Owens Community College has named its interim leader as its seventh president.
Former provost Steve Robinson became interim president July 1, 2017, after then-president Mike Bower announced the previous April he would not renew his contract. Mr. Robinson’s new title as president became effective immediately after a board of trustees meeting Wednesday.
The details of his three-year contract, including salary, are still being negotiated, said Owens spokesman Jared Meade. As interim president, Mr. Robinson was paid $170,000 per year while Mr. Bower’s annual salary was $188,000.
Mr. Robinson started at Owens in January, 2015, and worked previously as executive dean of planning, research, and quality at Mott Community College. His experience includes 15 years as a full-time English professor at that Flint, Mich., school. He received his doctorate in English from Michigan State University, from which he also received master’s and bachelor’s degrees.
He was one of 41 candidates considered during a five-month national search, according to a news release from the college, and one of two finalists.
“During the past year, Steve has demonstrated he has the skills and vision to serve our students, engage our faculty and connect to the community in a way that will continue to make Owens a vital part of this region,” board Chairman Diana Talmage said in the release.
“He was a key member of the senior leadership team that developed and executed the plan that brought Owens Community College out of fiscal watch, and he has made countless contributions to both our academic programming and the management of our college during his time here,” she added.
Mr. Robinson said the college is an “indispensable partner to this region.”
“The students we serve are critical to the schools, hospitals, businesses and agencies that make our community thrive,” he said in the release. “We must become an engine of workforce development that prepares our students for in-demand jobs and fosters innovative solutions to the problems facing our region.”
First Published April 12, 2018, 3:31 p.m.