Amid recent conflict, Johnson County Community College names finalists for new leader
Johnson County Community College has selected four finalists who are in the running to replace retiring president Joe Sopcich.
Like Sopcich, the new president will be tasked with addressing concerns over slowly dipping enrollment, affordable tuition costs and whether the community has lost trust in the college’s leadership.
Sopcich, who joined the school in 1992 and took the reins in 2013, announced his retirement last summer. Sopcich turns 65 in April and will officially leave his position in July.
The finalists, all men, are:
▪Andrew Bowne. He has worked for nearly 17 years in senior leadership positions at Grand Rapids Community College in Michigan and at Ivy Tech Community College in Indiana, where he served as regional chancellor.
▪ Rolando Garcia. He has served as president of the Judson A. Samuels South Campus at Broward College in Florida, and as vice provost of academic resources, since 2015.
▪ L. Michael McCloud. He has been vice president for academic affairs at JCCC since 2016.
▪ Paul Watson. He has served as vice president of instruction for Kellogg Community College since he arrived at the Michigan college in 2019.
The finalists will be on campus next week for several open forum sessions. The community is invited to hear from candidates at town hall open forums, one per day, from 3 to 4:20 p.m. Monday through Thursday.
The public may also provide feedback on each candidate through an online survey at jccc.edu (click “About JCCC” and “Presidential Search”).
Under Sopcich’s direction, the board approved spending $102 million on several projects to transform the campus, including the construction of new fine arts facilities, design studios, a library and career and technical education buildings.
Concerns over leadership and open communication have shrouded college board meetings over the past few years. Decisions, such as eliminating the track and field program and other conflicts, have led some in the community to question whether their voices are being heard.
Demands for greater transparency have continued this year.
The board recently censured Trustee Angeliina Lawson after she sent a private email to state legislators calling for more state oversight of the college. The other trustees said Lawson was passing along false information and misrepresenting the college — arguing she should have brought up her concerns with the board instead.
As the trustees try to work in harmony, they plan to vote on a new college president in March.
