DR. TONJUA WILLIAMS

St. Petersburg College (SPC) is a multi-campus state college located in Pinellas County, Florida. SPC is a four-year public institution with seven learning sites throughout the county and serves more than 57,000 students each year (44,000 credit and 13,000 non-credit). SPC offers 22 baccalaureate degrees, 39 associate degrees, 2 workforce diplomas and 54 workforce certificates. Nearly 72 percent of SPC students attend school part-time. SPC is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, which means credits transfer to reputable institutions.

Key Responsibilities
The President of the College is the chief executive, administrative, and education officer of the College and is responsible to the St. Petersburg College Board of Trustees. The primary responsibilities of the President are to provide vision for the College and continuous leadership and direction for planning, operation and all aspects of College programs, services and initiatives in conformity with Board policies and state/federal regulations.

Provide direction and leadership to ensure the College effectively achieves its mission of promoting student success and enriching the college communities through education, career development and self-discovery. This includes:

• 1. Facilitating the development of a strategic plan.
• 2. Developing, maintaining, and evaluating academic programs and student services of the College and creating a climate which enhances student learning, stimulates creative approaches to teaching and learning, and motivates both staff and students to optimum achievement.
• 3. Creating and implementing appropriate administrative organization for effective management of College resources.
• 4. Recommending and implementing policies and procedures to operate the College in an orderly manner.
• 5. Representing the College in fundraising, community engagement, partnership development and other opportunities to foster student support and institutional stability.

Serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the College as dictated by Florida Statute 1001.65. Acts as the responsible agent for total operations, while providing direction within policies and procedures governed by the Board of Trustees. The President also serves as the corporate secretary to the Board of Trustees.

Represents the College in cooperation with the Board, staff and community, and develops appropriate partnerships that advance the College’s mission and vision.

The President plays a positive leadership role in helping the College effectively manage change with a strong record of effective leadership demonstrating the ability to motivate and lead through ideas, persuasion, relationships and by example.

Key Responsibilities
Oversight responsibilities for staff and for all student services areas at SPC – on campus and online. The position provides leadership to campus provosts located at seven campuses/learning sites, as well as college-wide associate vice presidents and directors (Enrollment Services, Financial Aid, Athletics, and Retention Services). Serves as the President’s designee for a variety of responsibilities, including emergency management decisions and student discipline/complaints. In addition to student success, this position provides leadership for SPC’s Leepa Rattner Museum of Art, The Palladium Theatre and the Institute for Strategic Policy Solutions.

2016-17 Budget oversight includes:
‐ $25.2M operational budget
‐ $4.5M student activities budgets
‐ $63.1M scholarship funding
‐ $1.3M capital outlay budget (renovation/remodeling and major equipment)
‐ $2.3M non-profit entities (Palladium Theatre, Leepa-Rattner Museum of Fine Arts, and the Public Policy Institute)
‐ $4.2M grants

‐ $100.6M Total

Major Accomplishments
Strengthened campus leadership by creating a strong Campus Provosts Council in the development and execution of The College Experience, an SPC core value that is devotedly focused on student success. This substantive change established a culture of collaboration, lessened internal politics and created a “one college” vision. The College Experience received the following recognitions:

• State of Florida Chancellor’s Best Practice Award (2014)
• Finalist for the Community College Futures Assembly Bellweather Award (2015)
• University Business Magazine Models of Excellence Award (2016)

Enhanced college-wide execution of critical initiatives by establishing and leading weekly webinars (attended by faculty and staff) – data-driven reports that highlight leading initiative indicators and provide faculty and staff insight for continuous, timely assessment and improvement as the term progresses.

Designed and executed a systemic professional development plan for the student services division. Staff have accomplished more than 15,000 hours of training since 2012, thus improving the quality of support services for students.

Improved student services efficiency by developing an organization structure to include front-line staff in decision making and problem solving processes. This culture change benefits students and is embraced by student services employees.

Expanded and ensured inclusion and collaboration with minority communities to expand partnership opportunities and the development of shared vision.

Veterans Services Program was named among the best in the nation by the Military Times (Military Times naming SPC among the top 20), the Military Advanced Education magazine and Victory Media.

Provided leadership and oversight of the implementation plan for Florida’s Developmental Education Reform Bill by providing weekly guidance to the collegewide Developmental Education/Retention committee, actively participating in the design of training modules for staff as well as guidelines for students.

Directed SPC’s Midtown Campus naming committee and provided leadership in the design, programming, staffing model and construction of the new $14-million building.

• The grand opening took place in August 2015, with more than 1,000 community members in attendance.
• The Midtown Campus received the 2015 Phoenix Award of Achievement of Excellence in Brownfield Redevelopment (for outstanding revitalization & community impact projects).

Provided direction, oversight and support that led to the redesign of SPC’s scholarship processes to improve marketing, the selection process, awarding timeline, and the transition and support for new scholars.

Initiated rationale and support for SPC's Delta Leadership Academy, designed for mid-level supervisors to expand their leadership skills and to effect change and transformation.

Provided leadership and oversight for the student services role in the development of guided pathways to expedite student completion and graduation/transfer.

Provided oversight and support for the development of a new academic advising model, leading to significant improvement in student engagement, including the implementation of case management and advisors teaching student success modules in the classroom and online.

