The Flathead Valley Community College board of trustees has selected Deborah Kish Stephan as the college’s next president.
However, Dr. Stephan’s appointment has drawn concerns from faculty. According to a release on the community college’s website, Conrad Rauscher, faculty union vice president, says the hiring process did not accurately reflect faculty rankings; finalist Andrew Fields, CEO of the University of Idaho Coeur d’Alene, was the faculty’s preferred choice.
“A lot of people felt like he was a bit more of a fit academically, culturally and also with the trades,” said Rauscher. He claims the community college’s outgoing president, Jane Karas, had undue influence on the decision. He also says there was a discrepancy in the reported unanimity of the board’s decision, as only one of two votes was unanimous.
Despite those concerns, Callie Langhor, chair of the board of trustees, praised Dr. Stephen for her extensive community college experience, stating, “The board was impressed by her breadth of leadership experience and her emphasis on listening, collaboration, transparency, shared governance and student success.”
Dr. Stephan has served as president of Hillsborough College’s Brandon Campus in Florida since 2021. She previously held vice presidential roles with Northwest Florida State College and the National Division of Rio Salado College. A graduate of Florida State University, Dr. Stephan holds an MBA and a juris doctorate form the University of Florida and a doctor of education degree from the Roueche Graduate Center of National American University.
A part of the Montana University System, Flathead Valley Community College enrolls more than 2,200 students, according to the most recent data from the U.S. Department of Education. Women represent 54 percent of the student body.