Trustee Facebook

Previous or current elected or appointed office: Former Trustee, Moraine Valley Community College

The most pressing issues facing our (board, district, etc.) and this is what I intend to do about them.*

The selection of a new president, the upcoming negotiation of the collective bargaining agreements with the college’s unions, the rising costs of the school / tuition, I have direct experience tackling these issues with a track-record of success. As an executive with a Fortune 100 company, my job is to identify and retain the right talent for our company. I have 30 years of real-life experience in this area, as well as advising companies internationally. My experience includes building businesses and managing them through challenging economic times – which is the situation the college finds itself in today. I have a number of ideas in mind to manage growing costs, including generating alternative sources of revenues to alleviate the burden on taxpayers, reduce the costs for students; all while meeting the commitments to workers. The college should be in a position to increase jobs while reducing (net) costs.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

First, as a former trustee of the college, I have done this before. Second, I have real-life experience and a track-record of meeting similar challenges. Lastly, I am genuine – what you see is what you get. I am not pandering to voters, nor do I have any political ambitions. Simply put, my experience can help all the stakeholders of the college – taxpayers, students, and workers.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community or district?

Directionally, they have done a good job, but the environment has changed. With the evolving labor market, economic challenges, and rising costs I am the right leader for the time. Addressing these issues has been the hallmark of my career. I advise companies, colleges and universities on similar issues.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform: I recently recorded a podcast outlining some unique challenges of the college, along with how I would address them. You can find the South Side Pod session posted here on the Patch.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

I am a former trustee of the college – a veteran not a rookie – with a proven track-record. My professional career has provided me with the unique experience to meet these challenges.

Why should voters trust you?

For the same reason that Fortune 100 companies and banks have trusted me throughout my career – I am authentic, trusting, have an exceptional track-record, and I am “battle tested.”

If you win this position, what accomplishment would make your term in office a success?

Leaving the college in a better place than when I started – select an accomplished leader for the college, lower tuition costs and lower taxes. It’s the trifecta, but it can be done. Frankly, I would envision at some point that we can make community college free for everyone. `

What are your views on fiscal policy, government spending and the handling of taxpayer dollars in the office you are seeking?

Taxpayers are hurting because everything costs more – inflation is out of control. Taxpayers ARE NOT A BLANK CHECK. They are grandmothers and grandfathers living on a fixed income, they are working parents struggling to put food on the table. I will respect these sacrifices and intend not to add to their stress by increasing their taxes. I know we can do better, much better.

What are your views on critical race theory and whether it should be taught in the college?

My goal is to advance the mission of the college and keep it around for many years to come. This will be achieved by offering a quality education and by providing the necessary skills for workers, so they can provide for themselves and their families. We need to stay laser focused on this mission.

How would you enhance the physical safety of students, faculty, staff and visitors? My understanding is that the college already does a good job in this area. If there are issues that I’m not aware of, I certainly would address them. As a former trustee, I know that there are unfortunate incidents at the college. I also know that the police officers of the school work tirelessly to ensure the campus is safe and secure.

Do you think the current board has done enough to support racial equality, and if not, what specifically should be done to do so? The college should be a place where everyone feels safe and welcome, reflecting the community. I am sure this is something that the administration and the board is constantly assessing.

What are your thoughts on how the college handled the COVID-19 pandemic? From where I am sitting, they did a good job. There is always room for improvement, but considering no one has ever lived through a pandemic before, there is no playbook or benchmark.

How can the college enhance or improve curriculum that supports job growth in burgeoning industries, such as cybersecurity, green energy and artificial intelligence?

This is a great question. As trustee, my focus will be to work with the administration to expand certificate programs in these areas that will be funded by industry. These alternative sources of revenue will offset the rising costs of the college while meeting the growing labor need in these industries.

With inflation and the rising cost of post-secondary education, what ideas do you propose to avoid raising tuition costs to keep MVCC affordable? I cover this in depth above and on the podcast. The days of tax and spend are over, and we need to generate revenues in other ways.

When it comes to student achievement, what is the college doing well and what needs to be improved? How can those improvements be made?

The college directionally is performing well in these areas. That said, as mentioned above, expanded certificate programs will generate additional revenues and grant the skills necessary for students to thrive in new areas of the economy that are positioned for explosive growth. We have to evolve our thinking about community college, with the key word being community.

Is there any reason you would not serve your full term of office, other than those of health or family? No

The best advice ever shared with me was: Don’t risk what you can’t afford to lose and stand up for what you believe in. I believe in MVCC, so I am standing up.