Kirkwood President Mick Starcevich discusses the economic impact of the college during a 50th anniversary event held last year. PHOTO/JOE PHOTO
By Chase Castle
chase@corridorbusiness.com
Mick Starcevich, president of Kirkwood Community College, has announced he plans to retire by June 2018.
“This is my 14th year here at the college, and I have been thinking about the decision to retire,” Mr. Starcevich said Jan. 17 during the announcement at Kirkwood’s main Cedar Rapids campus. “I believe now the time is right for me, personally and for the college … to retire.”
Mr. Starcevich, 69, became the college’s fourth president when he took over in 2005. Since then, Kirkwood has reached its highest enrollment level in 50 years and improved its retention rate, according to Kirkwood staff.
“I feel Kirkwood is well-positioned for the future,” Mr. Starcevich said. “This is a place where dreams become reality for our students. Kirkwood’s massive impact has spread like a ripple effect through our graduates, to the rest of the Corridor, to the entire state and beyond.”
Lois Bartelme, chair of Kirkwood’s Board of Trustees, lamented the news of Mr. Starcevich’s retirement.
“It’s so sad for me, because I was on the board … when we selected Mick as president, and it seemed we had many, many years ahead of us,” she said. “And they have gone so fast. They’ve been so full, and I have to thank him for his fabulous leadership. It is beyond belief what we have accomplished in the 14 years that he’s been our president.”
Under his tenure, the total dollar amount available for student scholarships increased at Kirkwood to more than $3 million annually, up from $740,000 when Mr. Starcevich assumed office. The college also oversaw the completion in 2010 of The Hotel at Kirkwood Center, a $30 million hotel and events center that also serves as a training facility for culinary arts and hospitality students.
Larry Ebbers, a retired faculty member at Iowa State University, will serve as a consultant for the upcoming presidential search. In that role, Mr. Ebbers will establish a search strategy and train search committee members, which will include trustees, cabinet representatives, faculty, staff and representation from the college’s foundation board.
Ms. Bartelme said she has volunteered to chair the presidential search committee tasked with finding potential replacements. The committee will eventually choose three to four finalists, who will be interviewed next fall, she said.
“Kirkwood has such a wonderful reputation nationally that we think we will have a lot of interest in this job,” Ms. Bartelme said. “We expect to be overwhelmed, and we expect we will have some excellent candidates.”
Kirkwood’s profile includes a claim to economic development in the Corridor, where the school indirectly generated more than $819 million in added income from locally employed graduates, according to a study of 2013-2014 data commissioned by the college. The study by Economic Modeling Specialists of Moscow, Idaho also found the school spent $92.2 million on payroll. In turn, it estimated the college provides a $3.70 return on every $1 spent by students and by taxpayers.
Speaking to the Corridor Business Journal last year, Mr. Starcevich said how well the college can communicate those contributions could have a major impact on its finances and future enrollment costs.
“We need to be more aggressive on how we show our value,” Mr. Starcevich said, noting that the college received no increase in financial support from the state in fiscal year 2016, and only a 1.5 percent increase for 2017.
Last week, Mr. Starcevich said fundraising is likely to play an increased role in his successor’s job duties.
“Public fundraising is going to become more and more paramount for any college president,” he said. “As you look at the state finances … you can’t continue to put all of the expenses onto the back of our students.”
When a new president takes office at Kirkwood in 2018, he or she will join two other recently appointed presidents in Eastern Iowa higher education. University of Iowa President Bruce Harreld replaced former UI President Sally Mason in fall 2015, while Mark Nook, former chancellor at Montana State University Billings, is slated to take office next month at the University of Northern Iowa.
