Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
MARIA SOKOL, providing the Gogebic Community College an update on accreditation and affirming her suggestion the college provide faculty to the Higher Learning Commission so the process can have a voice from the small rural schools within the state.
By IAN MINIELLY
Ironwood - Coaches Dennis Mackey and Mark Movrich led their basketball teams into the board meeting Tuesday, with each player stating their name, hometown, and major. School President Jim Lorenson informed the players he hears positive things from their competitors and they are doing well. Coach Mackey asked Lorenson to come to the gym for the Feb. 10 game to flip the coin, as Mackey pointed out he kept last years winning coin available in a special place for just such an occasion.
Maria Sokol, academic quality improvement program coordinator for the school provided the board details regarding the on-going accreditation work. Sokol said schools have three options for accreditation, either AQIP, OPM, or standard. GCC transitioned to AQIP in 1999 or 2000 said Sokol, which is the most rigorous and demanding of the three processes. AQIP operates on an eight year cycle and GCC most recently passed in 2014, which means in 2022 the school will go through the complete process again. Until then, schools must constantly work on different academic issues to analyze processes and explore opportunities to improve.
The school passed a resolution to investigate refunding the schools bonds. If new bonds are purchased on the open market, the school would save roughly $14,000 per year for the next decade according to Lorenson.
Jake Bonacci, hired last summer as the director of Lindquist student and conference center and athletics tendered his resignation, effective Feb. 10 to pursue other interests outside the area. Dean of Student Services Jeanne Graham suggested the board authorize the temporary hiring of an athletic director to shepherd the school through the hiring of new coaches and the transition into a new conference. The board agreed and approved the effort to temporarily hire an athletic director.
Jeff Rose, CDL program director also tendered his resignation, effective at the end of the spring semester. Rose accepted a similar position with Northern Michigan University, which will allow him to be closer to his children and grand kids.
In a positive note ,. Ryon List, dean of instruction recommended the board approve the hiring of Todd Gibbon as drone operations facilitator. Gibbon is tasked with creating the drone program and will also be the primary instructor.
