Three presidential finalists have been selected in the search for a permanent president at PCC and the college will hold open forums on campus from Apr. 13 to Apr.15, according to Board of Trustees president Berlinda Brown.
Interim Superintendent/President Robert Miller is among the candidates, along with Patricia Hsieh, president of San Diego Miramar College and Rajen Vurdien, president of Fullerton College.
“I was very pleased with the entire search process,” Brown said. “The board unanimously felt that these three by far were the most qualified.”
Miller, Hsieh and Vurdien will meet individually with shared governance groups during those three days. Vurdien will have his open forums on April 13, Hsieh on the 14th and Miller on the 15th.
Vurdien and Hsieh will both have their forums from 12:40-1:40 p.m. in the Westerbeck Recital Hall and at 5:30 p.m. to 6:30pm in the Creveling Lounge. Both of Miller’s open forums will be held in Westerbeck at those same times.
At these forums, members of the community will be able to hear the candidates speak about themselves and then be able to ask them questions.
“I am exhilarated by the prospects of the two forums and the individual discussions with the constituent group representatives and look forward to the experience,” Miller said. “Collectively, these discussions will be a great opportunity for people to get a better sense of who I am, what I stand for as regards the mission of the college, my passion to help students achieve their goals and dreams, and my deep caring and respect for our faculty, staff, managers and the communities we serve.”
Vurdien and Hsieh did not return phone and email messages seeking comment on this story.
Brown said that the purpose of the forums was so that the board could receive feedback about the three candidates.
“We’re looking forward to showcasing these candidates to the campus and community and seeking their input,” she said.
Miller said that it was an honor to be among the list of finalists who both had strong backgrounds and experience.
“I think the three of us can feel good about the fact that out of a field of 51 applicants, we emerged as the three finalists,” he said.
Vurdien has been the president at Fullerton College since 2010 and before that was vice president of instruction at Saddleback College for six years. He also currently sits on the executive board of the California State University Fullerton Doctor in Education Leadership program.
Hsieh is in her tenth year as school president for Miramar College. She also serves on many local and national boards, including the San Diego Maritime Museum Board, the Community College Baccalaureate Association (CCBA), the National Coalition of Certification Centers, and the National Asian Pacific Islanders Council.
Before being selected as the interim superintendent/president of PCC after Mark Rocha retired from the position, Miller was the senior vice president of Business and College Services. He is also a PCC alum, having graduated in 1975 with an AA in telecommunications. Miller will be president of the 2021 Rose Parade and Rose Bowl Game.
According to Brown, the board hopes to make its decision by the end of April.
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Salaries of full-time faculty members are, on average, barely higher than they were in 1970. Moreover, while 45 years ago 78 percent of college and university professors were full time, today half of postsecondary faculty members are lower-paid part-time employees, meaning that the average salaries of the people who do the teaching in American higher education are actually quite a bit lower than they were in 1970.
“…a major factor driving increasing costs is the constant expansion of university administration. According to the Department of Education data, administrative positions at colleges and universities grew by 60 percent between 1993 and 2009, which Bloomberg reported was 10 times the rate of growth of tenured faculty positions.
Even more strikingly, an analysis by a professor at California Polytechnic University, Pomona, found that, while the total number of full-time faculty members in the C.S.U. system grew from 11,614 to 12,019 between 1975 and 2008, the total number of administrators grew from 3,800 to 12,183 — a 221 percent increase.
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https://youtu.be/6Lzz1JxUi7M
PCC BOT you can’t be serious. Watch this video. Listen to the responses he gives during his “Candidate Interview Forum” for Cerritos College on 3-11-15. Less than a month ago. This guy made it to PCC’s top 3?? Interestingly, when he was asked if he’s applied for any other college president positions, he fails to mention PCC at all. When it comes to poor selections, PCC is like a moth to a flame.
Miller has no chance. He’s a white male, remember?
…..and all that brown-nosing for nothing!
Depth? Bob Miller has 8 months experience as a college president. Breadth? Bob’s only educational admin. experience is at 1570 E. Colorado — serving Mark Rocha.
How on earth did PCC’s nation-wide talent search come up with this pick? Imagine who was overlooked, imagine why. The same Board that picked Parfumo and Rocha is doing their best to bring us the bottom of the barrel — again.