GMC News
First Female Tapped to Fill Senior Vice President Chief Academic Officer and Dean of Faculty at GMC
First Female Tapped to Fill Senior Vice President Chief Academic Officer
And Dean of Faculty Position at Georgia Military College
Georgia Military College Senior Vice President Chief Academic Officer and Dean of Faculty, Dr. Mike Holmes, will be retiring at the end of June. Taking over the senior-level position will be Vice President of Institutional Research, Planning, and Effectiveness, Dr. Susan Isaac.
The transition from Holmes to Isaac as Senior VP Chief Academic Officer and Dean of Faculty will take place April 1. Afterward, Holmes will spend the remaining months before his retirement date serving as a Special Assistant to GMC President William Caldwell, overseeing the first stages of the SACSCOC five-year interim report and handling special projects.
“Dr. Mike Holmes has been an exceptional Senior VP and CAO for GMC. During a period of tremendous growth and expansion in programs, it was Dr. Holmes who provided the oversight and guidance to ensure we accomplished all of this with the necessary academic integrity and compliance,” Caldwell said. “His dedication to our faculty and, especially, our students, has been laudatory. Dr. Holmes is a true team player; we have been blessed to have had him as part of our team for almost 15 years. His contributions will be a legacy here at GMC.”
Holmes taught college classes for more than a decade before he decided to join the U.S. Navy as an officer. The Oklahoma native was hired at GMC in 2007, immediately following his retirement from the Navy as a Captain with 21 years of service.
Among the most notable achievements made at GMC Junior College during Holmes’ tenure includes an increase in the number of articulation agreements with four-year institutions and technical colleges (10 to 70); growth in the number of Associate degree programs (9 to 28); introduction of the Bachelor of Applied Science program, now offering five BAS programs; and maintaining a stellar accreditation record for the institution.
Isaac has been with GMC for more than 20 years. She began in 2000 as a full-time English professor, teaching for eight years. Isaac has also served as Associate Academic Dean and Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs, as well as Humanities Department Chair, Division Chair of Humanities and Education, and QEP Chair. Isaac returned to teaching last year at GMC as an online adjunct instructor, in addition to serving as VP of Institutional Research, Planning, and Effectiveness.
Over the years, Isaac has been a key contributor in a number of critical academic and administrative areas at GMC, which includes assisting with preparation for SACSCOC accreditation, establishing an institutional effectiveness system, revising the core competencies for degree programs, and writing new or revised policies.
“We are very excited that Dr. Susan Isaac is moving into a senior VP position and will lead our College into the future,” Caldwell said. “She is an extremely hard-working and very dedicated individual who will continue the legacy that Dr. Holmes established. Everyone is thrilled to see her assuming the duties as Senior VP/Chief Academic Officer and Dean of Faculty.”
Isaac will be the first female to fill the Senior Vice President/Chief Academic Officer and Dean of Faculty position at GMC. She will also be the first GMC faculty member to advance through the administrative ranks to fill the senior-level position.
Holmes and Isaac have worked together on numerous projects over the years at GMC. They will work together over the coming months to make the transition for Isaac into the Senior VP Chief Academic Officer and Dean of Faculty position a smooth and effective one.
“I think it’s an excellent choice,” GMC Board of Trustees Chairman George Hogan Sr. said regarding the selection of Isaac to fill the senior-level position. “Dr. Isaac’s previous varied positions at GMC and her knowledge of the campuses, faculty, and staff members will be a real asset to help get her started in this new role.”
