The GRCC Board of Trustees met on May 19, where year-end conclusions and the beginnings of the school’s presidential search were both highlighted.
GRCC’s new Interim President, Dr. Steven Triezenberg, was not in attendance. Provost and Executive Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs Sheila Jones sat in on his behalf.
Erin Van Egmond, Vice President of College Advancement and Executive Director of the GRCC Foundation, began the meeting by presenting the GRCC Championship Award to former Grand Rapids Mayor Rosalynn Bliss, who was unable to attend last month’s commencement ceremony when she was announced as the recipient.
“It is with great pride that we present the 2025 GRCC Champion Award to Mayor Emeritus Rosalynn Bliss for her exceptional service and continued impact on our community,” she said.
Bliss thanked the board, and expressed her hope that her new position with Michigan State University would allow her to “continue to work in partnership with GRCC.”
Van Egmond also shared GRCC Associate Professor Sophia Brewer’s selection as a Michigan ACE (American Council on Education) Distinguished Women in Higher Education recipient, one of three this year.
“She has played a vital role in planning and implementing initiatives that promote diversity, equity and inclusion on the GRCC campus. Additionally, she advises students and has served as a mentor for many who value her leadership and support,” she said.
Next, board trustee Salvador Lopez shared that GRCC received responses from “a number of firms” on its RFP (request for proposal) to lead the school’s Presidential search. After a “thorough interview process,” they selected Academic Search, an executive search firm based out of Washington, D.C., to lead the process due to the firm’s “deep understanding of the higher education landscape” and their “thoughtful, equity centered” approach to the search.
Lopez introduced a motion to approve the selection, which Trustee Micah Perkins seconded. The board unanimously voted to approve the motion after Lopez clarified that “11 to 13 (firms), depending on which ones were complete versus not” applied, and that the school interviewed four finalists from that list.
GRCC has not worked with Academic Search before, but Chairperson Brandy Lovelady Mitchell stressed that the interview process was “rigorous,” adding that the school was planning on reaching out to the firm to get clear dates for the search.
Board Vice Chairperson Kathleen Bruinsma introduced a motion to table approving the minutes from the board’s meetings on March 17 and May 5 until the next meeting in June, which was unanimously approved.
Next, Jones presented the president’s report. She shared that summer student enrollment had reached 101.42% of the stretch goal put in place, higher than the previous four summers. Additionally, the GRCC and Kent ISD adult education collaboration was selected as the 2025 Michigan Adult Education Program Partnership of the Year.
Controller Todd Hurley reported that the 2024-2025 fiscal year financial statement looked mostly similar to the statement from the year before, though the school will be receiving $320 million less in state funding next year due to ”higher than expected tax cut eligibility, as well as weakening corporate and personal tax collections.”
Jones officially welcomed Eldin Causevic, incoming President of GRCC’s student government, who introduced himself and his executive board, and set out their goals of increased student involvement and support for students.
“We are excited to work with college leadership and the board to create a student experience that is empowering, equitable and engaging,” Causevic said.
The board will reconvene on Monday, June 9 at 4:15 p.m. in the board library.
