Dr. Cliff Davis, vice chancellor for advancement, student affairs and strategic planning and president at Ozarks Technical Community College System, has withdrawn his name from consideration as a candidate for president of Pasadena City College at this time. He is a finalist for president at another community college.
PCC Board of Trustee President Dr. Anthony Fellow said the community forums scheduled for Monday will be canceled and the board will meet this week to take the next steps in its search for a new superintendent-president. Current president Dr. Rajen Vurdien announced his retirement late last year.
“I want to thank the entire PCC community involved in the search,” Fellow said. “It is a long and arduous process so we need everyone’s help.”
Seven community representatives from each PCC district recommended eight candidates to the board of trustees following a national search. The Board of Trustees interviewed the candidates and selected two finalists. They were Dr. Bryon Breland, president of San Jose College, and Dr. Davis.
By the time the announcement of the forums went public, one candidate was offered an interim chancellor’s position and the other is a finalist for president of one of the nation’s top community colleges. Dr. Breland was appointed interim chancellor of the San Jose Evergreen Community College District. Dr. Davis became a finalist for the presidency of another community college.
“This was very unfortunate, but it shows the quality of the finalists selected by the Board of Trustees. Each had exceptional records as professors, administrators, and evidence of scholarship with published research,” Fellow said. “In addition, they were very devoted to student success and were popular and innovative leaders on their current campuses.”
The PCC Board of Trustees is expected to meet this week to determine the next steps in the search for a superintendent-president.
