Interim President Zerrie Campbell says her goodbyes to STLCC-Meramec.
Kurt Oberreither
– Staff Writer –
Summer is approaching, commencement is closing in, and it’s almost check-out time for Interim President Zerrie Campbell.
Chancellor Zelema Harris, Ed.D., announced STLCC-Meramec’s new president, but before Vice President of Academic Affairs George Wasson steers the ship, Campbell will remain at the helm until June 30 to carry the school through this semester and part of summer. Campbell said her years at STLCC have flown by but have kept her on her toes.
After her term at STLCC-Forest Park, Harris asked Campbell to serve a second year in STLCC at Meramec.
Campbell said, upon accepting the position at Meramec, she felt there was an element of “contention” that needed to be addressed. Campbell said she faced similar issues when entering into leadership at Malcolm X College in Chicago.
“Things seemed to be a little unsettled as to how the campus would come together to get through another successful year,” Campbell said.
The most important tools in combating this, according to Campbell, have been maintaining and building the line of communication and her “open-door policy.”
“To my delight, many people took me at my word and I think that is what accelerated our getting to know each other—that people did test me,” Campbell said. “They tested that philosophy and it cleared up a lot of misunderstandings and it prevented misunderstanding about my intentions being here and how I planned to provide the guidance and the collaboration that professional institutions utilize.”
From the smoking policy to finding a new board of trustees member, Campbell said the most difficult issue to address was the consolidation of athletics as an effect of budget shortcomings.
“[In] the trauma of making the change in an almost 50-year history and to do so in a manner that was respectful… every attempt was made to communicate. But because personnel are involved you can’t always communicate as specifically as people who are observing would like,” Campbell said.
However, Campbell said communication can always be improved and a president must always work toward that goal.
“Good communication occurs when the message is received in the manner in which it was intended,” Campbell said. “I believe there is no topic of contention that we cannot discuss and arrive at some compromise to resolve an issue.”
During her stay at Meramec, Campbell said she feels there isn’t much more the school could have wanted to address. She said, while the school held fast its traditions and activities, she wishes she could have attended more of them.
“There’s something going on every single day. One year doesn’t give someone an opportunity to taste it: all of the appetizers and pleasures that there are at the campus,” Campbell said.
During her final months here, Campbell will be making more visits to her hometown of Chicago, but she said the school runs as “a well-oiled machine” even without the president’s presence because of the efficacy of the leadership.
Campbell said working with the administration, faculty and staff has been “invigorating.” Also, she said she believes she has made lifelong friends during her terms at STLCC.
On July 1, Wasson will become the permanent president. Campbell said the transition to a new president will be “smooth.”
“He knows the issues intimately, he is a real gentleman and he’s so very competent. Meramec will be in great hands,” Campbell said.
Furthermore, Campbell said, while Wasson was acting president over the summer and during her recovery from knee surgery, they were in close contact with each other, and since then they talk and collaborate very often.
“There should not be a bump in our transition as we move forward,” Campbell said. “He will bring a new energy and new visions for making it all happen.”
Campbell said getting to know colleagues by working on projects and “moving toward a goal” provides a challenging opportunity for an effective president.
“We think we know the job we are seeking, but we really don’t until we step into that job. It’s kind of like if you have a roommate when you go to college—maybe your best friend—and you think, ‘Oh, we’re best friends, we’ll love living together,’” Campbell said. “You’ve got to live with the person to get to know them.”
As president, Campbell said meetings can be tiresome, but “helping people realize the talents and gifts they bring that can improve the quality of someone’s life” makes up for it.
Campbell’s contract does not expire until the end of June. She said she will be fulfilling her duties after commencement and, up until her last day, she will participate in various meetings and budget discussions.
“The administrative work continues so it’s not one big party,” Campbell said.
After she finishes her duties at Meramec, Campbell said she will return to the life of retirement with a Pacific and Mediterranean cruise, but her stint at STLCC has been rejuvenating.
“I feel younger than I did when I came,” Campbell said.
