Anibal Ortiz / Roundup
An announcement about Pierce College President Robert Garber may be made as early as Wednesday at the Los Angeles Community College District Board of Trustees meeting.
In an e-mail, Garber said that the interim president may be announced at the board’s district office on Wednesday. The Board of Trustees will be making the decision on which person will be taking the interim president position for Pierce, according to Joy McCaslin, vice president of student services
Garber sent a letter to the Pierce community on Monday stating that he would be retiring early in order to care for his youngest son.
“I think it’s a big loss for him personally and the college as well,” said McCaslin.
At the moment, there is no set amount of time on how long the interim president will take office for, only that a search for a new president will begin shortly after.
Among his many accomplishments at Pierce, Garber is proud to have aided in the increased enrollment of students, the employment of a vast number of new full time faculties, and is proud to have helped the college advance during a time of economic turmoil.
“Our progress on fulfilling the promise of the construction bonds passed by the District has been very satisfying,” said Garber in an e-mail. “Projects have been completed, new buildings are nearing completion, and a new master plan has been adopted for the next phase of campus development.”
The next phase includes plans for new buildings that will support new and existing programs, according to Garber.
“All of these elements make up a level of performance and success for the college that we can all be very proud of,” said Garber.
This success will be left to the Pierce community. Garber is loved and respected by many of the Pierce faculty and staff members. Some called him a shepherd, others a man of his word but more than anything, people were at a loss for words.
Barabara Heller, secretary of academic affairs, has been at Pierce since 1981 and recalls her first time meeting Garber.
“It was my first day,” she said, “and he was the first person I saw.”
Heller described Garber as a family man that has always been “100 percent for the students,” as she put it.
“He’s also played a role in helping to hire our new faculty,” said Edward R. Mazeika, a part of the Pierce community since 1986. “He’s done a good job of putting up a new administrative team.”
William de Rubertis, president of the AFT Faculty Guild at Pierce, talked about Garber’s interaction with the staff and his strengths as president.
“I’m going to miss working with him,” he said. “Although we did not always agree, he was a straight shooter. His word was his bond.”
De Rubertis, who has served with all but two presidents said, “He was absolutely superb. I would rank him one of the top presidents.”
Most of the staff questioned was saddened to hear about his retirement, and more so to hear about his reasons.
“There is a family emergency at hand,” said Mazeika, “his retirement is not a ride into the sunset.”
The school will not be left in the dark without their leader. Faculty and staff questioned agreed that the president aided in the assembly of a strong collaborative team.
“Clearly, the president is not alone in leading the college. The college relies on collaborative governance that embraces the input of faculty, staff, administration and students in making decisions and this has worked well for us and should continue to be the basis for how the college moves forward,” said Garber.
Even as he prepares to leave Pierce, the president wishes the best for the Pierce community.
“I hope the new president will take advantage of the progress we’ve made and the goals we’ve set to continue leading Pierce in the future.”
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