Former CSC President, Park, dies in Montana

Park, who served as CSC’s 10th President from 2005 to 2012, was the institution’s first female President. She brought a calm demeanor and provided a steady hand while the college experienced bizarre circumstances, including a wildfire in 2006 that threatened campus and the city of Chadron.

“Janie and I worked together for most of 17 years,” CSC President Randy Rhine said. “She was a great mentor and a dear friend, whom I will miss.”

Park also led the college to enrollment increases after several down years, its first-ever comprehensive campaign, capital improvements to the institution’s two oldest facilities — Old Admin and Sparks Hall — and shepherded the college’s sustainable fuel efforts while improving the campus landscape.

During her inaugural address, Park stressed the importance of working with everyone its region to solve common problems and the college’s need to be a good steward.

She said a college that is a good steward is responsive to public needs and is intertwined with its region so that both prosper.

“We have a responsibility to be a partner in helping develop strategies to a brighter future in our region,” Park said. She added that a college must listen to the communities it serves and work together to forge strategies that will resolve the issues they confront.

She noted that a college takes on the role of a learner as often as it exercises its role as a teacher and that people both on and off campus are a college’s most valuable resource.

“I believe we must have a vision for the future, but vision is not enough. We must develop a plan of action to achieve our vision. Then we must roll up our sleeves and get to work.”

When Park retired, she said the seven years as CSC's president were an honor and a privilege.

Prior to joining CSC, Park was provost and academic vice chancellor and professor of biological sciences at Montana State University-Billings for nine years. At Montana State, she managed six colleges, the honors program and academic support services, including the library, graduate studies, distance delivery and telecommunications, continuing education, and several university centers. She was also responsible for a $20 million budget, academic assessment, faculty and staff evaluations, and served on the collective bargaining team for the faculty unions.

Previously, she served as dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Montana State University in Billings for three years. She also was associate dean of the College of Science and Liberal Arts at the Florida Institute of Technology at Melbourne for three years.

Park is survived by her husband, Tom, sons Eric and Chris, and three grandchildren.