AHOSKIE – The Board of Trustees of Roanoke-Chowan Community College (RCCC) have voted not to renew the contract of school president Dr. Michael A. Elam.

The action was taken at the Board’s January meeting.

Elam has not commented since the report of the Trustees vote surfaced, but a news release from the college, received by this newspaper yesterday (Monday) says he informed the Trustees that due to personal circumstances he was currently seeking leadership opportunities elsewhere.

Elam will continue his duties as President of the school until June 16.

The press release touted Elam as a “visible leader in the Roanoke-Chowan community and has provided excellent leadership in building community relations and economic development through collaboration, cooperation, transparency, and regular reporting to the Board of Trustees, area County Commissioners, and the campus community.”

RCCC Board of Trustees Chairman Andre Lassiter said in a statement, “Dr. Elam possesses skills and experiences that have landed him as a finalist in several recent national presidential searches. The members of the RCCC Board of Trustees support Dr. Elam in doing what he thinks is best for him and his family and wish him much success in his future endeavors.”

A native of Henderson in Vance County, Elam is the seventh president to assume the reins of the school since the college was founded in 1967.

Elam began his tenure with RCCC in June 2013 upon leaving the Louisiana Community and Technical College System, where he served as Vice President of Strategic Initiatives.

While also in the Pelican State, Elam served as Interim Chancellor for Central Louisiana Technical Community College, and Sowela Technical and Community College.

Prior to those duties, Elam served as the sixth President of College of the Mainland in Texas City, Texas, a single campus district serving the 13 cities of Galveston County with an approximate enrollment of 13,000 students.

With more than 35 years of experience in higher education, Elam holds a Bachelor of Science in Zoology and a Master of Education in Student Personnel and Administration from Howard University in Washington, DC. Elam received his Doctorate of Education in Higher Education Leadership from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, FL.

Elam beat out two other candidates for the RCCC post back in 2013: Dr. Peggy Bradford, currently the interim Vice-President and Dean of Academic Affairs at Westchester Community College, Valhalla, NY, but at that time, President of Academic Affairs at Baltimore City Community College in Maryland. The other candidate was Dr. Algie Gatewood, who was president of Cascade Campus of Portland (Oregon) Community College, but is currently the President of Alamance Community College in Burlington.

Two public forums were held for each of three candidates in April 2013 and feedback from participants was used as part of the selection process.