Stephanie Erdmann has been selected as the new dean and CEO for Great Falls College MSU.

Montana Commissioner of Higher Education Clayton Christian and Montana State University President Waded Cruzado announced the appointment today.

"Dr. Erdmann brings more than 20 years of experience to the position with a dedication to student success and collaborating with business and industry to help advance local economies and better the lives of graduates with good jobs," Cruzado said.

Erdmann currently serves as the vice president of academic affairs and Rice Lake Campus administrator for Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College in Rice Lake, Wisconsin, a position she has held since 2018. Erdmann first joined the college in 2015 as a divisional dean in the business program.

Prior to Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College, she worked at the College of Menominee Nation, a tribal college on the Menominee Reservation, in Wisconsin, culminating in serving as dean of Letters and Sciences. She also taught as an adjunct instructor in business, management, and marketing at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College in Green Bay, Wisconsin on-and-off over the years since 2002.

"I am really looking forward to working with the remarkable faculty and staff at Great Falls College," Erdmann said. "They are so dedicated to the students and to the Great Falls community. It is clear that Great Falls loves this college and I know working together we can take it to new heights."

Erdmann holds a doctorate in business administration management from Northcentral University at San Diego, California; a master's in administrative science-project management from the University of Wisconsin at Green Bay; and a bachelor's in interpersonal communications management from the University of Montana.

Erdmann's appointment will be brought before the Montana Board of Regents for approval at its regularly scheduled meeting in late May. She will begin her duties July 1. She succeeds Susan Wolff, who is retiring after leading the college since 2012.

Contact:

Scott Thompson, Great Falls College marketing and communications director, 406-771-4314, scott.thompson@gfcmsu.edu


Dean/CEO Search Committee

Brock Tessman*, Deputy Commissioner with OCHE

Gary Trotchie, Associated Students of Great Falls College MSU Vice President

Pamela Buckheit, chair of Staff Senate at Great Falls College MSU

Tom Moore, Superintendent of Great Falls Public Schools

Bob Mokwa, Provost and Executive Vice President, Montana State University

Thomas Oakberg, Vice President of the Montana Two-Year College Faculty Association

Jana Parsons, chair Faculty Senate at Great Falls College MSU

*Chair


Updates

March 23, 2021

Search Advisory Committee names finalists for Great Falls College Dean/CEO position

Public forums will be held Monday and Tuesday, March 29-30

GREAT FALLS, Mont. – The Great Falls College MSU Dean/CEO search advisory committee has completed its interviews with a strong set of semifinalists and has identified two finalists for the position to replace Dr. Susan J. Wolff, who is retiring June 30, 2021.

Both finalists – Dr. Stephanie Erdmann and Dr. Chato Hazelbaker – have strong ties to Montana. They will interview with a wide range of stakeholder groups and participate in open forums Monday and Tuesday, March 29-30. The process will be held virtually because of COVID-19 protocols. The search advisory committee continues to value public input, and electronic surveys for each candidate will be made available online through the search website (http://www.gfcmsu.edu/ceosearch/).

“We are excited to (virtually) introduce our finalists to everyone at Great Falls College MSU, and to the entire Great Falls community. Drs. Erdmann and Hazelbaker have been selected from an extremely high-quality pool of candidates, and we believe that they both have tremendous potential to serve as the next Dean/CEO of Great Falls College,” said Montana University System Deputy Commissioner Brock Tessman, who is chairing the search advisory committee.

Photo of Dr. Stephanie ErdmannErdmann, vice president of academic affairs and Rice Lake campus administrator at Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College, will take part in a public forum on Monday from 4 to 5 p.m. The survey to provide feedback on Erdmann will be open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Monday. Learn more about Erdmann’s professional experience here.

 

 

 

Photo of Dr. Chato HazelbakerHazelbaker, vice president of enrollment management and marketing at Carroll College in Helena, will be part of a public forum on Tuesday from 4 to 5 p.m. The survey to provide feedback on Hazelbaker will be open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday. Learn more about Hazelbaker’s professional experience here.

 

 

Erdmann has been with Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College since 2015, serving in various roles from divisional dean of business to dean of academic programs at the Rice Lake Campus until rising to her current role as vice president of academic affairs and Rice Lake campus administrator from 2018 until the present. 

She received her bachelor of art in interpersonal communications with a management emphasis from the University of Montana and worked in the Flathead Valley for several years in sales, advertising and marketing and was the articulation coordinator/transfer student coordinator at Rocky Mountain College in Billings.

She has been working in Wisconsin since 2004. She received a master of science degree from University of Wisconsin-Green Bay in administrative science with a project management emphasis and a doctorate in business administration management from Northcentral University in Prescott, Arizona. Her dissertation topic was American Indian Entrepreneurs’ Perception of their Success in Establishing Businesses on or near Reservations in Wisconsin.

