Terra State president resigns

FREMONT — A local college's leader has stepped down. Terra State Community College President Jerome Webster resigned Wednesday, according to marketing manager Amanda Pochatko. He offered his resignation at an April 25 board of trustees meeting, but the board members accepted it at a meeting this week."It is my perception that an organization can endure only so much change from the same leader before the organization rebukes further change, especially when the amount of change is high and has occurred in an accelerated effort to achieve organizational sustainability," Webster said. "And as everyone who works at Terra State knows, we have experienced significant change over the last six years."Ron Schumacher, the college's senior vice president, will take over for Webster on May 31.Webster has lead the college since 2012 and makes more than $191,200 a year, Pochatko said. Highlights of Webster's tenure include student course completion rates rising to 91 percent, an all time record; creating an access road to the college from Ohio 53, accreditations for the medical assisting and physical therapy assistant programs and construction of the Landings at Terra Village, an on-campus residence hall expected to open this fall.But Webster also came under scrutiny. At the April 25 board meeting, Webster apologized for miscommunicating the actual cost of the residence hall project, which equals $19.6 million. In the past, the Register, along with other area media companies, reported the cost as $14.5 million based on college announcements.It's unclear whether college administrators will conduct a national search for a new president and when the college wants to hire Webster's successor."We can assure you we are not only collectively prepared, but we are also collectively in agreement with this decision, board chair Kay Reiter said. "The board will continue to serve the college, our students, our staff, our community and our investors with strength and commitment as we move our treasured Terra State Community College into the future."Reach reporter Caitlin Nearhood at nearhood@sanduskyregister.com, follow her on Twitter @CaitlinNearhood and on Facebook.com/CaitliNearhoodIn this 2017 photo, Terra State Community College President Jerome Webster stands in front of land where The Landings at Terra Village will be built. Webster resigned from his post, effective May 31.