President

The Board of Trustees of Glen Oaks Community College invites nominations and applications for the position of President. The District seeks a President who will lead the single college District with a student focused vision and a deep commitment to the mission of the college.

Mission:

The mission of Glen Oaks Community College is to provide opportunities for academic and lifelong success through excellence in teaching and comprehensive support services that meet our community’s diverse educational needs.

About Glen Oaks Community College:

Located just outside Centreville, Michigan Glen Oaks Community College is equidistant between Three Rivers and Sturgis, St. Joseph County’s two largest towns. Nestled in the hills of Sherman Township, the college overlooks Lake Templene. Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo College, Trine University and The University of Notre Dame are within easy driving distances for advanced educational opportunities for St. Joseph County’s 62,000 residents.

In the pioneering tradition of their forefathers, the progressive citizens of St. Joseph County, in April of 1965, sought and received approval from the State of Michigan to organize a community college for their county. On June 14, 1965, St. Joseph County voters authorized the establishment of Glen Oaks Community College by electing a Board of Trustees and approving a charter millage for its operation and support. Glen Oaks Community College opened its doors in the fall of 1967.

The area is primarily agricultural, with heavy to light industry focused in Sturgis and Three Rivers. Located midway between Chicago and Detroit on the “Chicago Trail,” it has the potential for vast economic and population growth. The area also abounds in lakes and rolling hills, affording many opportunities for a variety of recreational activities year round. Citizens are fortunate to be served by modern medical facilities and by well-supported public educational facilities. Energetic civic outreach supports the educational, cultural, and economic community and promotes growth and progress throughout the service area.

The character of the college, its communities, and its people are shaped by its pristine rural location, the nearby influence of one of the Midwest’s largest Amish population, a vibrant Hispanic population, a widespread acceptance of a traditional work ethic, a history of solid community support for the college, and continual opportunities for education and community service.

Glen Oaks is recognized for academics focused on transfer pathways and Career and Technical Education. In 2023, for example, the Glen Oaks Nursing Program graduate pass rate on the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) was 100 percent. Glen Oaks has the only Agricultural Equipment Technology program offered by a community college in Michigan where students learn to repair and maintain farm-related equipment. Students in the agricultural program, as well as the Agricultural Operations Program in partnership with Michigan State University, are engaged in hands-on learning by farming over 65 tillable acres on the campus.

The College engages in multiple transfer partnerships with other Michigan community colleges and four-year colleges and universities. For example, in 2023, the College collaborated with Baker College to offer a ADN to BSN program for current Nursing students and alumni. Additionally, the College participates in the Michigan Transfer Agreement, which allows students to complete a minimum of 30 semester hours of college-level credit to fulfill a portion of the lower-division general education requirements at participating four-year colleges or universities.

Glen Oaks, in collaboration with St. Joseph County Intermediate School District and service area high schools, offer high school students the option to participate in dual and concurrent enrollment and Early Middle College - a program which provides students the opportunity to earn an associate degree or occupational certificate in their “5th” year of high school, with funding paid for by the state. High school students constitute up to 60% of the college’s total student enrollment, representing the highest percentage of dual enrollment of any Michigan community college.

Glen Oaks has varied extracurricular activities and events for students including, but not limited to intercollegiate athletics, cultural and educational events, student clubs, Student Government, Honor Societies such as Phi Theta Kappa, Tri-Alpha (a first generation student national honor society), and Epsilon Pi Tau, awards banquets, and graduation ceremonies. Additional services provided students include a campus food pantry, a fitness and wellness center, The Oaks Store (A Follett Campus Bookstore), Glen Oaks Cafe and the Devier Student Suites Residence Hall.

In support of student success, the Glen Oaks Foundation provides students with scholarship funding. The Glen Oaks Foundation and the college hold ceremonies in recognition of alumni, community members, students, and employees.

Additional Points of Pride:

Renovations were made to the north side of campus through a $7.3 million state capital outlay project in 2022 that included a totally re-imagined E. J. Shaheen Learning Commons, formerly known as the library; work on instructional spaces; addition of the Flora Kirsch Beck Art Gallery,

and a completely new exterior wall system to improve the appearance and provide significant energy savings.

