News has emerged from Grand Rapids Community College (GRCC) where President Charles Lepper has been placed on paid administrative leave, a situation detailed in an email from the Board of Trustees which was reported by The Collegiate on Friday. While the board's communication did not specify the cause behind this decision, it asserted that Vice President for Finance and Administration Lisa Freiburger will temporarily ascend to the role of acting president. The college, meanwhile, has begun a review of Lepper's contract.
Dr. Lepper, who has helmed GRCC since 2023 after transferring from Salt Lake Community College, was named just over a week ago as one of four finalists for the presidency at Madison Area Technical College in Wisconsin, this too was enclosed in the board's email, while the reasoning behind Lepper's leave remains unspecified, the board stated that it would keep the college community informed once their review concludes according to the email obtained by WOOD TV8 and similar reports by local news outlets such as WZZM 13.
Despite the abrupt announcement of his leave and the ongoing contract review, Lepper's current situation at GRCC does not seem to have affected his candidacy for the position at Madison Area Technical College, which seeks to fill the void of its retiring long-time president; as for Freiburger, her assuming of the acting president role ensures continuity of leadership at GRCC.
Requests for statements from GRCC by News 8 have yet to yield a response, and Lepper himself has been approached for comment by The Collegiate, with updates to follow should he respond.
