Spring Break
Search begins for next college president
Samantha Bravo and Aaron Castrejon
Issue date: 12/12/07 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
The search is underway for the next superintendent/president of Citrus College.
A presidential search committee representing 10 different on and off campus constituencies has been formed. The committee includes 19 representatives from Academic Senate, Adjunct Faculty United, the Alumni Association, the Associated Students of Citrus College, the Citrus College Foundation, classified staff, the Faculty Association, the management team, supervisor/confidential and the community.
Search consultant Leslie Noble Purdy of Community College Search Services is aiding in the recruitment of qualified candidates to succeed current Superintendent/President Michael J. Viera after he retires in June 2008.
Constituency representatives serve as voting members on the search committee. They will help screen applications for the first level of interviews, Purdy said.
Viera, the college's sixth president in the schools 92-year history, announced his intention to retire at the regularly scheduled Oct. 2 Board of Trustees meeting.
The proposal to the Community College Search Services was made in early November, as soon as the board was notified of Viera's intentions to retire, Purdy said.
The first step in the hunt for Citrus' seventh president is the development of a search brochure that will outline the duties and responsibilities the college wants in the next superintendent/president.
"[The brochure] is the primary recruiting tool," Purdy said. "The object of the brochure is to attract as many people as possible."
Representatives from each constituency had the opportunity to meet with Purdy yesterday to share their insights and opinions concerning the presidential search.
Purdy said the majority of people she spoke with want someone similar to Viera.
"[The constituency representatives] are very enthused about his current leadership," Purdy said. "They want someone with the same basic qualities."
Savannah Star Dominguez, ASCC president and member of the president search committee, met with Purdy to discuss characteristics students desire in the college's future president.
"Students want someone with experience as a counselor or supervisor," Dominguez said. "They want a mentor with a strong leadership capacity."
Jesse Sanchez, student representative on the search committee and ASCC vice president, said students hope the next president will foster a connection with students.
"[Students] want someone who will value participation and insight from the student body in the shared governance process," Sanchez said.
Business/computer information sciences instructor Tom Gerfen filled in for Adjunct Faculty United representative Dan Tosney at yesterday's meeting with Purdy.
"[Adjunct Faculty United] hopes that the next president takes into account that adjunct faculty help to support the college," Gerfen said. "The college cannot meet its mission without adjunct faculty. The utilization and support of adjunct faculty is important."
John Vaughan, Academic Senate vice president and search committee member, voiced the Academic Senate's anticipations for the new president.
"We have been in a positive period of change with Dr. Viera. We hope that the new president will be in support of the change and of the direction the college is headed."
Guidelines for the search brochure have not yet been finalized, Purdy said. Once finished, the brochure will be distributed nationally in hopes of recruiting qualified candidates to Citrus, the oldest community college in Los Angeles County and the fifth oldest in California.
The search committee will narrow the candidate pool to six to eight applicants for the Board of Trustees to review, Purdy said. Interviews are scheduled to be held April 23-25.
Purdy said this is a good opportunity for Citrus to look toward the future.
"For some it could be scary, but for some it's a great opportunity," she said.
Samantha Bravo can be reached at bravo_samantha@yahoo.com
Aaron Castrejon can be reached at ccclarion@hotmail.com
A presidential search committee representing 10 different on and off campus constituencies has been formed. The committee includes 19 representatives from Academic Senate, Adjunct Faculty United, the Alumni Association, the Associated Students of Citrus College, the Citrus College Foundation, classified staff, the Faculty Association, the management team, supervisor/confidential and the community.
Search consultant Leslie Noble Purdy of Community College Search Services is aiding in the recruitment of qualified candidates to succeed current Superintendent/President Michael J. Viera after he retires in June 2008.
Constituency representatives serve as voting members on the search committee. They will help screen applications for the first level of interviews, Purdy said.
Viera, the college's sixth president in the schools 92-year history, announced his intention to retire at the regularly scheduled Oct. 2 Board of Trustees meeting.
The proposal to the Community College Search Services was made in early November, as soon as the board was notified of Viera's intentions to retire, Purdy said.
The first step in the hunt for Citrus' seventh president is the development of a search brochure that will outline the duties and responsibilities the college wants in the next superintendent/president.
"[The brochure] is the primary recruiting tool," Purdy said. "The object of the brochure is to attract as many people as possible."
Representatives from each constituency had the opportunity to meet with Purdy yesterday to share their insights and opinions concerning the presidential search.
Purdy said the majority of people she spoke with want someone similar to Viera.
"[The constituency representatives] are very enthused about his current leadership," Purdy said. "They want someone with the same basic qualities."
Savannah Star Dominguez, ASCC president and member of the president search committee, met with Purdy to discuss characteristics students desire in the college's future president.
"Students want someone with experience as a counselor or supervisor," Dominguez said. "They want a mentor with a strong leadership capacity."
Jesse Sanchez, student representative on the search committee and ASCC vice president, said students hope the next president will foster a connection with students.
"[Students] want someone who will value participation and insight from the student body in the shared governance process," Sanchez said.
Business/computer information sciences instructor Tom Gerfen filled in for Adjunct Faculty United representative Dan Tosney at yesterday's meeting with Purdy.
"[Adjunct Faculty United] hopes that the next president takes into account that adjunct faculty help to support the college," Gerfen said. "The college cannot meet its mission without adjunct faculty. The utilization and support of adjunct faculty is important."
John Vaughan, Academic Senate vice president and search committee member, voiced the Academic Senate's anticipations for the new president.
"We have been in a positive period of change with Dr. Viera. We hope that the new president will be in support of the change and of the direction the college is headed."
Guidelines for the search brochure have not yet been finalized, Purdy said. Once finished, the brochure will be distributed nationally in hopes of recruiting qualified candidates to Citrus, the oldest community college in Los Angeles County and the fifth oldest in California.
The search committee will narrow the candidate pool to six to eight applicants for the Board of Trustees to review, Purdy said. Interviews are scheduled to be held April 23-25.
Purdy said this is a good opportunity for Citrus to look toward the future.
"For some it could be scary, but for some it's a great opportunity," she said.
Samantha Bravo can be reached at bravo_samantha@yahoo.com
Aaron Castrejon can be reached at ccclarion@hotmail.com
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