Edison State College Response Report to the Visiting Committee  
Comprehensive Standard 3.2.8: Qualified Administrative and Academic Officers  

Recommendation 5: The committee recommends the institution demonstrate they have qualified administrative and academic officers with the experience, competence, and capacity to lead the institution.

Edison State College Response:

In January of 2012, a Response Team consisting of faculty, staff and administrators reviewed the 3.2.8 recommendation and provided updates to the status of hires. The Response Team identified current position vacancies, examined the College Operating Procedures associated with recruitment and appointment of personnel, reviewed job qualifications of vacant positions and requested updated credentials of academic and administrative officers.

ESC has updated the administrative and academic qualifications of each key position in step with leadership transition. An updated chart of administrative/academic qualifications is linked below. It identifies each key administrative position and provides the applicable job description and updated Curriculum Vitae reflecting the qualifications, competence, and experience of present administrators to lead the institution.

Personnel Changes

Since the onsite visit in November 2011, significant personnel changes have occurred. The following narrative outlines the scope of these changes and the commitment of the College to continue to provide competent and experienced leadership.

District Board of Trustees

On November 2, 2011, four new District Board of Trustee members were appointed to the Edison State College Board: Pamella Seay, Marjorie Stearns-Bilotti, Brian Chapman and Sankey “Eddie” Webb [ 1 ]. Additionally, on February 21, 2012, Governor Scott appointed Braxton C. Rhone to the final vacancy on the nine-person District Board of Trustees. It should be noted that these Governor’s appointments require State Senate confirmation which did not occur during the legislative session that was adjourned in March 2012.  It is anticipated that Governor Scott will reappoint Edison’s Board members, as well as hundreds of additional gubernatorial appointments across the State of Florida.  Florida State Statute 114.05 states that all of Governor Scott’s appointment remain seated until 45 days after adjournment of legislature or April 23, 2012 [ 2 ].

District President

At its Nov. 29, 2012 meeting, the District Board of Trustees (DBOT) placed the District President on administrative leave and appointed Dr. Patricia Land, Charlotte Campus President, as acting District President (pending an investigation to terminate the sitting District President) [ 3 ]. On Jan. 14, 2012, the DBOT held a special meeting and selected J. Dudley Goodlette to serve as the Interim District President for Edison State College [ 4 ]. Mr. Goodlette served in the Florida House of Representatives from 1998 to 2006 with a number of notable achievements. He spent additional time as Chief of Staff to the Speaker of the House in 2009. He maintains extensive community involvement and during this time as interim President, has worked diligently to move the College in a positive direction. President Goodlette brings a strong background in legislative and educational issues. His collaborative style and open-door policy have contributed to his success in leading the College. [ 5 ].

At a follow-up meeting on Jan. 24, 2012, the District Board of Trustees voted to terminate the District President for cause, and hired a search firm, Academic Search, to assist the College in securing a new District President [ 6].

During a special Feb. 7, 2012 District Board of Trustees meeting, a timeline delineating the search firm’s plans for hiring a new District President was proposed [ 7 ]. The aggressive timeline projects a new District President will be hired by Fall 2012. A 13-member Presidential Search Advisory Committee was formed in February to include one member of the District Board of Trustees, five community leaders, three ESC faculty members, one ESC administrator, two ESC staff members and one ESC student. The Search Advisory Committee has begun meeting and public forums have been held. The profile for the new District President is posted on the College’s website [ 8].

Vice President for Academic Affairs

Since October 2011, Dr. Erin Harrel has provided competent and stable leadership in this role. Dr. Harrel is currently the Dean of the School of Education and Charter Schools. Her background includes curriculum and instruction, leadership and organizational management. She continues in this role while serving as Vice President for Academic Affairs. She joined Edison State College in 2004 as an adjunct instructor and became a full-time professor of education in 2008. She became Associate Dean, Education Programs in 2009 before being named Associate Dean, School of Education/Founding Principal of Edison Collegiate High School, Lee Campus. Dr. Harrel successfully developed and implemented six baccalaureate degrees in Education at Edison State College, achieving State Program Approval for all programs between 2010 and 2012. In 2010, as her responsibilities increased to include charter schools, dual enrollment and the School of Education, Dr. Harrel’s position transitioned from Associate Dean to Dean.

She has served on numerous advisory boards that support education in South Florida. Currently, Dr. Harrel serves on the Board of Examiners for the National Council of Accreditation for Teacher Education (NCATE), and is a program review and accreditation specialist for the Florida Department of Education’s University and College Systems. In addition, she was recently appointed to the Program Approval Board for the Florida Department of Education, and serves as one of eight auditors for the Specialized Program Association, Association of Childhood Education International/NCATE [ 9 ]. Dr. Harrel has proven to be a competent and effective administrator in her interim role. The formal search to fill this key academic position will commence with the arrival of a new District President, allowing the President to choose his/her administrative team.

Vice President of Student Affairs

Edison State College actively sought candidates to fill this key administrative position between August 2011 and February 2012 [ 10 ]. On two occasions, the search was unsuccessful. In an effort to provide competent and experienced leadership within this area, the College consulted with the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) for potential interim candidates. In February 2012, Dr. L. Russell Watjen served as a consultant for ESC to review the student services structure and recommend strategies for leadership. The administration recommended a one-year appointment of Dr. Watjen, to provide leadership in the student affairs sector of the College [ 11 ].

From 1985-2011, Dr. Watjen held vice presidential positions in student affairs in a variety of settings. Those experiences, coupled with his relevant educational credentials, make him a well-qualified interim vice president during this time of transition. As with the Vice President of Academic Affairs position, the search process will commence upon hire of the District President.

