FIRST ON 3 & THE STATE PORT PILOT: BCC President Greiner flip-flopping on going to Kentucky?

BOLIVIA, NC (BY HILARY SNOW, STATE PORT PILOT) – While a two-year Kentucky school plans for the upcoming arrival of its new president, Dr. Stephen Greiner, e-mails sent to all Brunswick Community College employees last week suggest he might not be going anywhere after all.

Among other e-mail exchanges, The State Port Pilot has obtained a copy of a Brunswick Community College (BCC) survey seeking staff input about whether Greiner should stay on as president.

“You may be aware that Dr. Stephen Greiner, BCC’s president, has been offered an opportunity as president of a community college in Kentucky. His acceptance of this offer has not been formally confirmed,” the introduction to the survey, sent electronically on November 23, reads. “However, our board of trustees has not extended his contract, which will expire June 2011. This has led Dr. Greiner to search for other opportunities. As employees, your view counts. Therefore, would you please complete the below survey by the end of the day today in regards to Dr. Greiner remaining as president of BCC. This survey is anonymous. Thank you for your participation.”

The survey consisted of just two questions: “Do you support Dr. Greiner remaining at BCC as president?” and “If answered yes above, please indicate your choice as to a contract term.”

The options for that question ranged from one year to “five or more” years.

It was posted early on the morning of November 23 on www.surveymonkey.com, a free online questionnaire site.

The survey could be completed multiple times by the same person and was not limited to BCC employees. Pilot staff members were able to successfully complete the poll and submit results.

It was sent to all faculty and staff from Bea Palazzi’s e-mail address. Palazzi is Greiner’s administrative assistant.

But exactly where the survey originated, and for what purpose, remains unknown.

In a follow-up e-mail sent several hours after the survey’s release, Liz McLean, public relations officer for BCC, notified employees that the poll was conducted without the prior approval of the college’s board of trustees.

“BCC board chairperson Lynda Stanley asked me to inform the campus community that the presidential survey distributed earlier today was not sent at the request of, nor authorized by, the BCC Board of Trustees,” she wrote.

Less than a half-hour later, a revised version of that e-mail went out.

“BCC board chairperson Lynda Stanley and president Stephen Greiner asked me to inform the campus community that the presidential survey distributed earlier today was not sent at the request of nor authorized by the BCC Board of Trustees or president Greiner,” the second e-mail stated.

On November 19, the Kentucky Community and Technical College System announced on its website that current Brunswick Community College president Dr. Stephen Greiner was chosen to lead Hazard Community and Technical College (HCTC).

The posted press release included a statement by Greiner regarding his new post.

“I look forward to helping to structure HCTC to respond even more directly to the needs of local businesses, creating a strong economic backbone to provide education and jobs to citizens of this area,” he said.

Since the announcement, there has been no official word from Greiner.

The board of trustees has not publicly announced any decision regarding Greiner’s contract, which would expire June 2011.

Board members did meet in closed session Monday to discuss personnel but took no action and did not comment further on the issue.

According to McLean, Greiner is not “giving interviews” at this time.

But Evelyn Wood, a spokesperson for HCTC in Kentucky, said Tuesday that she had “zero doubt” that Greiner would soon be the school’s next president.

“Absolutely, 100-percent yes,” she said of Greiner’s acceptance of the position. “We’re making plans; I’m ready to order name tags.”

In recent conversations, Wood added, Greiner had given no indication that he had changed his mind. She did not specify whether he had signed a contract or given HCTC a verbal commitment.

She said Greiner’s designated start date is January 1, 2011.