BARSTOW • Community members raised concerns about what actual changes the next president of Barstow Community College would enact at the public input meeting on Friday.

Attendants who voiced their concerns about the future direction and leadership of the college focused on getting down to brass tacks and talking about tangible improvements to the college and the larger community, rather than discussing desirable characteristic traits in the future president.

About 10 community members attended the 45-minute meeting, according to BCC spokeswoman Maureen Stokes. Afterward, several attendees filled out the online survey in the adjacent computer lab. Thirty-five surveys had been completed online as of Friday, according to Stokes. The college, who is working with a consultant that will present the survey findings to the board of trustees on Jan. 21, aims to collect 100 results to present to the board, said Stokes.

Overall, community members who sounded off about the characteristic traits they hope to see the future president embody listed generic qualities such as strong leadership or “someone who understands the unique needs of the community,” said Stokes.

But others focused on more measurable changes.

Meeting attendant Robert Conaway, an attorney in Barstow who unsuccessfully ran for a seat on the college board in November, said he wants the next college president to focus on creating training programs that attract the alternative energy market to Barstow.

“This is an opportunity for the community to be at the center of an energy training venture to put us on the map,”  Conaway said in an interview.
Conaway said that the right candidate would need experience dealing with both technical programs and labor unions.

One unidentified BCC student who attended the event cited outdated technology as an issue he wants the next president to address.  The student was concerned that the schools technology was falling behind, and pointed to the school’s Web site as an example.

Anyone interested can fill out the online survey until Jan. 15, which is the cut-off date for gathering preliminary findings to present to the board of trustees, but the survey will be kept live until the end of the month, said Mike Murrey, BCC director of human resources.

Murrey said that after the meeting with the board, the college officials will draw up a brochure that outlines what characteristics the college will pursue in  the search for the next president, and will post the information on the school’s Web site.

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Miss the meeting? Still want your say?

It’s not too late to fill out the online survey. The survey, available at the Barstow Community College’s Web site (www.barstow.edu), under the link titled “Community Survey for Presidential Search,” will be available until the end of January.

However, if you want your input to be included in the preliminary findings presented to the BCC board of trustees, you must complete the survey by Jan. 15.