LBCC President Oakley Mulling Potential Exit? He's Among Four Finalists Interviewing For Santa Barbara Junior College Position; In Statement, He Says...

In an April 3 release, the Santa Barbara Community College District Board of Trustees announced four finalists for the position:

• Dr. Lori Gaskin, President, West Valley College, Saratoga, Calif.
• Dr. Willard Lewallen, President, West Hills College, Coalinga, Calif.
• Eloy Oakley, Superintendent/President, Long Beach Community College District, Long Beach, Calif. and
• David Viar, J.D., President, American River College,Sacramento, Calif.

Reached for comment shortly after dawn today (April 6), LBCC's Mark Taylor (Director, College Advancement, Public Affairs & Gov't Relations) provided LBReport.com with the following statement by President Oakley:

I was recruited to interview for the Presidency at Santa Barbara City College and I will meet with their Board of Trustees to discuss the position. I feel that as a professional courtesy to my colleagues at SBCC, I owe them an opportunity to discuss their position with me. While I have agreed to meet with the Board, I currently have no intention of leaving LBCC.

SBCC issued an April 3 release on the matter, text follows:

[SBCC release text] The Santa Barbara Community College District Board of Trustees has announced four finalists for the position of Santa Barbara City College superintendent/president. All are current presidents ofCalifornia community colleges.

• Dr. Lori Gaskin, President, West Valley College, Saratoga,Calif.
• Dr. Willard Lewallen, President, West Hills College, Coalinga, Calif.
• Eloy Oakley, Superintendent/President, Long Beach Community College District, Long Beach, Calif. and
• David Viar, J.D., President, American River College, Sacramento, Calif.

The SBCC Board of Trustees will conduct interviews on April 13 and 18 and will sponsor public forums at the college for candidates on April 13 and 19.

The names of the finalists were forwarded to the SBCC Board by a presidential search committee made up of college administrators, managers, classified staff, students, a representative for the Foundation for SBCC, and community members (SBCC Continuing Education Division and at-large). Committee co-chairs were Dr. Dean Nevins, President of the SBCC Academic Senate, and Dr. Ronald Gallo, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Santa Barbara Foundation. Stanton Chase, International served as SBCC’s search consultants.

"We had a large number of candidates express interest in the position, and we are delighted with the caliber and strong backgrounds of the four finalists," said Dr. Peter Haslund, SBCC District Board President. "The search committee was diligent in selecting candidates they believe would provide excellent. leadership for the college." He added, "I want to thank the members of the search committee for the commitment of their collective time and input into this process."

The timeline calls for the SBCC District Board to name the new superintendent/president in the next four weeks with a start date of July 1, 2012.

The SBCC Board of Trustees will conduct interviews on April 13 and 18 and will sponsor public forums at the college for candidates on April 13 and 19.

The names of the finalists were forwarded to the SBCC Board by a presidential search committee made up of college administrators, managers, classified staff, students, a representative for the Foundation for SBCC, and community members (SBCC Continuing Education Division and at-large). Committee co-chairs were Dr. Dean Nevins, President of the SBCC Academic Senate, and Dr. Ronald Gallo, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Santa Barbara Foundation. Stanton Chase, International served as SBCC’s search consultants.

"We had a large number of candidates express interest in the position, and we are delighted with the caliber and strong backgrounds of the four finalists," said Dr. Peter Haslund, SBCC District Board President. "The search committee was diligent in selecting candidates they believe would provide excellent. leadership for the college." He added, "I want to thank the members of the search committee for the commitment of their collective time and input into this process."

The timeline calls for the SBCC District Board to name the new superintendent/president in the next four weeks with a start date of July 1, 2012.

In what may or may not be a related development, LBCC's administration recently announced plans to seek roughly $5.1 million in budget cuts that include laying off 55 employees (43 classified staff + 12 management positions) and reducing assignments for 96 other employees, attributing the proposal to [LBCC release text] "to years of declining budget support from the state and increasing operating costs." Those proposed cuts are in addition to LBCC's administration developing a "contingency plan" for an additional $4.8 million in budget cuts if voters statewide don't approve a November ballot measure tax increase backed by Governor Jerry Brown.

LBCC previously announced it has ended several active employee searches including the Dean of Career Education and Workforce Development and two contract faculty positions.

LBCC's administration has scheduled the $5.1 million budget cuts for consideration by the LBCC's Board of Trustees on April 24...two weeks after April 10 election day when a Board incumbent, Doug Otto, is seeking reelection.

"These reductions are being driven by declining support from the state. LBCC has been forced to absorb $7.2 million in revenue reductions over the last three years -- a 7.4% reduction in its overall allocation from the state. LBCC is contending with an additional $3.5 million in unanticipated mid-year cuts this fiscal year because property taxes and student fee revenues under performed." an LBCC release issued March 28 said.

Developing.