By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
The community has now had a chance to meet, talk and ask questions of the two finalists to become the next president at Barton Community College. Dr. Seth Carter participated in a public forum Thursday afternoon at the Great Bend campus.
Carter is familiar with the two-year institutions of learning in Kansas as he has served as the president of Colby Community College since 2015. Carter emphasized the Barton job is the right fit for his family.
"I've been at Colby Community College for almost a decade," said Carter. "I would say conservatively, I've been approached by about 35 different colleges to apply for a president's position. I've applied for one in the entire duration, that's Barton. We are rural by choice. I can tell you, unequivocally, if Barton Community College was in Topeka, Kansas, you would have never seen my application."
Before joining Colby, Carter served as the Associate Director of Career and Technical Education for the Kansas Board of Regents. He earned his doctorate of education from Baker University.
When asked about justifying using taxpayer dollars to help fund the college, Carter responded that a recent study showed for every $1 in taxes spent toward the college yields more than a $2 return to the community.
"There's the number of students brought to this campus spending dollars locally," said Carter. They're providing a workforce for businesses. The college is providing training for employers. I think it's a very robust amount of services the college is providing. When you look at your property values, I guarantee if you take away an employer to the level of service that Barton has, the valuation of your homes will drop dramatically."
The other finalist, Dr. Marcus Garstecki, held his public forum earlier this week. The Barton Community College Board of Trustees plan to announce their decision on Jan. 30.
RELATED STORY: Hear from Dr. Marcus Garstecki
Current Barton President Dr. Carl Heilman is set to retire at the end of the school year after serving 17 years as president.
Listen below to the public forum with Dr. Seth Carter that took place Jan. 18, 2024.