Cerritos College News Release

NORWALK, Calif. – June 4, 2009 – Five candidates have been selected by the Cerritos College Board of Trustees to be interviewed for the President/Superintendent position for the college district. The Board voted last night (Wednesday, June 3) on the process by which the candidates will be introduced to the campus community and interviewed by the trustees.

The finalists are: Dr. Thom Armstrong, Dr. Linda Lacy, Dr. Richard Rose, Dr. Barry Russell, and Dr. Mark Zacovic.
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Dr. Thom Armstrong currently serves as Interim Vice President of Academic Affairs and Acting Vice President of Student Services at Barstow Community College. He joined the college in 2008 after a three-year presidency at Copper Mountain College. Dr. Armstrong also served as Vice President of Instruction at Citrus College from 1997 to 2004. He has a doctorate in history from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and a master’s degree in history from Portland State University (PSU). Dr. Armstrong also has dual bachelor’s degree in history and political science from PSU.

Dr. Linda Lacy is Vice Chancellor of Student Services and Operations at Riverside Community College District. Her 23-year service to RCC includes an interim presidency. Dr. Lacy holds a doctorate in higher education administration from Oklahoma State University, a master’s degree from Central State University, and a bachelor’s degree from Oklahoma State University.

Dr. Richard Rose has served since 2006 as President at Modesto Junior College. Prior to joining MJC, he served as Vice President of Student Development at San Diego Mesa College. He also served as Dean of Counseling & Matriculation at De Anza College and Dean of Admissions & Records and Enrollment Services at Santa Rosa Junior College. Dr. Rose has a doctorate in educational administration from the University of San Francisco, a master’s degree in educational administration from San Jose State University, a master’s degree in educational psychology from California State University, Hayward, and a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary social sciences from San Francisco State University.

Dr. Barry Russell currently serves as Vice President of Instruction at the College of the Siskiyous in Weed, CA. Prior to his work at COS, he was the Dean of Fine Arts and Communications at Cerritos College and Southwestern College in Chula Vista, California. Dr. Russell has a doctorate in community college leadership from the University of Texas at Austin and degrees in music from Texas A&M University – Commerce.

Dr. Mark Zacovic is Interim Vice President of Administrative Services at Pasadena City College. Prior to joining PCC, he served as Vice Chancellor of Administrative Services at the Contra Costa Community College District. Dr. Zacovic also served one year as President/Superintendent of the Mt. San Jacinto Community College District. He also served the Rancho Santiago Community College District (RSCCD) in multiple capacities as Vice Chancellor of Business Operations and Fiscal Services and Interim President of Santiago Canyon College. Prior to his service at RSCCD, he served as Vice President of Business Services at Lake Tahoe Community College. Dr. Zacovic has a doctorate in educational leadership from the University of Nevada, Reno, an MBA from Whittier College and a bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

The finalists were selected for interviews by the college’s search committee. The committee, with representatives from all of the constituent groups on campus and with public representation, reviewed materials from 51 applicants and then interviewed a selected group in order to arrive at a list of finalists for the board interviews.

The Board adopted a process that will bring each candidate to campus for a half-day campus visit and meetings with constituent groups and a public forum. The first candidate will visit campus on Tuesday, June 16 followed by candidate visits on June 17 and 18. Then all five candidates will have their individual private interviews with the Board of Trustees on Friday, June 19. The schedule of visits is still being developed.

At the conclusion of this process the Board will determine if they will be doing site visits on candidates that they may be considering for the position. Site visits involve the Board sending trustees to candidate campuses as a form of reference checking. When the Board makes its selection and at the conclusion of negotiations with the selected finalist, the Board will make its appointment at a regularly scheduled meeting of the Board of Trustees. If scheduling permits, this could happen at their July 15 meeting.

Cerritos College serves as a comprehensive community college for southeastern Los Angeles County. Communities within the college’s district include Artesia, Bellflower, Cerritos, Downey, Hawaiian Gardens, La Mirada, Norwalk, and portions of Bell Gardens, Lakewood, Long Beach, Santa Fe Springs and South Gate. Cerritos College offers degrees and certificates in more than 180 areas of study in nine divisions. Annually, more than 1,200 students successfully complete their course of studies, and enrollment currently surpasses 26,000 students. Visit Cerritos College online at www.cerritos.edu.

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Cerritos College

Releases 2009