Jim Orr - Collin College Trustee
​Experienced Leadership, Proven Success
Swearing in with my wife Rebecca with my left hand on the Bible she gave me our first Christmas together.

Collin College - A Strong and Stable Community Resource

Collin College has the lowest tuition rate in the State of Texas.

Collin College has the second lowest tax rate in the State of Texas.

Colllin College provides quality education for a reasonable cost.  The Board of Trustees is committed to keeping the college this way by managing to the core mission - providing a quality education.

Collin County is experiencing incredible growth. It is critical that a strong college is available to our community during this period of rapid and often unanticipated change.

It is important that we offer courses in a viariety of models to meet the needs of all students.
  1. 1) For many students, face to face is the best way to learn and they want to be on campus and in the classroom.
  2. 2) Online options are very important for the safety and convenience of many.
  3. 3) It is important to understand that if Collin College went all online, the entire model of operation would change - including staff levels. There would be large layoffs and the rebuilding of the organization when traditional education restarts would be lengthy and expensive, resulting in poor student outcomes for years.

The safety concerns of the community are heard and understood.  Much effort has spent to make sure the facilities have modern airhandling systems that clean the air of pathogens and that personal protection equipment is readily available. 

In order to keep Collin College in a great state of health, there are key areas of focus. These area of focus are all integrated into the Master Plan that has been developed to address the areas of Safety, Growth, Cost and Innovation.

You can review the entire Master Plan document at this link.

Safety and Security

In order to learn, students need to feel they are in a safe environment.

The Master Plan calls for a significant update to the Safety and Security Plan. We are adding lighting and emergency call boxes, eliminating architectural risk (removing bushes and limiting dark corridores), and ensuring our Collin College Police are well trained and equipped.

Growth in Collin County

The population in Collin County is growting rapidly - more rapidly than anywhere in the area.  

This boom drives the need for more educational capacity placed in locations that serve all of Collin County.

All of this needs to be done while maintaining the lowest tax rate in the State of Texas.

Affordable Education

Collin College offers the lowest tuition rate in the State of Texas.  The financial strength of our community allows us to continue to provide this key resource as employers continue to look for a well educated workforce.

My background in large-scale operations and capital budgeting allow me to offer valuable guidence and policy direction.

Changing Educational Needs

Innovation in teaching must be implemented to match the learning needs of the community.  New styles, techniques, and tools are being embraced by Collin College.
About
Jim
A 21 year resident of Collin County, husband to Rebecca for 30 years, and father of three successful Collin College students.

A farm kid from Wisconsin that came to Texas to attend Texas A&M University.

Earned a undergraduate degree in Electrical Engineering from Texas A&M and an  MBA focused on complex organizational behavior from Washington State University.

Successful career in Business Development.  Managing business and organizational change in telecom and consumer electronics industries around the world. Currently Senior Vice President of Business Development for Ivy Technologies.


  
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