President Dr. Cheryl Frank Announces Retirement

Dr. Cheryl Frank, president of Inver Hills Community College, announced her retirement effective June 30, 2010, the end of the 2009-2010 academic year.  Her distinguished 40-year career in education and health care includes three decades of community college leadership as an instructor, dean, vice president, and president.

In announcing her retirement, Dr. Frank said she wanted to provide the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities Board and Chancellor James McCormick sufficient time to conduct a nationwide search for her successor since higher education executive searches can typically take eight to ten months to complete.

Cheryl Frank, President Inver Hills Community College

The longest-serving president at Inver Hills, Dr. Frank said the time had arrived for her to carve out more time for family and other professional opportunities to give back to the community.  "I feel good about the contributions I've made to this thriving college. I am leaving an institution committed to quality improvement and helping students 'Finish What They Start,' an important message we've been emphasizing over the last few years."  The League for Innovation in the Community College bestowed Innovation of the Year recognition on Dr. Frank for 2008-2009 for this initiative.

Dr. Frank said she is most proud of the initiatives the college has undertaken to help students stay in college and achieve their goals. A major example is the recent grant the college received in partnership with Century College. This grant led to the development of the Center for College Access and Opportunity, that helps area 9th through 12th grade students better prepare for college.  This grant was one of only three such awards given out within the 32 Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system in 2008.  Through the program, students participate in a number of student success initiatives designed to help them achieve their goals.

Under Dr. Frank's leadership, the college initiated several other successful partnerships, including  playing a major role in forming the Center of Excellence for Information Technology and Security with Minneapolis Community and Technical College and Metropolitan State University - one of only four centers funded by the governor and legislature when proposals were submitted in 2005. 

The college has joined the President's Climate Commitment which is a national "going green" initiative that involves both facilities and academic programming.   This initiative is the focus of one of the college's quality improvement projects: Green: Awareness and Action.

Enrollment growth at Inver Hills during Dr. Frank's tenure, an increase of 70 percent since 2000, also meant her taking the lead on major building bond requests.  Heritage Hall opened in 2002 and is the largest classroom building on campus; it includes state-of-the-art chemistry, biology, and paramedic laboratories.  The addition and remodeling of the College Center Building was completed in 2007, and construction of a nine multi-purpose classroom addition and remodeling of the Fine Arts Building will be completed in Fall 2009. "We truly appreciate these funding opportunities provided by the legislature and the governor and are particularly grateful to our local legislators who so strongly supported our requests," said Frank.

In 2009, Dr. Frank received the local River Heights Chamber of Commerce Forrest Glewwe Visions of Excellence Award.  In 2008 she received the Friend of Workforce Development Appreciation Award for Outstanding Support of Workforce Issues from the Dakota-Scott Counties Workforce Investment Board.  Additionally, the college was named to the 2008 President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll.

Dr. Frank also has a history of national leadership.  She served on the American Association of Community College's Commission on Research, Technology and Emerging Trends for six years and was recently appointed to the National College Board's Community College Advisory Panel.  Dr. Frank has also served as a peer reviewer for the Higher Learning Commission which accredits colleges and universities in the Midwest region.