GCC Hires New Dean of Instruction

IRONWOOD TOWNSHIP, MI - Wednesday, February 25, 2009 - The Gogebic Community College Board of Trustees held its regular monthly meeting on Tuesday. Kenneth Trzaska of Godfrey, Illinois, was hired as the Dean of Instruction. He replaces James Lorenson, the College’s President who held the position previously. Trzaska holds a BA in English from the State University of New York College at Brockport and a Master of Arts in English from the College of Saint Rose in Albany, NY. He is currently pursuing his Doctoral degree in Education and Leadership from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. For the past four years, he has held the position of Dean of Continuing Education and Community Engagement at St. Louis Community College in St. Louis, MO.

He also has a taught at several other colleges in the classroom and online formats, as well as having experience designing corporate training programs.

Trzaska will officially begin his position at GCC in July.

This year’s Samson and Lady Samson Basketball Teams were introduced to the Board. Both teams have just completed regular season play and will be leaving this weekend for the NJCAA Regional Tournament in Bismarck, ND. The Lady Samsons will play Minot State University-Bottineau on Sunday, March 1 at 2:00 PM and the Samsons will face Bismarck State College at 8:00 p.m. also on Sunday. The Board wished both teams good luck in the tournament. Also, the Board congratulated Jaclyn Aijala, on scoring her 1,000th point as a Lady Samson. She achieved this milestone recently in a game against Finlandia University.

The Criminal Justice Associate of Arts and Corrections Officer Certificate Programs were presented to the Board for Program Review by instructor Carrie Yon.

The Corrections Officer Certificate Program meets and exceeds the State of Michigan’s requirements for local and state corrections officers and is certified through the Michigan Correctional Officers’ Training Council.

The Associate Degree Criminal Justice program allows students to specialize in one of three criminal justice tracks: Corrections, Law Enforcement, or Homeland Security. It also allows students to transfer to a university if so desired.

The Board approved the continuation of both programs with review again in the regular cycle.

In other action:

• Approval was granted for the purchase of two ADA ramps to provide access to both sides of the College’s graduation platform from Stage Right of Claire, MI.
• Cabinetry bids for the Building Trades home were awarded to Forslund Building Supply of Ironwood.
• Well Drilling for the Building Trades home was awarded to Nehls & Webster of Rhinelander, WI.
• The Board authorized the college administration to begin the process of marketing and selling the 2008-09 Building Trades Program Project Home.
• Accepted with regret the resignation of Tami Anderson, part-time Off-Campus Allied Health Program Coordinator and authorized the Administration to begin the process of filling the resulting vacancy.