DOWAGIAC — The Southwestern Michigan College Board of Trustees unanimously approved a motion Monday evening to interview all four internal candidates with one to succeed Dr. David Mathews as the eighth president of SMC.

During the board of trustees meeting Monday, the board of trustees invited members of the public to share what they believe is important in a candidate. The public responded with 12 members who made their way to the podium to discuss their support or disapproval with the board’s decision to keep the search internal.  The speakers included members of SMC’s faculty, taxpayers, alumni and a county commissioner, all who shared their thoughts and ideas regarding the college’s next president.

Prior to the public input, Chairman Thomas Jerdon said the Michigan constitution, Michigan Community College Act and the board of trustees’ bylaws all stated only the board of trustees selects and appoints a president.

“Since 1961, SMC has had just four presidents,” Jerdon said. “This is stark contrast with national trends as well as our two neighbors who have had nine presidents combined with three terminations just since Dr. Mathews has been president here.”

Jerdon was referring to Lake Michigan College and Glen Oaks Community College.

After hearing the public’s comments, Jerdon announced a motion to move forward with interviewing one to four of the internal candidates: Dr. David Fleming, SMC’s vice president of instruction since 2011; Dr. Lucian Leone, SMC’s current director of admissions; Dr. Joseph Odenwald, SMC’s vice president of student services since 2017 and Dr. Stacy Young, SMC’s dean of the School of Business and Advanced Technology since 2013.

A motion was made by Treasurer Becky Moore to interview all four candidates and seconded by Secretary William White. There was no discussion from any member of the board of trustees on the qualities or qualifications of any of the four candidates.

Several speakers during public input mentioned a need for a search committee composed of faculty, staff, students and taxpayers, but there were no motions made by any member of the board to create one.

Robin Shipkosky, the secretary of the SMC Faculty Association, was one of the speakers who asked the board to consider creating a search committee after trustee Dr. Elaine Foster said it was the next step in the search process at the Aug. 19 board meeting.

“Just because the law allows you to be the final decision makers and you will be, why is it a bad idea to allow others to give input into this very important position?” Shipkosky asked the board.

Another faculty member, Ria Thomas, who has worked at the college for 24 years, echoed Shipkosky’s call for a search committee composed of a wide array of stakeholders of the college.

“By doing that, you not only will get the person that a majority of people will like, but you will also build morality in this place, which is lacking right now with a lot of people,” Thomas said. “If we are not included, it will be hard to back whoever is the person in charge, because we had no say. This is not enough of a venue to get enough people’s input.”

The interviews for the four internal candidates will be hosted by the board of trustees on Monday, Sept. 30 and are open to the public. An official time was not announced at the time of publication.