Selection of new president to start Mar. 8

Elliot Golan / Roundup

The next President of Pierce College is set to begin work by July 1, according to Interim President Dr. Joy McCaslin.

All applications for the position must be received by Mar. 1, according to President of the Academic Senate, Tom Rosdahl.

Rosdahl is also a member of the 12-person committee that will review the applications. The group will meet next on Mar. 8 and decide which of the applicants are worthy of interviewing.

At their most recent meeting on Jan. 25, the committee decided upon the questions that the applicants will be asked. Interviews are slated to take place Apr. 7,8 and 9 off campus.

The 12-person committee is a representative body either elected or appointed by the constituency they represent. Groups respresented include a range of areas from members of the Academic Senate to the American Federation of Teachers.

After finalists are selected by the committee, their names will be forwarded to the Chancellor of the Los Angeles Community College District and the district Board of Trustees.

“The Board of Trustees is the ultimate decision maker for everything,” said Rosdahl.

Like any other selection committee, their deliberation is not to be shared with other members of the Pierce faculty or staff, according to Debbie Swarens, assistant administrative analyst for Academic Affairs and the Pierce College Council (PCC) representative to the Academic Senate.

“We are trusting the committee to do the will of their constituents,” said Swarens.

Swarens and Rosdahl both feel as though the group is well-rounded and was well selected.

Last time Pierce elected a new president, the finalists presented themselves to the faculty and staff.

A consultant group hired by the district advised against having the finalists presenting, due to the possibility of a candidate’s current position being compromised.

The PCC intends to reassert their desire for presentations to the consultant group.

The group of finalists is normally three candidates, though Rosdahl said that the number “could flex a little bit.”

Meetings of the selection committee are not open to the public as personal information is discussed.

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