BC3 chooses 1 of its own as president
BUTLER TWP— For the first time in its history, Butler County Community College skipped naming an interim leader and the traditional search process in naming a successor to President Cynthia Azari.
Nick Neupauer, vice president of academic affairs, will lead the college beginning Aug. 1.
The college board of trustees on Wednesday named Neupauer, 40, the eighth president.
Azari announced earlier this month she will leave the college for a position in Fresno, Calif.
Neupauer, an Ellwood City native, said he is proud to be born and raised in Western Pennsylvania. Now a resident of Slippery Rock Township, he said he will do what is best for the community.
"There's a lot of exciting things going on here,"he said, citing the building of the student service center at the Butler campus and the expansion of the college into Lawrence County.
Susan Changnon, college spokeswoman, said the board chose Neupauer because of his experience at the college and his work with the board.
While he has worked on the academic side of higher education, Neupauer said he has had to make budget decisions and work with the business side of the college.
"My experience at BC3 will allow me to handle it," he said of his new position.
As he transitions into the top spot, he hopes to work toward more lab-type classes and to use state funding to provide high-priority programs.
Neupauer has been vice president since 2004. He joined the college in 1999 as dean for Humanities and Social Sciences.
As vice president, he coordinated agreements with other colleges and the Butler Vocational-Technical School, completed the Middle States accreditation process and negotiated on behalf of the college to reach a contract with the faculty.
Before coming to BC3, Neupauer worked at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., West Virginia University, and Bethany College.
He has a bachelor's in print journalism from Penn State, a master's in communication from Clarion University and a doctorate in communication and instruction from WVU.
Neupauer lives with his wife, Tamatha, and two children, 12-year-old Paige and 9-year-old Meredith.
He has a three-year contract with a first-year salary of $132,000.
The board also released Azari from the remainder of her contract. Her final day will be July 31. She will become vice chancellor at State Center Community College District in California.
