By By JOHN EBY / Dowagiac Daily News
When Dr. David Mathews accepted a new three-year contract as Southwestern Michigan College president through June 30, 2011, he informed the Board of Trustees it would be his last.
"Since Janet's death two years ago, I've given considerable thought about what to do with the second half of my life," Mathews said Tuesday. "I don't have this all figured out, but I have concluded that I want to be able to spend more time with my children," Samantha and Michael.
"Also, I want more time to pursue writing and publishing and will likely return to teaching college mathematics. And I have decided that I want to have more of a personal life.
"My dilemma is that the job of college president – at least as I do it – is an all-consuming task. Although my parents do a tremendous job of helping me with the children, I find that I'm usually just racing to drop off the children or pick them up. For the long haul, it simply is not the way I intend to function as a parent, nor is it the way I intend to create a life for myself."
Mathews, Dowagiac's 1978 valedictorian, has been at SMC for 11 years and its seventh president since 2001.
"As I look back on my seven years as president of SMC," he said, "I can say without hesitation that the college is now stronger academically, stronger technologically, stronger organizationally, stronger financially and has a noticeably superior physical plant than when I arrived.
"SMC also has a superior administrative staff, faculty and support staff," he said. "Most importantly, the college now has an ingrained culture of student success that will serve the college well for years to come. I appreciate the opportunity that the Board of Trustees has given me to make a difference at SMC."
As the former Green Beret told the board, "As I look to the future, two major new milestones are within sight. First, the college student housing and student life initiatives will be substantially completed in two to three years. Second, and perhaps more importantly, the college will undergo its periodic accreditation site visit three years from now during the first quarter of 2011. These events will be complete before the end of my final contract."
His salary will increase 4 percent each year for the next three years from its current base pay, $125,062.
His father, Dr. Fred L. Mathews, chairman of the Board of Trustees during the tenure of all seven SMC presidents, said, "The Board of Trustees is very saddened at the prospect of losing David as college president. His leaving as president after June 30, 2011, will be a great loss to the college and a personal loss for me. David as president has restructured and reinvigorated SMC. it is not the same institution today as in the past. Under David's leadership, SMC has moved to a superior academic institution. It stands out as a national leader academically to any objective measurements. President David Mathews will leave a legacy of academic greatness, quality facilities, financial stability and a very competent college staff.
"The Board of Trustees appreciates the lead time President David Mathews has given the board," Chairman Mathews continued.
"This will enhance a smooth transition. When the Board of Trustees realized that David's decision was irreversible, the question of succession arose in each trustee's mind. This meant that in the next two to three years a decision must be made as to a new president.
"This is the most important decision any board makes," Mathews said. "As chairman, I believed the only question needing to be answered in the short term was whether to consider promoting from within or planning for a national search.
"The board's philosophy has always been to promote from within if there is a strong leader on staff who shares the leadership principles of SMC and has the ability and determination to maintain and expand the college's academic success."
It took no discussion to realize that SMC has such a person in Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Dr. Diane Chaddock, who has been David Mathews' "right arm" during his presidency.
"She has worked closely with the Board of Trustees and has the complete and total confidence of the board," Chairman Mathews said.
"In a conversation with Dr. Chaddock and myself as board chairman, Dr. Chaddock did indicate to me that if offered the position in the future, she would be interested in becoming president.
"Even though no decision will be made for many months, it would be fair to speculate that Dr. Diane Chaddock will likely become Southwestern Michigan College's eighth president on July 1, 2011.
"If this becomes a reality, Dr. Chaddock would become the fourth consecutive president to be promoted to that position from within the institution," Mathews said.
She would also be SMC's first female president.
"The Board of Trustees appreciates the fact that David will be our president for another three years and two months," Chairman Mathews said. "Many new and exciting projects will take place during that time. The Board of Trustees believes the future of SMC will continue to be extremely bright."