The Clarion sat down with Sinclair Community College President Steven Johnson, for an interview on August 19.
Clarion: What do you want students to know about Sinclair?
Dr. Johnson: Sinclair is a great choice for students. It’s a great college. It is a great place to start. It is a great place to study if you are returning from college after being out for a while. It is a great place to study if you are at a local university and you want to also take classes at an outstanding college. Sinclair is just a wonderful, fabulous place where people care for you and are helping you be successful.
Clarion: What is your greatest accomplishment at Sinclair?
Dr. Johnson: I think my greatest accomplishment is in working with an outstanding team of colleagues who have this community in mind everyday. Who have the welfare and success of students in mind everyday and that I am smart enough to recognize how wonderful and smart they are and work with them.
Clarion: Some people have a perception of Sinclair as just a trade school or a last resort because a student couldn’t get into another college, what are your thoughts on that? And what is being done to change that misconception?
Dr. Johnson: Are you kidding? I don’t even know how to answer that question. That’s just so wrong.
Clarion: What is your greatest challenge at Sinclair right now?
Dr. Johnson: I believe one of our greatest challenges is to continue to serve with high quality all the students that need our services. At a time when there have never been more students and when our resources have never been more constrained. But with that said, one way or the other we have always made it happen.
Clarion: With another expected record enrollment this year, what has Sinclair done to be prepared?
Dr. Johnson: The faculty and staff at Sinclair have been working like crazy to prepare for this by adding classrooms, turning broom closets into offices, adding a great number of sections and high demand courses. We have replaced a lot o retired faculty with new tenure track faculty. We have hired additional adjunct faculty and countless other things to make sure that as much as possible we are able to enroll everyone who needs to enroll at Sinclair.
Clarion: There has been some talk about Sinclair possibly having to cap its enrollment, will that happen this year?
Dr. Johnson: Capping enrollment is one of the last things we would ever want to do at Sinclair. It is so against what we stand for. We stand for access and affordability. E stand for serving all of the many deserving students who come to Sinclair to gain a certificate, degree or training they need to move on and be successful. I don’t even want to talk about capping enrollment.
Clarion: So here’s the big question everyone wants to know, especially with all of the new students, what are you going to do about parking?
Dr. Johnson: There is nothing more that I would like than to have parking that works well for each and every student. We have been trying to know and understand how we can move remote parking in closer to the campus. How we might obtain land on the edge of campus and turn it into parking. We’ve recently had an architect draw up plans for new parking right here on campus and I very much hope that before too much time passes that are parking is very much improved.
Clarion: What about other ideas or changes that would make it easier for Sinclair students to attend here?
Dr. Johnson: You know we continue to develop more scholarship opportunities for students, refresh the curriculum and add certificates and programs that students will find beneficial in their careers and their transfer to a university. We continue to enhance our student support services. And so I think those kinds of things that we continue to do and many more will make it better and easier for students to attend Sinclair.
Clarion: There has been talk about some of the faculty unionizing at the school, what do you think about that?
Dr. Johnson: Periodically over the years various employee groups have considered the possibility of collective bargaining. Sinclair has a very long 125-year history so over that period of time it has been considered numerous times. I think each and every time the employees have come to a conclusion that it’s just not necessary. We strive to have a very good career environment with good pay and benefits and I would predict that we would continue to do so.
Clarion: The state just approved a fee increase that will be voted on by Sinclair’s board in the fall. If it passes do you expect there to be other increases in fees or tuition this year?
Dr. Johnson: Not sure if we will increase our fees and tuition anymore than we already have done in previous board meetings. There’s a strong possibility we will. If we do it is for the purpose of having enough resources to continue to provide the quality of education for which we are famous. And if we do raise tuition or fees anymore than we have already raised them it is our goal to still end up with a level that is the lowest in the state.
Clarion: What advice do you have for students this year?
Dr. Johnson: Sinclair has an incredible range of extra activities, support services, opportunities to become involved in leadership, student government, media, drama, athletics. I would advise students to become involved as possible. Take advantage of these support services, tutoring, the math center, writing center and library. And keep up on your studies. Don’t fall behind.
Clarion: Alright, now for some fun questions. Who are you rooting for this college football season?
Dr. Johnson: I am rooting for any team that Jeff Miller is not rooting for and I know he roots for Ohio State. And I know that he does not like the University of Texas Longhorns, therefore I am really for the Longhorns.
Clarion: How many eggs do you give away from your farm?
Dr. Johnson: I have about two dozen chickens and I get about two dozen eggs away. I give them all away. Except for I might eat one or two a week.
Clarion: What is your favorite food to eat in the cafeteria?
Dr. Johnson: All of it.
Clarion: What do you like to do outside of Sinclair?
Dr. Johnson: I really enjoy photography, playing my guitars, taking care of my garden and my chickens and occasionally traveling. I especially enjoy traveling to Scandinavia.
Clarion: Isn’t that where the animals attacked you?
Dr. Johnson: Even though in Norway, three different animals attacked me in one day; two horses, a herd of sheep and rooster, it is still a great country.
Clarion: Do you have a Scandinavian background?
Dr. Johnson: I am. My ancestors are from Norway and Sweden.
Clarion: So because you play guitar, is it possible we might hear a song from you sometime this year?
Dr. Johnson: A song about not getting behind in your studies? I’ve been playing guitar for 30 years and I have never played a song at the college, about the college or about studying and I probably wont. But if the Clarion staff would like to co-write a song and perform with me than I would be willing to consider a performance with the Clarion staff.