GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The answer to an institution-defining question is drawing nearer, as Grand Rapids Community College announced 3 finalists for the open president position.
On Monday GRCC revealed Stuart Blacklaw, Charles Lepper, and Tim Casper as the applicants moving into the last rounds of the hiring process. Each man currently works at another community college.
Stuart Blacklaw is the provost and executive vice president at the Community College of Allegheny County in Pittsburgh. His past jobs include vice president for Instruction at Washtenaw Community College in Ann Arbor, and assistant dean in the School of Liberal Arts and Sciences at GRCC during the 2001-2002 academic year.
Blacklaw holds a bachelor’s degree from Olivet College, a master’s degree from the University of Michigan and a doctorate from Capella University.
Tim Casper is the vice president for Student Affairs and Institutional Effectiveness at Madison Area Technical College in Madison, Wisconsin. He previously worked in the Wisconsin state government, and as an adviser to then-Governor Jim Doyle.
Casper earned a bachelor’s from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, a master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and a doctorate from Edgewood College.
Charles Lepper is the vice president for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management at Salt Lake Community College in Salt Lake City, Utah. He also worked at community colleges in Norfolk, Virginia and Indianapolis.
Lepper has a bachelor’s degree from Ball State University, a master’s degree from Grand Valley State University, a doctorate from Indiana State University.
Community members are invited to meet with the candidates and sit in on public interviews by the GRCC board of trustees. Each candidate will attend a 1-hour community forum starting at 2:30 p.m. followed by the interview beginning at 3:45 p.m.
Blacklaw is scheduled to be on campus on October 18; Lepper on October 19; and Casper on October 24. The auditorium of the Wisner-Bottrall Applied Technology Center will host all forums and interviews.
