Bryan Melara / Roundup
Pierce College has gone through many changes in the past couple of months, from building and campus renovations to new hires and even a new president.
Another change will come at the end of October, as Vice President of Academic Affairs, Nabil Abu-Ghazaleh has taken a position with the Coast Community College District (CCCD), in the Costa Mesa area.
“It’s certainly a promotion for me,” he said about his new position.
His new position as Vice Chancellor of Educational Services and Technology will be effective Oct. 1 of this year and will continue through June 2013.
The CCCD consists of three colleges: Coastline Community College, Golden West College and Orange Coast College.
The position will entail coordinating the three colleges on instruction, student services and technology.
The CCCD’s Board of Trustees made the announcement at a meeting Sept. 8.
Abu-Ghazaleh said in an e-mail he will work until his last day on Sept. 30, unless his wife convinces him to take an early vacation.
He lives in Glendale with his wife Rita Gonzales who teaches Speech Communications at Pasadena Community College.
According to President Kathleen Burke-Kelly, there has been no mention of a replacement yet.
Any interim hired will take the position from Oct. 1 until Jun. 30 of next year, when a permanent replacement is expected to be in place.
Kathy Oborn, chair of political science, economics and criminal justice, who met Abu-Ghazaleh 15 years ago before working at Pierce, shared her sentiments.
“He will be missed, he’s a really great guy,” said Oborn. “[I] wish he could’ve stayed longer.”
The two were in the same Ph.D program at UCLA and were reunited in 2006 when Abu-Ghazaleh began working at Pierce.
In the four short years Abu-Ghazaleh was at Pierce, he worked under three different presidents; Robert Garber who resigned in the fall of 2008 due to personal reasons, Dr. Joy McCaslin who worked as an interim president when Garber left and the most recent, Burke-Kelly.
McCaslin, Vice President of Student Services, credits Abu-Ghazaleh with keeping the accreditation process on track and selecting faculty.
“He showed great leadership for the college,” she said. “I’m sad about him leaving, he’s an excellent administrator.”
CCCD Board of Trustees’ President Jerry Patterson was unavailable for comment, but described why he chose Abu-Ghazaleh in a press release.
“Mr. Abu-Ghazaleh’s experience as a leader in educational services is impressive,” said Patterson. “He has a unique combination of academic and technological skills that will serve the District well.”
Abu-Ghazaleh described having “mixed emotions” about the change of scenery.
“I’ve built a very strong relationship with a very capable Academic Senate,” he said. “It’s difficult to leave that behind me.”
Abu-Ghazaleh has been a member of the Academic Senate and has participated in the American Cancer Society’s 24-hour Relay for Life fundraisers the past 10 years.
Pierce’s Dean of Academic Affairs, Barbara Anderson attended graduate school with Gonzales and worked with Abu-Ghazaleh at Moorpark College while she worked in the Speech Department.
“I’m grateful I got the chance to work with him,” said Anderson. “I deeply admire him.”
“I worked for the wonderful team of deans,” said Abu-Ghazaleh about his departure. “I will miss the boundless energy to be the best.”
Additional reporting by Lorreine Castellanos and Kat Mabry