Hennepin Tech. College President Resigns Amid Allegations of Harassment
The president of Hennepin Technical College has announced his resignation after allegations of harassment in the workplace.
Reports say Merrill Irving made belittling comments to employees and coworkers. A spokesperson from the Minnesota State colleges and universities system said the comments violated workplace procedures, but not the harassment policy.
In an email to the campus community sent out Monday, Irving calls the decision “extremely difficult.” He went on to write, “the longer I stay in my role as president of HTC, the more of a distraction it is to our college community.”
In the meantime, Hennepin Technical College Vice President of Student Affairs Jessica Lauritsen will serve as acting president.
In an email to HTC faculty and staff from Minnesota State Chancellor Devinder Malhotra read, “I express my deepest regrets that Hennepin Technical College wasn’t always a respectful place to work. I’ve heard from you about the hurt, frustration, and pain it has caused, and for that I’m truly sorry.” Malhotra also said he planned to attend campus workshop days on March 8 to talk to staff and “listen and learn.”
Merrill Irving, Jr. has been president of Hennepin Technical College since 2015.
FULL EMAIL:
Dear HTC community,
I am writing to inform you that I have resigned from my role as President of Hennepin Technical College (HTC), effective February 27, 2022. The decision to resign was extremely difficult. I believe that the college mission and the student successes achieved here every day is why we remain committed to our daily work. The faculty, staff and students deserve daily praise for the amazing outcomes that continue to transform HTC. This past week I realized the longer I stay in my role as president of HTC the more of a distraction it is to our college community. The driving force for the attention HTC receives should be the success of our diverse student body, our strong industry partnerships that sustain the local economy and the good people who work diligently for the institution’s continued achievement. The HTC mission is “To provide excellence in career and technical education for employment and advancement in an ever-changing global environment.” HTC advances this mission with Excellence, Innovation and Inclusion.
Serving as president and having the honor of leading such talented educators has been a true blessing. I have witnessed the power of successful partnerships to accelerate our student success agenda. Our K-12 partners, industry partners, and the HTC Foundation all came together to advance the college’s equity work. Each partner stepped up to support women and students of color entering non-traditional fields. That work has led the college to be ranked 22nd nationally for producing the most minorities in Engineering Technology. For the last five years the college has celebrated our faculty receiving national teaching in excellence awards from the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC). Seven of the college program areas are nationally ranked. The Ford ASSET program received a ranking of number one nationally. These achievements, and the many more, are what deserves the community’s attention.
Finally, one of my proudest moments as HTC president was in 2017 when we all came together to lead the college’s successful reaffirmation from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). When the HLC team met with me on the last day of their visit, they stated “We have only word to say before departing….transformational.” Together, we have made HTC a destination to achieve excellence.
I will always be an advocate, champion and believer of the college and its mission, and I regret that I won’t be side-by-side with you as you continue this work.
Wishing you all the best with forever gratitude,
Merrill
See also: Hennepin Technical College President Releases Statement on Harassment Allegations
