MCC Reacts to Loss of 4th Interim President to Disney World Land

Here is the college’s press release on the subject of Kathleen Plinske’s leaving to serve in a Florida community college:

MCC INTERIM PRESIDENT ACCEPTS NEW POSITION

Kathleen Plinske when she was still sitting facing the Board of Trustees.

[June 2, 2010.Crystal Lake, IL] McHenry County College wishes to announce that Kathleen Plinske, interim president, will be leaving the College after accepting the position of provost of the Osceola Campus at Valencia Community College in Kissimmee, Florida. As provost, she will act as chief academic and operating officer of the campus, responsible for providing academic, administrative and fiscal leadership.

“It is with mixed emotions that I share this news,” Plinske said on Monday. “It will be difficult to leave MCC; it has been an honor to work here and a true privilege to serve as president,” she added.

Thd Disney World castle near Kissimmee, where Kalthleen Plinske's new college is located.

Prior to being appointed interim president, Plinske’s positions at MCC included associate vice president for institutional effectiveness, coordinator of media development and technology training, instructional media specialist, and instructor of Spanish.

She has contributed much to the institution over the past nine years, as evident through her leadership role on assessment, the introduction of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) as part of the Academic Quality Improvement Program (AQIP), and spearheading the development of a strategic plan focused on a commitment to continuous improvement, accountability for student success and academic excellence, and environmental stewardship.

In addition to her many contributions, Plinske was recently named one of 24 Emerging Leaders in the world by Phi Delta Kappa (PDK) International, a global association of education professionals.

“The College will miss Dr. Plinske,” said vice president of Academic and Student Affairs, Tony Miksa. “She has an incredible work ethic and truly wants what is best for the College,” he continued. “I personally can’t thank her enough for sharing her knowledge of the institution, which helped me immensely during my first year.”

While serving as interim president at MCC, one of Plinske’s main responsibilities has been to maintain strong communication with the Board of Trustees.

George Lowe

Chairman George Lowe shared his feelings on Plinske’s departure:

“I’m going to miss her. I think she has been the most open and the most energetic president I have had the privilege of serving with. I wish her well in her new endeavor.”

Lowe added, “Valencia’s gain is our loss.”

Plinske’s last day with the College will be June 30. Final interviews are being held for the new, permanent president of MCC, which are scheduled to conclude this month. A final decision about who will be the president on July 1 has not yet been made.

“While I am delighted to have the opportunity to join Valencia Community College,” said Plinske, “I also have been blessed to have had such an opportunity in my hometown doing work that I love at MCC.”

Below is the email that Plinske sent to the MCC community yesterday:

SUBJECT: Week in Review – Plans After June 30

It is with mixed emotions that I share with you the news that I will be resigning from MCC on June 30. While I would have preferred to share this news with you in person, I made a commitment last Fall to work to improve communication at the College and I email this news to you in the hopes that you will first learn about my future plans here and not from the newspaper.

I have accepted the position of Provost of the Osceola Campus at Valencia Community College in Kissimmee, Florida. It will be difficult to leave MCC, but I am truly delighted to have the opportunity to join Valencia Community College. Because of their national reputation, many of you may already be familiar with the outstanding work that Valencia does with respect to creating a learner-centered environment focused on student success, and it will be a privilege to provide leadership for their Osceola Campus.

It has been an honor to work at MCC for the last nine years, and a true privilege to serve as your president. I thank you all for your dedication to our students and your commitment to supporting their success, and I’ll look forward to learning about the good work that you continue to do in the years ahead.

What’s Next After June 30?

The Board of Trustees will continue its interview process with the three presidential finalists over the next few weeks. While I will serve as the Interim President until June 30, it is not yet known if a new “non-interim” president will be named and ready to start on July 1. As such, I unfortunately do not have any information to share with you at this point as to who will be the president on July 1.

I know the uncertainty can be unsettling, but as you’ve done so well over the last 16 months, I ask you to hang in there and keep your focus on serving our students and community. Regardless of who the president is, the core mission of our work remains the same. Instead of getting caught up in speculation, I ask that you ride this current wave of ambiguity and continue to focus your energies and attention on providing the very highest level of service to our stakeholders.

I truly believe there is no greater gift than the opportunity to serve your community. What a blessing it has been to have had such an opportunity in my hometown doing work that I love.

Upcoming Events

* Wednesday, June 9 – 1:00 p.m. – Atrium – Ask Kathy Anything

Please feel free to reply to this message with comments, questions, and suggestions, and items to include in the “Points of Pride” or “Upcoming Events” section. I look forward to hearing from you.

Kathleen Plinske, Ed.D.
Interim President
McHenry County College


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