Trustees Extend President’s Contract

Trustees Extend President’s Contract

June 19, 2020 |

The East Central College Board of Trustees voted unanimously to extend the contract of president Dr. Jon Bauer to run through June 2023.

Trustees conducted Dr. Bauer’s evaluation, which was followed by the decision to extend his contract for an additional three years. The extension was voted on after the board’s monthly meeting Monday, June 8, during an executive session.

His previous contract was awarded in 2019 and was slated to end June 30, 2022. Dr. Bauer’s contract coincides with ECC’s fiscal year that ends June 30.

ECC Board of Trustees President Ann Hartley said the six-member board voted unanimously and “enthusiastically” in favor of Dr. Bauer’s contract extension.

“Dr. Bauer has done an outstanding job of leading ECC through the process of creating a new strategic plan and fulfilling all of the requirements for full HLC (Higher Learning Commission) accreditation,” she said.

“He has also developed and led a team of dedicated faculty and staff to create a positive and effective learning environment during the COVID-19 pandemic,” Hartley added. “Dr. Bauer has demonstrated his dedication and commitment to East Central College and we feel extremely fortunate to be able to offer him this extended contract.”

Dr. Bauer completed his eighth year as ECC president this spring. He is the college’s sixth president, succeeding Donald Shook, Charles Novak, Dale Gibson, Karen Herzog and Ed Jackson.

“I am honored to have the opportunity to continue leading the college that I love,” he said. “Despite challenging times right in front of us, I would not want to face those challenges with anyone other than the faculty, staff, and trustees of East Central College.”

SOAR to 2024

A primary focus of Dr. Bauer over the past two years has been the SOAR to 2024 strategic plan.

In 2018, East Central College partnered with CampusWorks to help design a strategic plan. The plan was adopted by ECC Trustees in August 2019.

SOAR to 2024 sets forth five action statements: partnerships, pathways, employees, financial strength and Rolla.

  • The “Pathways” strategy focuses on developing clear academic and career pathways with personalized • support to increase enrollment and promote student success.
  • The “Partnerships” strategy focuses on strengthening partnerships with local high schools, higher education institutions and employers to drive intellectual and economic development in the region.
  • The “Employees” strategy concentrates on creating a culture of collaboration and learning to attract, retain and develop diverse and talented employees at the college.
  • The “Financial Strength” strategy puts attention on securing financial strength in order to sustain institutional viability, retain and develop diverse and talented employees.
  • Finally, expanding ECC’s presence and offerings in Rolla to enhance the college’s impact throughout the region is the mission of the “Rolla” strategy.