The Southwestern Michigan College Board of Trustees unanimously approved the contract of Dr. Klint Pleasant, incoming ninth president of SMC.
Board Chair Thomas Jerdon said that trustees have reviewed extensive compensation data from the other Michigan community colleges as well as national data.
“The goal here was to craft a contract that is fair and competitive,” Jerdon said. “Dr. Pleasant’s contract provides for a base salary of $219,600, as well as health care that is the same as all other employees, retirement contributions and other fringe benefits common to other Michigan community college CEOs. This base salary aligns with what we advertised in our national search.”
During the national search conducted in 2025, SMC evaluated 128 applications that resulted in the selection of Dr. Pleasant.
The three-year contract starts April 6, 2026, and runs to April of 2029 with an option for a one-year extension. During that time, Dr. Pleasant will be eligible for salary increases at the same rate as other employees at the college.
Dr. Pleasant, a lifetime Michigander, has worked in higher education for 28 years and has spent the last 20 years in administration. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from Lipscomb University, a Master of Arts in Education from the University of Tennessee and a Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership and Strategic Change from Lipscomb University.
Since 2017, he has served as the Senior Vice President and Special Assistant to the President at Rochester Christian University (RCU) in Rochester Hills, Mich. Since 2005, Pleasant has spent time managing enrollment, development and athletics. Additionally, he has been involved with strategic planning, student mentoring, student retention and community relations. He has served as an instructor in the classroom and is a published author.
In addition to Pleasant’s expertise in higher education administration, he has also been a highly successful college basketball coach, as he was recently inducted into the Michigan Basketball Hall of Fame. He is one of the top 25 winningest coaches in the NAIA and has captured numerous “Coach of the Year” awards while leading his teams to both conference and national championships.
