Jonathan M. Brand, J.D. was inaugurated as the Eleventh President of Doane College on May 3, 2006.
President Brand earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history and French in 1988 from the University of Wisconsin, Madison; a Master of Arts degree in French literature from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor; and a Juris Doctor from Cornell Law School.
After earning his degrees, Mr. Brand was assistant director of legal writing and academic support coordinator at Cornell Law School; a law associate with Coddington, Hicks & Danforth and Robinson & Wood, focusing on legal malpractice, intellectual property, and environmental law; and was a lecturer of French at the University of California-Riverside Department of Comparative Literature and Foreign Languages. In 1998 he became Vice President of Institutional and Budget Planning at Grinnell College in Grinnell, Iowa and served as a lecturer in political science until becoming the 11th President of Doane College.
In 2004 Mr. Brand served as a visiting professor at Nanjing University Law School in Nanjing, China. He is a member of the American Bar Association, California State Bar Association, American Council on Education, and the Society of College and University Planning.
Cross-Country and marathon racing are among his interests. He also makes an award winning cranberry upside down cake. He and his wife, Rachelle LaBarge, have two children: Madeleine and Ethan.
MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS AT DOANE
Academic: Added new majors in Biochemistry and Journalism and strengthened the Environmental Sciences major; Launched the Learning Communities Initiative; Reduced faculty teaching load across the institution; Increased student/faculty research; Created the Office of International Programs and increased the student travel scholarship available to all students; Strengthened Doane's pre-medical program-100% success rate of student applications to all medical/health professions graduate programs in 2008; Opened the Office of Multicultural Support Services; and Added full-time Chaplain/Community Service staff member.
Facilities: Completed the new Chab Weyers Education and Hixson Lied Art Building; Renovated all dining facilities, including a dining hall and a new coffeehouse; Renovated and dedicated the Fred D. Brown Center; Constructed the new Ledon Softball and Baseball Complex; Created additional outdoor learning spaces, including the Pappy and Deb Khouri Garden and Outdoor Classroom; Improved the connected trail system around campus; Secured authorization to design (with the intent to construct) a new Recreation and Athletic Center; and Extended wireless to all college facilities.
Advancement: Successfully completed Doane College's $40 million campaign, begun in 2002, by raising approximately $45 million; Raised support for 99.3% of the project costs for the $11 million Chab Weyers Education and Hixson Lied Art Building; Exceeded $9 million in financial support for the Recreation and Athletic Center; Surpassed the Doane Fund's unrestricted annual fund goal of $750,000; Raised approximately $2 million in new foundation and governmental grants; Strengthened all College publications, including the Doane Magazine (Received CASE awards in 2008 for the Doane Magazine); Improved Doane's Website in terms of depth of content and visual appeal; and Launched a new Doane College logo.
Community: Launched the Crete Community Initiative, providing financial incentives for faculty to live in the City of Crete; Started the Crete Community Dinner, a free community meal open to all in Crete; and Strengthened Doane's relationship with the Crete Public Schools.
Overall: Completed an institution-wide strategic planning process; Reworked many policies, practices, and procedures, with the goal of tracking best practices in higher education; and Implemented new Trustee bylaws and an institutional conflict of interest policy.
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