The newest leader of one of the area's higher education institutions is proposing big changes.

Lincoln College recently hired Dr. David Gerlach as the President of the school and he comes to central Illinois hoping to shake things up. Dr. Gerlach indicates he plans to start offering four-year degrees as soon as next year.

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According to Dr. Gerlach, the University in New York he was at prior to Lincoln College, he took them from a two-year university and transformed them to a four-year university. He points out, Lincoln College started as a four-year college and hopes to go back to that.

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The first year President says with the dreams of academic expansion will come the need for expansion on their campus. Dr. Gerlach says the facilities at Lincoln College are older, yet well kept, and he has dreams of seeing the campus and college continue to grow.

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Dr. Gerlach also praised the new facilities the campus has. The campus in the last couple years has added a new sports facility that also houses a state of the art museum dedicated to the life of Abraham Lincoln.

Additionally, he feels the staff in place has impressed him early on and looks forward to working with them to continue to improve and advance the school.