SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio — Notre Dame College in South Euclid has announced that Dr. J. Michael Pressimone has "voluntarily" resigned.
University officials say that Dr. Pressimone resigned to "pursue new opportunities."
Dr. Pressimone was appointed as the 15th president of Notre Dame College in July 2020 after serving as vice president of advancement at Alvernia University, Belmont Abbey College and Elizabethtown College.
“It has been my profound honor and pleasure to serve the students, faculty and staff of Notre Dame College," said Dr. Pressimone in his resignation letter.
Amid concerns that the resignation of Dr. Pressimone is indicative of an insecure future at Notre Dame College, the school gave the below statement to 3News:
"It is important to acknowledge the challenges that colleges and universities across the country are facing. Notre Dame College is not exempt from these challenges, which include a shrinking pool of college-aged students and growing costs. In response to these challenges, we have been engaged in strategic planning and thoughtful discussions with our stakeholders regarding our future. We want to assure you that our primary focus remains on our mission, which we have upheld for the past 100 years, and on serving our students in the best way possible. We expect to have more information to share by the end of this academic year."
Notre Dame College has since named Dr. John Smetanka, the current provost and dean of faculty, as the interim president, effective immediately.
“In the year and a half that Dr. Smetanka has been with Notre Dame College, his commitment to our students and our mission has shone through,” said Terri Eason, board chair for Notre Dame College. “We are confident that Dr. Smetanka will serve our students and the college well as interim President, bringing a wealth of experience in student-centered learning, college administration, strategic planning, recruiting, fundraising, and managing finances.”
Dr. Smetanka earned a Bachelor of Science in physics from Carnegie Mellon University and completed a Master of Science and doctorate in astronomy and astrophysics from the University of Chicago.
“I am honored to serve Notre Dame College in this new capacity and look forward to working together with our dedicated faculty and staff who feel the same way I do – that our students’ success is our top priority,” said Dr. Smetanka.
Before coming to Notre Dame College, Dr. Smetanka served as Vice President of Academic Affairs and Academic Dean at St. Vincent College, where he also held the faculty rank of associate professor in the Department of Physics, and served as department chair, director of the honors program and director of the liberal arts program.
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