Anne Kress said she has high expectations for the people that work for her, but she understands it can be hard to get there.
Kress was screened Tuesday for the position of vice president of academic affairs at SFCC.
Kress has held the position of interim vice president of academic affairs since January 2005.
"I would put our faculty up against any other faculty and we would do better. Our students prove that," Kress said.
She said that there is a reason SFCC graduates make up most of the transfer students at UF.
"I really love Santa Fe and I deeply value what we do at our institution. I have respect for all of the faculty and staff here, and I am honored to even be considered," Kress said.
Kress was asked the same questions that Barbara Burrows, another finalist for the position, was asked at Monday's forum.
The questions, picked by a screening committee of 21 faculty and staff members, included topics including general education, SFCC's five campuses throughout northern Florida and how to improve at SFCC over the next five years.
Kress said many students get discouraged in school because of negative experiences.
"I would like to create a environment that is engaging to the students," said Kress.
Kress has held six positions at SFCC.
She began as a part-time English faculty member and worked as the English department chair and associate vice president.
She was also integral in transforming student services and creating eSantaFe, an online resource where students can sign up for classes and check their grades.
Kress has four degrees from UF, including a master's in English and a doctorate in higher education.
Over the past few years, SFCC has filled this position on an interim basis, but the college decided it was time for the position to be permanently filled, said Lela Elmore, the SFCC human resource coordinator.
The job opening was posted the first day of fall semester.
Since then, the screening committee has narrowed the search down from eleven applicants to two finalists: Kress and Burrows.
The screening committee will now deliberate and make their recommendation to SFCC President Jackson Sasser.
Sasser will ultimately make the decision himself.