The college was a recipient of a $900,000 federal technology grant in 2022 for the purchase and installation of videoconferencing technology to allow instructors to broadcast synchronous live instruction from their classrooms. The project greatly expands educational options, particularly for dual-enrolled students in area high schools.

In 2022, the college entered the increasingly popular Esports arena which is now sanctioned as a sport by the NJCAA (National Junior College Athletic Association).

Glen Oaks implemented the Watermark Student Success and Engagement software program in 2021 which provides early alert warnings that notify faculty and advisors so that they can reach out to offer guidance and support to those students who are struggling academically.

In 2019, the college celebrated the 50th anniversary of the campus building as well as a major renovation of the grand concourse.

The $6.5 million David H. and Patricia A. Devier Student Suites opened in August 2017 and features two- and four-bedroom suites. There are 106 beds in all, and the facility was the first of such projects in Michigan to be funded by a USDA Rural Development loan.

The President of Glen Oaks Community College will be a strong visionary leader who engages the college community and external stakeholders building partnerships and relationships with business and industry leaders, addressing the following opportunities and challenges:

• Increase enrollment and retention through promoting Glen Oaks’ unique strengths.

• Expand and offer innovative programs and delivery options that respond to students’ needs and changes in technology, education, and the economy.

• Work with faculty, staff, and the community to strategically reimagine the college and its place in students’ lives, the workplace, and the economy.

• Strengthen systems and address gaps to increase student success and retention.

• Further develop strategic partnerships with business and industry to align with current and future regional workforce training needs.

• Continue to build relationships throughout the state and region that potentially increase external funding to strengthen and expand Career Technical Programs, facilitate transfer articulation with four-year institutions, and collaborate with the K-12 districts/school systems.

• Provide visionary leadership, cultivate a climate of caring, inclusion, and trust while focusing on decisions that are in the best interest of the college community.

• Promote a welcoming and safe environment for both students and staff that embraces diversity, equity, and inclusion through the implementation of Board Policy and Procedures.

• Support the continued efforts to increase instructional quality, retaining and recruiting quality faculty, and creating a culture of accountability in order to increase student engagement and improve the quality of instruction.

• Lead the process of preparing for the upcoming Higher Learning Commission (HLC) visit in November of 2024 to ensure accreditation criteria meet or exceed standards.

• Expand Glen Oaks’ dual enrollment and EMC opportunities to county and service area high schools.

• Promote Glen Oaks as a first choice in higher education.

• Create a culture in which employees are heard and valued to address employee morale and retain quality employees.

• Support the innovative creation of a campus community to provide an environment that is relative to student interests and to create a sense of belonging.

• Expand and strengthen college programs that provide adult learners training into new careers to address changes in the economy over time.

• Advocate for increased state and local funding for operations and capital projects, as well as support the work of the Glen Oaks Foundation.

• Have an understanding of working with collective bargaining units.

The President of Glen Oaks Community College will have an ear for the community and a heart for the students displaying these ideal characteristics as follows:

• A leader who is visible and accessible on campus and throughout the community, who possesses exceptional and effective communication skills, and who uses those skills to establish strong relations, shared priorities, and a sense of community.

• A leader who is prepared to have a highly visible and public presence throughout the service area to expand the College’s footprint through fostering new partnerships.

• A leader who is an exceptional communicator who has experience in working with and for a governing board.

• A leader who understands the uniqueness of a small, rural college and possesses firsthand knowledge of rural living.

• A leader guided by ethics, integrity, and honesty with a track record of transparency and inclusiveness.

• A leader who has evidence of fostering a culture where people are heard, valued, and empowered to achieve college goals.

• A leader who can build a vision through consensus and lead the college to fulfill it.

• A leader who advances diversity, equity, and inclusion by promoting a diverse and inclusive learning environment that eliminates gaps in aspiration, access, achievement, and engagement of under-represented populations. Experience working with marginalized communities.

• An effective and experienced leader with successful management of complex and challenging budgets who demonstrates successful alignment of budget allocation with institutional mission and priorities.

• A leader with experience in institutional advancement, who connects with government officials as well as business, industry, and community members to generate support for the college.

• A leader with high expectations for both students and employees through shared accountability.

Minimum Qualifications

• Doctorate Degree Required from a regionally accredited institution.

• 5-10 years of significant administrative experience, preferably at a Community College.

• Classroom teaching experience preferred.