Baker College of Jackson appoints new president

Baker College of Jackson Board of Regents has announced that Steven Simpson, Ed.D., has succeeded Patricia A. Kaufman, Ed.D., as president. The appointment was effective July 1.

Simpson, of Ann Arbor, joined Baker College in 2012 as director of instructional effectiveness for Baker College Online/Center for Graduate Studies headquartered in Flint. Among his responsibilities was the creation of a professional development program and online learning community for the 800 full-time and adjunct faculty members teaching in Baker College’s baccalaureate, master’s and doctoral programs. He transferred to Baker College of Jackson September 2014 to serve as chief academic officer, responsible for all functions of the academic department including faculty and staff at the Jackson campus and Coldwater extension campus, program development, instructional quality, strategic vision and financial budgets.

Effective Sept. 1, Kaufman will take the reins as president of the Clinton Township campus and Baker College of Port Huron, which includes the Culinary Institute of Michigan-Port Huron. She returns to Baker College of Clinton Township where she worked prior to becoming president of the Jackson campus in 2006.

“We thank Dr. Kaufman for the tremendous leadership she has provided to the Jackson campus,” said F. James Cummins, Baker College System president and CEO. “Baker College of Jackson will be in good hands with Dr. Simpson at the helm. Steve is a multi-talented leader, and his knowledge and experience have prepared him well for this position. He has worked tirelessly to promote a quality educational experience for students while providing strategic direction to move Baker College forward to meet the increasingly complex demands of higher education.

“Among his many strengths is cooperatively working with others. In his short time at the Jackson campus, he has forged strong relationships with faculty, staff and community members, and is widely respected for his creativity, leadership and work ethic.”

Simpson has already set priorities for the campus.

“There are two initiatives that will define Baker College of Jackson in the future,” he said. “The first is to continue to grow our technical and advanced manufacturing programs in order to meet demand for highly qualified manufacturing professionals in Jackson County.

“We’re also focused on expanding opportunities to help our partners in secondary education prepare graduating high school seniors for success in college.”

Prior to joining Baker College, Simpson worked for the Art Institute of Michigan as dean of culinary arts and hospitality and for the Art Institute of Pittsburgh as national faculty development facilitator. He has also managed and served as executive chef of various food service operations, including a small, gourmet start-up and a larger, multi-unit operation.

He holds a doctorate and master’s in educational leadership from Argosy University, Phoenix, Arizona, and a bachelor’s in political science from the University of Michigan (U-M). He also completed coursework for a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) in secondary education, Spanish and social studies at U-M and an associate in culinary arts at the New England Culinary Institute, Montpelier, Vermont.

During Kaufman’s nine-year tenure at Baker College of Jackson, several new programs were launched based on community workforce needs, including practical nurse, fire science and multiple advanced manufacturing and computer information technology degrees. The new cyber defense teams quickly became decorated at state competitions, and the criminal justice program acquired a house where students hone their crime-solving skills. Campus construction included a new welcome center in 2010 and creation of the advanced manufacturing lab and Academic Resource Center (ARC) in 2014. The ARC combined the functions of the library, the Writing Center, Learning Support Services and Academic Advising into a single blended resource.

The largest private college in Michigan, Baker College is a not-for-profit higher education institution accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. It serves more than 28,000 students on multiple campuses and online. Baker grants certificates and associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in more than 150 programs across diverse academic fields, including business, health sciences, engineering, information technology, education and human services. An impressive 97 percent of available graduates are employed. Every Baker graduate receives Lifetime Employment Assistance—free and forever. Baker is a pioneer in online education and offers students the option of completing a degree 100 percent online, without ever visiting a campus. For information, visit www.baker.edu or follow Baker College on Twitter, @bakercollege, or on Facebook, www.facebook.com/bakercollege.