It's an exciting time at Lakeland Community College, a vibrant campus dedicated to impacting lives through learning.
In response to community needs, Lakeland started the Holden University Center Partnership Programs in fall 2011. Now you can earn a bachelor's or graduate degree from a variety of leading colleges and universities right here in Lake County.
Lakeland offers a quality education at an affordable price. You can earn an associate's degree and then transfer to a four-year college or university, which will save you thousands of dollars on your college education. You can enroll in our career training programs to gain immediate employment in high demand fields. You can take classes to learn new skills that you need to obtain a better job or to advance in your current career. You can take noncredit classes for professional development and personal enrichment.
Whatever reason brings you to our campus, you'll find that we have a "students first" culture. We want to see you succeed in reaching your educational goals.
Thank you for the opportunity to make a difference in your lives and improve the quality of life in our community.
Message from the Office of the President
Dear Colleagues,
Today is my first official day as President of Lakeland Community College.
I am thrilled to be here.
I had the pleasure of meeting many of you over the last few weeks, and I am deeply appreciative of the warm welcome as I have transitioned into the role...
Dear Colleagues,
Today is my first official day as President of Lakeland Community College. I am thrilled to be here. I had the pleasure of meeting many of you over the last few weeks, and I am deeply appreciative of the warm welcome as I have transitioned into the role. I look forward to meeting the rest of you in the weeks and months to come.
I wanted to send this message not only on my first day, but also as we end an academic year and plan for the next. These thoughts are intended to articulate my vision and strategic direction for Lakeland to address the many challenges and opportunities ahead of us, subject, of course, to many collective conversations on campus about significant directions.
In order of equal importance, I see the following as major priorities:
- Performance Audit: The recent state Performance Audit identified a number of concerns about the College's operations. I take those concerns seriously and am committed to addressing all of them promptly and comprehensively. We will respond to the audit within the 60-day timeline and begin implementation of that response in the required timeframe.
- Financial Sustainability: Our most important priority must and will be to ensure a secure financial future for the College, with responsible stewardship of public dollars. This will entail producing balanced budgets annually, increasing our reserves, and improving our Senate Bill 6 and Higher Learning Commission's Composite Financial Index scores, as key financial benchmarks. We will look at both sides of the ledger to contain costs further and maximize revenues through appropriate programmatic changes and other initiatives.
- Enrollment and Retention: All else being equal, it is easier and cheaper to retain than to recruit. We will look for new opportunities for growth in enrollment (either via new or redesigned programs, including microcredentials for the workforce, or via other subsets of student populations, such as more adult students), aided by an effective recruitment and enrollment management operation. At the same time, we will appropriately shore up our retention efforts as we look toward Fall 2024 enrollment and beyond.
- Academic Portfolio: We will soon engage in a comprehensive, data-informed review of the College's academic portfolio and program sustainability. Particularly in light of the Performance Audit, we will evaluate and address low-enrolled programs and courses and optimize course offerings. As a result of these reviews, we should identify programs which provide Lakeland a competitive advantage, know what Lakeland stands for, and appropriately invest in areas of strategic growth and those central to the mission.
- Workforce Development: We must and will focus on workforce development and grow opportunities in Lake County and the region. Workforce development is a core part of a community college's mission. I look forward to engaging with area businesses and industry for workforce development opportunities, not only to establish or strengthen college-industry partnerships, but also for Lakeland to serve as an economic anchor and driver in Lake County and Northeast Ohio.
- Organizational Structure: I have been reviewing the College's organizational structure and will soon engage in conversations and develop a streamlined staffing structure. At the same time, we need to rebalance our resources toward student support services and enrollment management, areas connected to growth, retention, and institutional reputation.
- Strategic Plan: Last but not least, as our current strategic plan ends this year, I look forward to working with the campus community on renewing our plan and vision for the future. We will develop a forward-looking plan, one that is responsive to higher education trends in the state and the country.
I am still learning about Lakeland, and I look forward to many conversations with many of you about our future. In all these efforts, my approach will be based on strategic considerations and in alignment with the mission and vision of the College. My guiding principles will include being pragmatic, transparent, thoughtful, inclusive, and data-oriented (especially as a quantitatively trained social scientist), working under guidance provided by the Board of Trustees.
As significant changes are occurring in higher education throughout the country and the state, many of which impact us directly, we need to rethink the way we do things and readjust in light of those trends. This is a reset moment. Together, we will reset, reshape, and rebuild Lakeland for the success of the students, the College, and the community. I believe a bright future for Lakeland lies ahead.
Again, I am thrilled by the opportunity to serve as President of Lakeland Community College. I look forward to working with all of you and engaging with you about the future of the College.
I wish everyone a happy summer. Thank you for all you do for the students, the College, and the community.