St. Clair College President informed the College’s Board of Governors at last night’s board meeting that she will not be renewing her contract when it expires in August 2024.
Present France will have worked at the College for over 35 years, including two terms as the President when her term is concluded.
President France prepared a personal video for staff to let them know directly from her of her decision. The staff received the video by email after the meeting.
In the video, President France shared:
“In its President, St. Clair deserves a degree of single-minded supervision – and, during a crisis, it demands a level of obsessive commitment. I hope I’ve provided that degree of dedication to the institution and to you during my tenure.
I will continue to do so for the remainder of my term. As of August of 2024, however, it will be time for someone else to take up that challenge.
Working with you, and leading you, has been the greatest honour of my life.
Thank you for your dedication and passion for academic and service excellence and for your demonstrated commitment to the College’s Mission, Vision and Values. St. Clair’s success is a direct result of your efforts of our collaborative efforts. So, while I do feel that I will be leaving St. Clair in excellent shape, the fact remains that I will be leaving it, leaving you, and that saddens me so very, very deeply.
A college? A school? A workplace?
Yes, it is all of those things but none of those corporate, bricks-and-mortar, institutional words are what spring to mind when I think of St. Clair.
No, my mind, and my heart, dwell upon the people upon the students, the faculty, the staff, the administration that has combined to form my vibrant community, my cherished second family, for the past thirty-five years.”
The Board of Governors will begin the process this fall for the recruitment of a new College President of the College.