Hazelbaker has been the vice president of enrollment management and marketing at Carroll College since 2018. In fall 2020, Carroll met its enrollment goal, surpassing the mark of the previous year by 28 percent. He leads 15 staff members responsible for admission, financial aid and marketing.

He has worked at various institutions, including serving as chief communication officer at Clark College, a two-year institution in Vancouver, Washington, from 2013 to 2018. He was also the marketing director at Montana State University-Billings from 2001-2004.

Hazelbaker received a bachelor of arts in English from Rocky Mountain College, master of arts in leadership from Crown College and doctorate of education in organization development from the University of St. Thomas.

Contact:

Scott Thompson, Great Falls College marketing and communications director, 406-771-4314, scott.thompson@gfcmsu.edu

 

The Great Falls College Dean/CEO Search Advisory Committee is pleased to announce that the position advertisement has been completed and distributed to a full range of media across the state and country.

 

We look forward to spending the next stage of the search building a strong, diverse pool of candidates for the Search Advisory Committee to review. Please join us in spreading the word about this wonderful opportunity to lead Great Falls College. Instructions for nomination and application can be found in the position advertisement itself. The deadline for priority consideration is February 26, 2021.

February 11, 2021

Dean and Chief Executive Officer

Position Description

Campus Profile: Great Falls College MSU is a comprehensive two-year college located on a beautiful 20-acre campus serving the educational and workforce needs of Cascade County and Northcentral Montana. Accredited by the Northwest Commission of Colleges and Universities, Great Falls College MSU is part of the Montana University System and one of the four campuses affiliated with Montana State University (MSU).

As a comprehensive two-year college, Great Falls College MSU offers credit and non-credit workforce and community enrichment, customized training, and contract courses.  The college constantly evaluates its educational offerings to provide challenging, high-demand programs leading to Associate of Arts and Associate of Science degrees and terminal Associate of Applied Science degrees. One-year certificates and professional certifications are also offered.

Currently, Great Falls College MSU academic offerings include courses and programs in health sciences, trades, computer technology and accounting, with a robust offering of online classes and programs. Many students take advantage of transfer opportunities and, in collaboration with local k-12 institutions, the college offers dual enrollment courses to high school students.

The core values of Great Falls College MSU are:
• Quality education
• Student-centeredness
• Responsiveness to community and industry needs

With approximately 130 FTE faculty and staff, Great Falls College MSU, serves over 1,000 students a year in the heart of Montana. The college has three state-of-the-art science labs, a simulated hospital, an expansive library and resource center, and an Industrial Trades building. An 11,000-square-foot addition to Great Falls College MSU’s dental clinic will provide dental hygiene and dental assisting students, patients, faculty and staff with a state-of-the-art space that also will allow the only dental hygiene program in the state to admit 25 students each year.

Great Falls College MSU works with community partners to provide early learning opportunities for children of students and the community through a preschool learning center. A one-stop Student Central area and a remodeled bookstore further enhances support to students.

MSU Northern, another accredited campus affiliated with Montana State University, has established a satellite campus located at Great Falls College MSU, offering four-year and graduate degrees. Working together, both campuses strengthen the academic offerings in the region. MSU Northern and Great Falls College MSU have a reputation for high-quality educational programming delivered with a student-centered philosophy.

With easy access to outstanding outdoor opportunities, including the 60-mile River’s Edge Trail on the Missouri River, the city of Great Falls is the county seat of Cascade County in Northcentral Montana.

Position Priorities. The Dean & Chief Executive Officer (CEO) is responsible for providing effective leadership for all aspects of the operation of the Great Falls College MSU and the promotion of the academic excellence of higher education programs on campus. 

The Dean & CEO exercises broad responsibilities for all aspects of the academic, financial, student and administrative dimensions of institutional operations, initiatives, and outcomes. Major priorities for the next Dean & CEO include:

  • Strengthening enrollment, retention, and timely completion in all areas of operation, including transfer, dual enrollment, and workforce training programs;
  • Engaging in sound fiscal management of the institution, leading the planning, assessment, and budgeting processes with an eye toward operational efficiency, developing new revenue streams, and establishing rational, clear methods for prioritizing the most essential academic and administrative programs;
  • Maintaining an open, collaborative, community-oriented leadership style that takes into consideration different constituent groups to set priorities, allocate resources, and address critical infrastructure and facility needs;
  • Enhancing diversity, equity, and inclusivity throughout Great Falls College MSU;
  • Building upon already strong ties with business and industry leaders and expanding the role of Great Falls College MSU as a primary driver of workforce and economic development in Northcentral Montana;
  • Prioritizing meaningful collaboration with other entities in the Montana State University affiliation, particularly other two-year institutions and nearby Montana State University Northern;
  • Expanding collaboration and engagement with Great Falls Public Schools and other regional school districts to develop new K-12 partnerships and dual enrollment opportunities;
  • Building new resources for Great Falls College MSU through fundraising, public/private partnerships, and other entrepreneurial programs;
  • Representing Great Falls College MSU on a variety of community, regional and state committees/task forces; and
  • Achieving institutional accreditation goals and meeting expectations of the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.

