Grand Rapids Community College president resigns after paid leave
The Grand Rapids Community College Board of Trustees accepted the resignation of President Charles Lepper during a special meeting Monday.
Lepper had been on paid administrative leave since March, the college's student publication, the Collegiate, reported.
The trustees unanimously voted to accept his resignation following an approximately 15-minute closed session. Board chair Brandy Lovelady Mitchell said the executive session was called "to consider a legal opinion."
There was no discussion regarding the matter or additional comment from the board, or members of the public at Monday's meeting, which was livestreamed on the college's YouTube channel.
Grand Rapids Community College officials did not immediately respond to emails seeking information about why Lepper had been on paid leave.
After accepting Lepper's resignation, the board approved the appointment of Lisa Freiburger as interim president, also without discussion. Freiburger had been serving as acting president while Lepper was on leave, according to the YouTube video of the board's March 17 regular meeting.
The Collegiate reported that Freiburger is set to retire at the end of May.
Lepper took over as GRCC's 11th president in September 2023 with goals of recruiting and retaining "top-tier" faculty and staff; strengthening partnerships with schools, business and industry; and fostering inclusivity and diversity, according to the college's website.
He had previously served as vice president at Salt Lake Community College in Utah and vice president for student affairs at Tidewater Community College in southern Virginia, according to GRCC's website. He has a bachelor's degree from Ball State University, a master's from Grand Valley State University and a doctorate from Indiana State University.
mreinhart@detroitnews.com