By Alyssa Hollingsworth
IV Leader Staff, Jan. 31, 2008
Five semi-finalists have been chosen by the Board of Trustees in the search for a new IVCC
president.
The semi-finalists will have a campus visit and undergo a series of interviews. Dave Louis, current IVCC interim president, stated, “The selection process will be similar to that used two years ago when the different groups of employees as well as community people had opportunities to meet and visit with the candidates and submit their comments for board
consideration.”
The five presidential candidates are David Borofsky, Mike Bower, Jerome Corcoran, Debra Derr and Kevin
Pollock.
Borofsky with his Doctorate in Education from Rutgers University has been serving for the past three years, as the president of Bates Technical College in Tacoma, Wash. Borofsky has led the college through a collaborative process resulting in new mission and vision statements and goals. He created a new employee recruitment process involving feedback from all employee groups, created a $575,000 annual equipment budget by reallocating operating funds and successfully obtained a pledge of $500,000 in matching funds to the college’s foundation.
Prior to his role at BTC, Borofsky served for over two years as the vice-president for academic, student and administrative services at Colorado Mountain College. Borofsky resides in Gig Harbor, Wash.
Mike Bower, with his Doctorate in Philosophy from University of Nebraska, currently serves as the executive dean to the president for Continuing Education/Extension Campuses/University Center/ Corporate Services at Mott Community College in Michigan. Bower has established the United Auto Workers/General Motors Training Center for active and retired employees and reorganized the college’s Technical Education Center to be self sustaining with an entrepreneurial focus.
Bower led the Lapeer Campus $2.5 million renovation and new student parking space. In addition he collaborated to receive the 2006 Workforce Innovation Grant for $1.4 million. Bower resides in Flint, Mich.
Jerome Corcoran, with his Doctorate in Education from Northern Illinois University, has been serving for the past four years as the current vice-president for business services and finance/treasurer at Illinois Valley Community College. Corcoran improved the financial planning process of the college by tying the budget to the college’s strategic goals and objectives, coordinated the development of a new master plan which supports student learning and led administrative teams that successfully negotiated collective bargaining agreements. Corcoran improved the financial position of IVCC every year while lowering the tax rate.
Prior to this position, Corcoran established the Office of Human Resources and served as the first director standardizing all personnel procedures. Corcoran resides in
Ottawa.
Debra Derr, with her Doctorate in Education from Oregon State University, has been serving for over two years as the vice-president for learner success at Madison Area Technical College in Wisconsin. Derr led the college’s enrollment and management plan resulting in a five percent enrollment growth, supported faculty innovation resulting in $5.5 million in grant awards over two years and championed the creation of a comprehensive academic plan for the district.
Derr also facilitated collaborative efforts with local school districts resulting in the creation of PK-16 Collaboration Council. For three years prior to her current position at MATC, Derr served as the executive dean for student development and success. Derr resides in Sun Prairie,
Wis.
Kevin Pollock, with his Doctorate in Philosophy from Michigan State University, has been serving for seven years as the vice-president of student services at West Shore Community College in Michigan. Pollock has led a new strategic planning process which has resulted in significant improvements in the institutional level of thinking about the future of higher education on campus while creating and leading a Student Success Team that has suggested and implemented changes resulting in the improvement in the academic success of at risk students. In addition, Pollock has professionalized the student services function through the establishment of a student first philosophy, improved articulation and transfer agreements, improved advising, created an intrusive mentoring program, implemented online registration and a greater use of technology. Pollock has presented at 40 national conferences and community colleges and written several book chapters and articles related to higher education.
Prior to his work with WSCC, Pollock was the director of enrollment and recruitment for lake Superior State University. Pollock resides in Ludington,
Mich.
“The presidential candidates will be invited to the campus for a full day of interviews with college employee groups, the Board of Trustees and the community. As soon as the interview schedules are arranged, they will be released to the college and community,” Louis
said.
Louis has served as interim president since former president Larry Huffman resigned after one year in the post. Prior to Huffman, Chuck Novak served as interim president for one year, meaning employees have worked under four presidents in the past four years.