Provided leadership and oversight to the Palladium Theatre’s budget reorganization, resulting in turning profits and expanded bookings.

Enhanced services for students with disabilities by redesigning the focus, operations and services delivered by the Accessibility Resource Department.

Provided oversight and leadership for the State of Florida MLK Day of Service initiative and expanded civic engagement throughout the region (Pinellas, Hillsborough, Broward and Lee Counties).

Key Responsibilities
Oversight for various college-wide academic areas and academic initiatives, including faculty credentialing, curriculum and instruction, and grade submission/course substitution. Also responsible for college-wide student services operation, strategic planning, and budget and resource management, as well as academic calendar and college catalog development. Serves as College Ombudsman, responsible for resolving disciplinary issues and student complaints.

Major Accomplishments
Provided oversight to improve financial aid disbursement by streamlining processes, integrating technology, enhancing staff work flow, and insuring staff professional development.

Conceptualized and established the Student Government Association budget process, allowing SGA leaders to take ownership of their campus student activities budgets (25% of SPC’s overall student activities funds), and to organize student-led, relevant campus events.

Supported partnership development with Transamerica Corporation, generating scholarships and workshops for women and minority men.

Provided leadership for the design and implementation of internal audits, enhancing operations and effectiveness of underperforming programs and departments, and also resulting in significant improvements in communication among departments and instaff training.

Implemented a comprehensive structure to improve curriculum systems and processes by using technology to capture faculty credentials and curriculum changes.

Directed the development of an online student complaints and appeals process with a data maintenance site, and with web pages to assist students in more timely and efficient submission of complaints and to assist faculty and staff with more expeditious response.

Re-directed the entire athletics program to strategically focus on academics and attitude first. Athletes’ grades, success rates and graduation rates have improved as a result.

Improved access, admissions and retention for at-risk middle and high school students by implementing a college-wide partnership with Junior Achievement to offer a summer program for these students on SPC campuses.

Founded the College’s Veterans Services department, which led to significant growth in veterans enrollment, and to SPC being recognized as a “veteran friendly” institution.

Key Responsibilities (as they existed 2007-2008)
The Provost was directly accountable for campus operations, quality academic programs and instruction, student services, learning outcome development and assessment, campus budgets, leadership for campus faculty and staff, and facility planning. Also responsible for fostering relationships within the community to develop partnership initiatives and expand campus resources.

Major Accomplishments
Fostered a relationship with the owner of Innisbrook Resort, resulting in Ms. Sheila Johnson (former owner of BET, the Black Entertainment Network) serving as the keynote speaker for SPC’s December 2007 graduation ceremony.

Enhanced faculty/administration collaborative communication and initiatives.

Restructured and redesigned campus course management in order to expand A.S. degree course offerings.

Secured additional and improved technology resources for faculty and staff.

Refined and streamlined campus budget and purchasing processes.

Increased fundraising efforts for the college in collaboration with the PODS Championship Golf Tournament – raised $45,000.

Executed a plan for annexing TSC into the Tarpon Springs city limits to improve and further develop community relationships.

Established relationships and partnerships with Congressman Gus Bilirakis’ office, including hosting of Ambassador Andreas Kakouris from Cyprus Greece, leading to the establishment of Tarpon Springs and Kalymnos, Greece as “sister” cities.

Enhanced the relationship between SPC’s Leepa Rattner Museum Board of Directors and college administration through collaborative leadership strategies.

Brought, through innovative leadership, an ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) program to campus in partnership with Pinellas County Schools.

Directed campus facilities upgrades:

• Completed a new campus entrance off the Belcher Road extension.
• Initiated facility planning and a redesign process for the College of Education building.
• Completed the remodeling of food service and the bookstore in the Olympia Building.
• Completed the remodel/renovation of the Olympia Annex for classrooms and labs.
• Renovated the student activities building and restructured the administration building to better support staff and students.

Key Responsibilities
The Associate Provost primarily serves as the chief student services officer on campus and works closely with the Provost in campus leadership and operations. SPC's Health Education Center (HEC) is a specialty campus for nursing and allied health programs. The Associate Provost is responsible for admissions to limited access programs, advising/retention services, and maintaining strong student support services.

Major Accomplishments
Established a college-wide advising model with enhanced collaboration and communcations, further aligning academic and student affairs practitioners. The concept was titled “Responsible Engagement for Active Learning (REAL).” It opened dialogue for academic and student affairs staff across the college to coalesce around the common vision of helping students succeed.

Directed the revitalization of the health programs admissions process, moving from a waiting list to selective admissions for designated programs.

Launched development of a campus testing center, food service and business services at HEC.

Enhanced communication with students, leading to a streamlined student appeals process and a decrease in the number of grievances submitted.

Provided collaborative leadership in the creation of partnerships leading to articulation agreements with vocational and health institutions. Some articulation agreements led to an expanded nursing class at no cost to SPC.

Established a thorough review of the nursing program curriculum and instructional procedures to enhance student success and state board examination pass rates. This required intense and creative faculty inclusion and involvement.

Established transparent partnerships with minority health practitioners in the community to ensure diversity goals were achieved.

Directed SPC’s processes and procedures for the Linkage Program. The Linkage Program was designed to help students obtain admission to State of Florida community college health programs not offered at the student’s local college. Five Florida community colleges participated.