SMC Presidential Candidate Tim McGrath
Tim McGrath was the first SMC presidential candidate to convey to an audience reasons why he should take over the role as Superintendent/President at noon on Thursday at the Main Stage. While the only college vice president of the group, McGrath brought the same amount of experience, if not more, to the table as the other candidates. He describes himself as community-minded and says he has deep roots at the college. McGrath told the audience that his first priority is the students, as he was once a student at Santa Monica College himself. While he went on to other institutions such as San Diego Mesa College, he said that when he saw there was a position open as President of Santa Monica College, he was pleasantly surprised at the opportunity. McGrath posed the question, “How many times as an alumni have you had the opportunity to go home?”
He believes that SMC is one of the most innovative colleges in the state and he would be able to harness his own creative abilities here. In addition, he compliments SMC’s high transfer rates and states that as one of his reasons for wanting to be here.
His highest priorities if he were to achieve the title of President would be, as he said not trying to sound cliche, “My first priority would be to get to know everyone on this campus, and I mean that.” He stressed that he wouldn’t feel right changing policies or changing the organization of anything without knowing who he’s dealing with and what the issues are. “I’m not someone who sits in the office, I’m out in it, doing it, being a part of it…” Secondly he wants to reach out to key partners in the Santa Monica community and maintain those relationships and build on them.
McGrath also reiterated the point of getting to know everyone on campus and references the athletic program as a prime example of how a group of people knowing each other equals success. "Athletics is a place where 450 students know each other's names. Our retention, success and persistence in that group should be the highest of any group on campus... it's about being accountable to our instructors, our coaches..."