Vice President of Human Resources

In February 2012, the Vice President of Human Resources tendered her resignation from the College. Mr. Ron Dente, who serves as Assistant General Counsel for the College, assumed an Interim assignment to lead the Human Resources functions. Mr. Dente has extensive experience both as an attorney and as an employee relations manager. Prior to joining ESC, he was an Assistant County Attorney for Charlotte County, Florida.   He served as an Assistant City Attorney before being named the Employee/Labor Relations Manager for the City of Cape Coral [ 12 ].

Additional Position Updates

While a number of midlevel administrative positions remain vacant, the interim positions collectively represent more than 25 years of experience at Edison State College. The vacant positions are identified on the organizational chart [ 13 ] as well as the administrative and academic officers’ chart [14]. The job descriptions require that individuals filling these positions possess the required competency and experience to lead the institution.  The College has relied on a variety of strategies to fill these vacancies, including hiring search firms, advertising locally and nationally, and condensing positions where applicable.

To fill all vacancies with qualified administrators, the College has assigned informed search committees, updated job descriptions, posted the positions on the College website, and advertised the positions locally and nationally. The chart below identifies credentials and competencies sought.

Vacant Position Interim Appointment Credentials and Experience Plans for filling position vacancy
Dean, School of Nursing [15] Dean Mary Myers (assumes this role as Dean of Professional and Technical Studies. All health programs previously reported to the Dean of P&T). [16] Dean Myers has served ESC for 15 years as a faculty member, Associate Dean and Dean of Edison Online. In the Fall of 2011, Dean Myers was named Dean of Professional and Technical Studies  and Edison Online. As the College has reorganized the Professional and Technical Studies Division, two new Dean positions have been established to oversee the School of Nursing and the School of Health Professions. Previous search failed to identify qualified candidates. Search has been cancelled. The Human Resources staff and academic administrators are reviewing search strategies to include a search firm.
Dean, School of Health Sciences [17] [18] Dean Mary Myers (assumes this role as Dean of Professional and Technical Studies. All health programs previously reported to the Dean of P&T). [19] (please see notes above) Search committee met  on March 14th to discuss candidates.  Review of the applicant pool resulted in a failed search.  Job description has been updated and approved for re-posting.
Director of Nursing [20] Dr. Denise McNulty [21] Dr. McNulty serves as the Associate Director of the RN-BSN program at ESC [22]. She has also served as adjunct faculty and a clinical coordinator for the RN program since 2006. Dr. McNulty has over 20 years experience as a nurse leader in positions of varying scope and responsibility. Her experiences at the RN and BSN level, coupled with her advanced degrees in the field, validate her role as Director of Nursing on an interim basis. Under Dr. McNulty’s leadership, the ESC RN to BSN program is recommended for accreditation by the NLNAC, with a formal outcome expected in July of 2012. Upon hire of District Dean of the School of Nursing, search will commence

Current searches are underway for vacant positions identified below, along with posting information, job descriptions, advertising information, composition of search committees, number of qualified candidates, and the status of the search.

Vacant Position Status of Current Search
Director of Assessment [ 23 ] Employment offer extended on March 29, 2012.
District Dean, Arts and Sciences [ 24 ] Search committee has conducted multiple interviews and is moving forward as expeditiously as possible.
Vice President, Institutional Advancement Position recruitment has been postponed until the new President is hired.
Associate Dean, Professional and Technical Studies [ 25 ] The search committee has conducted phone and personal interviews and met March 14th to discuss next steps.  Position is posted to accept additional applications.

Ongoing review of the organizational structure and resources yielded the following changes in assigned duties. 

Position New Placement of Function Rationale
Associate Dean, First Year Experience and Academic Success Dean, College and Career Readiness, Dr. Eileen DeLuca [26] In an effort to combine College preparatory instruction, success and academic support programs along with the First Year Experience retention efforts, the functions have been combined under a single leader.
Information Technology Chief Operating Officer Vice President, Administrative Services, Ms. Gina Doeble [27]. Information Technology function has been repositioned under the Vice President for Administrative Services based on a review of best practices and state and national findings. Position is reclassified as Director of Information Technology.
Institutional Research, Planning and Effectiveness Interim Vice President, Academic Affairs, Dr. Erin Harrel [28] The entire IRPE unit was transitioned to the Academic Affairs Office so that leadership in that area could provide more support of accreditation, assessment and research.

Documentation  
Supporting Documentation Description
1. Board of Trustees Current Board of Trustees
2. F.S. 114.05 Florida Statute: Issuance of Letter of Appointment
3. Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes November 29, 2011
4. Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes Special Meeting, January 14, 2012
5. Interim President Biography
6. Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes January 24, 2012
7. Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes February 7, 2012
8. District President Profile Description of position profile
9. Vice President Academic Affairs (Interim) Curriculum Vitae Curriculum Vitae
10. Vice President Student Affairs Job description
11. Vice President Student Affairs Curriculum Vitae
12. Vice President Human Resources (Interim) Curriculum Vitae
13. Organizational Chart College Organizational Chart
14. Administrative and Academic Officer Chart List of qualified administrative and academic officers
15. Dean, School of Nursing Job Description
16. Dean, Professional and Technical Studies Curriculum Vitae
17. Dean, School of Health Sciences Job Description
18. Dean, School of Health Sciences Position Vacancy
19. Dean, Professional and Technical Studies Curriculum Vitae
20. Director of Nursing Job Description
21. Associate Director, RN to BSN program Curriculum Vitae
22. Associate Director, RN to BSN program Job Description
23. Director of Assessment Job Description
24. District Dean, Arts and Sciences Job Description
25. Associate Dean Job Description
26. Dean, College and Career Readiness Curriculum Vitae
27. Vice President Administrative Services Curriculum Vitae
28. Vice President Academic Affairs (Interim) Curriculum Vitae