The Hocking College Board of Trustees Tuesday unanimously appointed a successor for John Light, the college's long-time president who became embroiled in investigations of fraud and theft two years ago.
Ron Erikson, vice president of academic affairs and institutional planning at Dakota County Technical College in Rosemount, Minn., will become Hocking's second president July 1. Light has been president since Hocking opened in 1968.
I am extremely pleased
said Cheryl Mansky, president of the Hocking College Education Association, adding that the board made the right choice.
Erikson, who accepted the position, will earn between $160,000 and $200,000 a year.
Erickson seemed to be the faculty and staff favorite, Mansky said.
His message of personal and institutional integrity really impressed faculty she said. We think it will be a big change.
The board chose the new president based on evaluations from the faculty, staff and students at Hocking.
The board found Dr. Erickson to be the right new leader for Hocking College after considering the qualifications of 78 applicants said Larry Willard, chairman of the board in a press release.
The board appointed Erickson amid controversy regarding the destruction of his evaluations by Trustee Alan Geiger, the former secretary to the Ohio University Board of Trustees and assistant to the president.
Mansky said she was informed that Geiger had destroyed the public records after summarizing the results for the Board of Trustees and said she is prepared to take action against the college over the destruction of the evaluations.
Light, who is one of the nation's longest-serving college presidents, will step down June 31 amid ongoing state and federal investigations into possible fraud and theft during his time at Hocking. The investigations focus on the misuse of grants and travel expenses by Light and other college officials.
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Caitlin Bowling
