Emily Kelley / Roundup
As a new Associated Students Organization president prepares to take office, the selection of a new Pierce College president is slowly coming to a close.
The 12-person committee in charge of selecting the new president convened on April 16 to discuss the interview process, according to Pierce College Council (PCC) President Lyn Clark after Thursday’s PCC meeting.
Clark said that interviews for prospective finalists would begin tomorrow and Friday. The 12 candidates will be interviewed at the Hilton hotel in Woodland Hills.
Tom Rosdahl, president of the Academic Senate, is a member of the selection committee along with Clark.
Rosdahl said that the initial applicant pool numbered over 50. He said that search committee narrowed that number down to 12 after initial screening.
The application deadline for the position was initially set at March 1, but finally closed on April 1.
“We had a very, very good group of people to pick from,” said Rosdahl.
Rosdahl said that the committee is conducting their interviews at the hotel to get a “fairly independent look” at the candidates.
Rosdahl declined to provide the names of the 12 people the committee will discuss.
According to Rosdahl, the consulting firm the district hired to help with the selection process advised not to release any information on the candidates or finalists.
The consultants, Dr. Edward J. Valeau, Sallie A. Savage, both Senior Partners of the ELS Group, and Dr. Lydia Ledesma, search consultant, were listed on the brochure advertising the position.
“We use consultants in order to do a national search in a proper manner.
The goal is getting the best candidates to apply,” said LACCD Board of Trustees President Mona Field, in an E-mail.
During the last selection process 5 years ago, former Pierce President Robert Garber and his fellow finalists were given the opportunity to speak at a town hall meeting where students, faculty, staff and the community could ask them questions.
This time around, the Pierce community will not get that opportunity.
Clark said that the names of the finalists would not be released, let alone allow the candidates to present to the people they might one day lead. So why the change?
“I asked the same thing,” said Clark, who, along with members of the faculty and other selection committee members, took concerns to the board of trustees.
According to Clark, when the job was advertised, it was said that the names of the applicants would not be released, and despite protests this is still the case.
“The board decided that releasing the names might keep away some good candidates,” said Clark.
The explanation given to the committee members by the board was that by releasing the names, candidates from other colleges, especially those in positions of power, could have a hard time going back if they are not selected as president.
Once the interviews have concluded, the committee will recommend 3-5 finalists and forward their information to the board of trustees, who will have the final decision.
“The interviewing is a confidential process,” said Rosdahl.
The board is expected to receive the names by Friday afternoon, but the Pierce community will not know who the new president is until the official announcement.
Rosdahl added that after the names are sent to the board, “it is out of our hands.”
Dr. Joy McCaslin has served as interim president of Pierce since the sudden departure of former president Robert Garber, who left the position Aug. 1, 2009 after his son was diagnosed with acute liver failure.
McCaslin served as Vice President of Student Services before taking over for Garber, and intends to return to that position after the next president is selected.
For more on this story, check back at www.theroundup.net as more information becomes available.
*Additional reporting by Elliot Golan.
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