Editor’s note: this article was updated to correct a spelling error.
By Mackenzie Davis
Interim President Triezenberg sent out a message to Grand Rapids Community College employees on July 17 to announce the closure of the College Success Center.
The program offered students access to success coaches, numerous workshops and ways to stay on track by providing overall academic aid for students who needed extra support. In the letter from the interim president, he noted that the college is striving to improve student advising and support.
“Over the past few months, college leadership has participated in conversations with key stakeholders, including the Faculty Association, regarding how to implement necessary changes to best support students and the academic advising work at the College,” Triezenberg wrote. “As part of this transition, we’ve made the difficult decision to close the College Success Center and to restructure its positions within Academic and Student Affairs.”
Consisting of eight employees, with six success coaches, a support professional and the director of the department, the center is said to be closing on Aug. 18. The success coaches employed in this department will be shifting to temporary full-time academic advisor positions and, after a year, will have the option to apply for permanent roles. The department director, Marisol Blanco, is transitioning to interim associate dean of strategic outreach, and Sondra Davis, support professional for the Success Center, will be working in Retention Services.
Employees of the Success Center were notified of this change in the beginning of the week. When a Collegiate reporter stopped by to talk to employees on Wednesday, several were visibly upset and declined to discuss the unexpected changes.
In his letter, Triezenberg explained that these changes are aimed to address the greatest need of students: advising services, reducing caseloads for advising counselors, the overlap of programs and enhancing the support network that has been established by the Success Center.
For staff with more questions, Provost Sheila Jones and Ann Isackson, Associate Provost of Student Affairs, will be hosting two sessions for Academic and Student Affairs Employees to ask questions on Thursday, July 24, from 3:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. and Friday, July 25, from 12:30 p.m. to 1 p.m. and will be held in the ATC auditorium room 168.
The affected staff and GRCC administrators could not be reached for comment.
