BROWNSVILLE — Two of the four final candidates for the Texas Southmost College presidency spoke at an open forum Wednesday to answer questions from TSC staff and the community.
Candidate Hector Aguilar spoke at a 10 a.m. forum, and candidate Kenneth Gonzalez spoke at another forum held at 3 p.m.
The two remaining candidates will attend forums scheduled for today.
Aguilar has been with Austin Community College for 20 years, serving as the Dean of Continuing Education for the last seven. Before that, Aguilar also served as a professor and chair of multiple STEM programs.
Gonzalez currently serves as a director of a joint doctoral program in educational leadership at the California State University in San Marcos, Calif. Also, Gonzalez was the Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs of Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio from July 2012 to March 2014.
Candidates were introduced by TSC Executive Director of Human Resources Lisa Frausto.
Each candidate gave a 10-minute introduction to the audience about themselves, followed by six questions asked by Frausto where they only had five minutes to respond.
Frausto asked the candidates to describe their leadership style and how it would make them successful as TSC president.
“My leadership style is having teams, and giving the tools or the training and the flexibility and the risk-taking to make things happen,” Aguilar said.
Gonzalez responded by saying his leadership style is one of humility, reaching out and building relationships, and getting to understand the people he needs to serve.
“I would tell my students you can’t really understand and provide solutions on something you lack understanding, lack knowledge of,” Gonzalez said.
TSC Board of Trustees Vice Chair Trey Mendez said the presidential committee felt the four candidates selected were the best fit for TSC based on previous interviews that were conducted.
“More than anything we need a leader, a dynamic leader, somebody that’s going to be inclusive, someone that’s going to take into account the whole campus community (and) have the students at the forefront of their decision-making,” Mendez said.
Finalist Jesus Roberto Rodriguez will speak at the open forum at 10 a.m. today, and finalist David Pearson will speak at 3 p.m. Both forums will be held at the TSC Arts Center.
