Harford Community College President Dr. Dennis Golladay announced Wednesday he will retire when his contract expires in July 2016.
A statement released by HCC said Golladay wanted to give 18 months notice to allow ample time for the HCC Board of Trustees to conduct the search for his successor.
"It has been, and will continue to be for the next year-and-a-half, my distinct honor to serve as the President of Harford Community College," Golladay wrote in a letter to HCC employees. "This college is an extraordinary institution of the highest academic integrity and replete with some of the finest individuals – faculty, staff and administrators alike – with whom I have ever worked in higher education. I will continue to work with you and the board to advance the college to even greater heights over the remainder of the time I am fortunate to be here, and I will continue to seek your assistance in moving the college forward."
"The Board is grateful to Dr. Golladay for his service to the college," Dr. Jay Valdes, chairman of the HCC Board of Trustees, said in a statement. "During his years here, he has proven to be a strong advocate of the community college mission and shown that he cares deeply about the future of Harford Community College."
Golladay has led HCC since August 2010. In 2013, he received a three-year contract extension at the same $180,000-base salary at which he was hired.
"I've always heard that you will know when it's time, and I just knew that it was time," Golladay said Wednesday night. "I've been in higher education for 44 years or so, and it's just that time."
"I'm going to do some of those things that I enjoy, like researching and writing and doing some woodworking and playing with my dog," he said. "In other words, I really am going to retire."
Golladay said he has a number of things he'd like to see accomplished at the college before he departs next year, including progress on a proposed $29.4 million regional workforce development center to house all career and technical education programs on campus.
College officials told members of the Board of Trustees last spring that planning and design would take place during the upcoming 2015-2016 fiscal year, which begins July 1, and then the building would be ready during the 2017-2018 fiscal year.
"I want to look into expansion of some existing programs and the addition of some new programs," he continued.
As examples, Golladay proposes expanding the college's 3-D printing courses and adding a "full-fledged" GIS mapping program, along with a solar energy maintenance program.
HCC has approximately 5,900 students taking courses for credit, about 3,500 who are considered full-time taking 15 credits a semester, Golladay said. He estimated there are also 9,000 to 12,000 continuing ed, non-credit students.
Golliday's four and a half years at HCC have been marked by the completion of several significant construction projects and the execution of a partnership with Towson University that allows students to earn a four-year undergraduate degree on HCC's campus east of Bel Air.
The new APG Federal Credit Union Arena at Harford Community College, part of the renovation and expansion of the college's Susquehanna Center completed in 2012, has become an important meeting and events venue for the region.
Darlington Hall, the college's new $20 million center for nursing and allied health professions, was completed last fall and will be formally dedicated next month.
Towson University in Northeastern Maryland opened its doors to students in the first building constructed on HCC's new West Campus last summer. The innovative 2+2 program allows students to complete their first two years at Harford, then finish their course work toward a bachelor's degree at Towson University in Northeastern Maryland.
Another important achievement under Golladay's leadership was the Middle States Commission on Higher Education's reaffirmation of the accreditation of the college, a process that involves a 10-year cycle of review. HCC was in a select group, as approximately 20 percent of the MSCHE institutions most recently reaffirmed through the self-study process had no follow-up reporting requirements, the college noted in its announcement of Golladay's retirement.
Golladay also refined the system of collegial governance, ensuring an equal voice and representation of all campus constituencies, according to the statement.
He also was instrumental in creating the President's Circle, which offers prominent alumni and friends the opportunity to contribute at least $1,000 annually to help students achieve their dream of attending college.
Golladay's tenure hasn't been without controversy. The college has been dealing with a recurring structural deficit in its operating budget, in which its revenues did not meet expenditures, forcing the college to dip into its cash reserves. The college's chief financial officer said last fall, however, that the budget problem pre-dated Golladay by at least six years.
Golladay has blamed the problem on a combination of lower enrollment, because of the economic downturn, and rising costs of doing business.
The HCC trustees raised tuition rates and student fees for the current academic year and have approved more increases for both next year.
Last winter, Golladay raised fees for community rec teams to use HCC's softball and baseball complex, explaining the facility needed to become more self-supporting. Following complaints from league and team leaders and some state legislators, he said he rolled back some of the increases before the seasons began.
Golladay and his staff said last month they believe the current budget is meeting its financial targets and is on track to finish in balance when the fiscal year ends June 30.
A native of Virginia's Shenandoah Valley, Golladay earned a bachelor of science in social wcience and English from Madison College, now James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Va., and an M.A. and Ph.D. in American history from the University of Virginia.
Before coming to HCC, he served as vice chancellor for community colleges, State University of New York in Albany, N.Y., a position he assumed in 2006. He was responsible for the oversight and coordination of relations with SUNY's 30 community colleges and their related organizations, according to his biography on the HCC website.
Golladay also served as the sixth president of Cayuga Community College in Auburn, N.Y., a position he assumed in 1996 following 24 years experience in a community college setting, including four years as vice president for academic affairs at Anne Arundel Community College and dean of the School of Humanities at Pensacola Junior College in Florida for seven years.
Golladay said he has enjoyed his time at HCC "thoroughly."
"I think it's the best assignment I've ever had, and I've always felt that I was in the right place at the right time of my career," he said.