Qualifications for the Position. Great Falls College MSU seeks an effective Dean & Chief Executive Officer with unquestioned integrity and the right balance between academic and management skill sets, who thinks strategically, leads collaboratively, and who:

  • Possesses an earned doctorate from an accredited institution of higher education and/or other leadership credentials that engender the trust of faculty, staff, and students on campus, as well as business, civic and educational leaders in the Great Falls community;
  • Has an outstanding record of leadership, preferably within the context of two-year education, which could potentially come from any part of academia, industry, or both;
  • Effectively demonstrates a vision, leadership style, and personal approach that fits with the Great Falls College MSU mission, its current strengths and emerging potential; communicates a genuine commitment to the long-term development of the College, the Great Falls region, and the state of Montana;
  • Collaborates in a shared governance setting with faculty, staff, students and community leaders to develop and articulate the vision of Great Falls College MSU;
  • Has familiarity with and respect for labor management and collective bargaining matters;
  • Demonstrates a level of emotional intelligence, supported by strong communication skills and the ability to promote a welcoming and inclusive environment.
  • Commits to promoting academic excellence that leads to student success; including familiarity with opportunities, challenges, and strategies relevant to institutions with a significant non-traditional student body population;
  • Understands current and emerging national trends in higher education, especially those related to enrollment, completion, workforce training, and models for supporting non-traditional students;
  • Proactively drives diversity, equity, and inclusivity throughout the institution, with a track record of recruiting, supporting, and retaining diverse students and employees in all areas of the institution;
  • Ensures the use of appropriate data to develop, analyze, evaluate, and report out key measurements; and,
  • Demonstrates a desire to excel as a team player and leader within the Montana State University and Montana University System communities, with previous experience leading as part of a university system an added plus.

How to Apply or to Nominate a Candidate

Application materials should include a letter addressing how the candidate’s experiences match the position requirements, a curriculum vitae or resume and five references. Submission of materials as PDF attachments is strongly encouraged. Application materials should be directed to:

 

Julie Heard

ceosearch@gfcmsu.edu

406-994-4373

 

Deadline for priority consideration is February 26, 2021 however the position will remain open until filled.

For more information about the search for the Dean & CEO of Great Falls College MSU, please visit: http://www.gfcmsu.edu/ceosearch/index.html

 

GFC MSU is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer and invites applications from Women, Minorities, Veterans and Persons with Disabilities, as well as other qualified individuals.

January 20, 2021

Dear Campus Community,

We will be holding two virtual listening sessions Wednesday, Jan. 27, at noon and 3 p.m., as we begin the search for a new CEO and Dean. The sessions are for students, faculty, staff, administrators and the northcentral Montana community.

Below are WebEx links to each session. You will be able to make comments and ask questions via WebEx chat or via email at ceosearch@gfcmsu.edu.

Virtual Listening Session participation WebEx links:

12-1 p.m. session

3-4 p.m. session

The latest information and updates can be found on the CEO Search website.

January 19, 2021

From MSU News Service

BOZEMAN – Montana State University President Waded Cruzado announced today the members of a committee that will lead the national search for the next CEO and dean of Great Falls College MSU.

The committee will be chaired by Brock Tessman, deputy commissioner for academic, research and student affairs at the state’s Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education. The committee’s seven members were chosen to represent the faculty, students, staff and community of Great Falls College MSU.

The committee members are:

  • Brock Tessman, deputy commissioner with OCHE
  • Student representative (TBA), Great Falls College MSU
  • Pamela Buckheit, chair of Staff Senate at Great Falls College MSU
  • Tom Moore, superintendent of Great Falls Public Schools
  • Bob Mokwa, provost and executive vice president, Montana State University
  • Thomas Oakberg, vice president of the Montana Two-Year College Faculty Association
  • Jana Parsons, chair Faculty Senate at Great Falls College MSU

The committee will be staffed by Julie Heard, executive assistant to MSU Provost Mokwa. She can be reached at jheard@montana.edu. The committee’s first meeting is expected by the end of January. Agendas and meeting materials will be posted at http://www.gfcmsu.edu/ceosearch/.

The college’s current CEO and dean, Susan Wolff, announced her retirement in October, effective June 30. She has been in the position since 2012.

Contact: Scott Thompson, communications and marketing director, Great Falls College MSU, scott.thompson@gfcmsu.edu and 406-771-4314.

 

January 20, 2021

 


Contact:

 

Scott Thompson
Director of Communications and Marketing
scott.thompson@gfcmsu.edu
406-771-4314

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