Bucks County Community College President Stepping Down

NEWTOWN, PA ? Dr. Felicia Ganther, who has served as president of the Bucks County Community College since July 2021, will be stepping down from the presidency of the college at the end of the current semester in December

Ganther, who is in the third year of a three year contract which expires in July 2024, announced her decision to step down at the close of Thursday's board of trustees meeting.

Ganther was named the college's fifth president in 2021 replacing Dr. Stephanie Shanblatt who joined the college in 2012.

In a letter read to the college's board of trustees, Ganther said she has "decided to conclude my term as president at the end of the fall semester. At the passing of three of my presidential colleagues unexpectedly in the past few weeks and other personal challenges have made me reevaluate my purpose for the work I do and life priorities."

She continued, "I have fallen in love with Bucks and am proud of the great strides we have made over the past two years. However, I have decided to transition to new professional opportunities where I can pursue my passion as it relates to working with students and engaging them in phenomenal student experiences, bringing the community into the college?s space, and continuing to partner with agencies to create a web of support for students who need us the most."

The trustees issued a statement Thursday night. "The board of trustees wish Dr. Ganther well as she begins the next chapter of her professional life. The board will move expeditiously with
a retained search for the next president."

Ganther's decision to end her presidency comes five months after the college's faculty federation took a largely symbolic no-confidence vote in her leadership. According to published reports, federation president John Sheridan said the union had expected a strong collaborative relationship which never materialized.

Others at the college, including faculty members who did not vote and the non-union staff, came out in support of the president who remained under contract with the college.

Ganther thanked the board of trustees on Thursday for their "unwavering support" during her tenure. "It has been an honor to serve this community and to work with you to advance our mission and outcomes for students.

"With all of us lending our collective talents I believe I have accomplished much while I've been here," Ganther told the board.

"We had two record years of philanthropic giving - the most funding received in the history of the college. We had two record years of securing both solicited and unsolicited grants, again, the most funding received in the history of the college," said Ganther.

"We created some very significant community partnerships with the United Way, the Bucks County Opportunity Council, and A Woman's Place just to name a few, to provide free services to our students.

"We developed an unprecedented and growing partnership with K-12 Bucks County school districts," she continued. "We are not only providing dual enrollment but we are aligning pathways and providing essential exposure to students and parents on how Bucks can serve them now and in the future.

"We've rekindled broken relationships with our transfer partners, which have resulted in additional BCCC student benefits as they transfer by guaranteed admissions into certain programs; tuition reduction; targeted scholarships; and full acceptance of academic credits and junior status."

In addition, Ganther said the college has cultivated stronger relationships with legislators and locally elected officials, which has benefited the college with an additional $2 million in county appropriations and state grants as well as a $580,000 federal earmark from U.S. Senator Robert Casey's office.

"This college will always hold a special place in my heart because this is where I began my first presidential journey," Ganther told the board. "I will cherish the friendships made, the memories created, and the progress made to advance student success. I am very proud of the work we have done these past two and a half years and look forward to the strides we will make as we close out 2023.

"I want to thank you for welcoming me into the Centurion family and I look forward to the final months of my presidency here," Ganther told the board.

Ganther began her tenure at Bucks in July 2021 as the college's first African-American president, overseeing three campuses - Newtown, Lower Bucks (Bristol Township) and Upper Bucks (Perkasie) - enrolling 8,000 students.

Ganther came to Bucks following an impressive 25-year career in college education. Over the course of her career, Ganther has spearheaded initiatives in student affairs, college auxiliary services, college retention services, crisis management, strategic planning, academic quality improvement and first-year student programs.