CEO on the move
Diana Rodriguez will become the 16th chancellor of San Bernardino Community College District in California in August. She has served since 2016 as president of San Bernardino Valley College (SBVC), which is part of the district.
Previously, Rodriguez was vice president of student services and interim vice president of academic services at Las Positas College and vice president of student services at Palo Verde College, her alma mater.
“Serving as the next chancellor is the honor of a lifetime,” Rodriguez said of her new role. “My passion for this work comes from my own story. As I walk across our district and our campuses, I see myself in our students. I am second-generation Mexican-American, first in my family to go to college, and a very proud community college graduate.”
At SBVC, Rodriguez worked with K-12 schools and community partners to start student-focused programs such as the GenerationGo! internship program, the Valley360 Resource Center food pantry, the Workforce Readiness Program, and the annual SBVC Day of Service. She said the immediate goal now is to return from the pandemic in a safe, steady and sustainable way. She wants to expand campus offerings so that students and faculty continue to have choices about in-person or online learning.
Interim presidents
Charlene Dukes will serve as interim president at Montgomery College in Maryland as of August 7. A veteran of Maryland community colleges, Dukes retired in 2020 after servicing 13 years as president of Prince George’s Community College. Last summer, Dukes — who also was board chair of the American Association of Community College in 2016 — was appointed to serve as co-chair of Prince George’s Forward, a task force charged with the post-Covid transformation of Prince George’s County.
James L.J. Houpis will become interim chancellor of the Yuba Community College District in California as of July 1. He was president of Modesto Junior College from 2019 to 2021. Previously, Houpis served in various positions at several higher education institutions, including dean of academic support and learning technologies at Skyline College.
James Preston will serve as interim president at West Hills College Lemoore College (California), effective July 1. Since joining the West Hills Community College District in 2000, Preston’s roles include vice president of educational services, dean of education and education/English instructor.
Appointments
Doreen Larson, president of Edison State Community College in Ohio, has been elected to a two-year term as board chair of the Southwestern Ohio Council for Higher Education (SOCHE). The council is a leader for higher education collaboration, engaging with colleges, universities and industry to transform the economy through education and employment.
“Dr. Larson’s vast experience in community college education will impart an important focus on the value of student pathway development from high school to certification and two- or four-year degrees. This is a critical focus area for SOCHE as our region and state economies continue to grow,” said SOCHE President Cassie Barlow.
Corey Dawkins is now director of campus facilities at Orange County Community College in New York. Most recently, Dawkins was director of residential projects for facilities management at Purchase College (New York), where he held several roles during his seven-year tenure.
Sadiaa Jones has been named the first-ever athletic director for Dallas College in Texas. Most recently, Jones was an associate athletic director at Northwestern Oklahoma State University.
Roderick Morrison will join Tacoma Community College (Washington) as vice president of equity, diversity and inclusion on August 1. He has served as senior associate director of diversity, equity and admission at Seattle University School of Law.
Doug Schantz has been promoted to vice president of business affairs at Clark State College. He joined the Ohio college last year as associate vice president of business affairs. Schantz previously was director of business operations at Wittenberg University, where he served for more than 20 years.
John Squires, who is executive director of institutional research and effectiveness at Cleveland State Community College (CSCC), will expand his role to include executive director for advancement and planning. He started his career at the Tennessee college more than 30 years ago, and served as the mathematics department chair for 19 years.
Also at CSCC, Kellie Frank is now director of human resources. She has more than 13 years of experience within human resources, including seven years with the Tennessee Board of Regents system.
Tysha Tolefree is joining South Puget Sound Community College in Washington as its vice president for finance and operations. She is a U.S. Air Force veteran with both private sector finance and accounting experience and a combined 16 years of higher education experience as both an administrator and adjunct faculty member.
Kudos
Constance Carroll, who is retiring this month after serving for 17 years as chancellor of the San Diego Community College District, will have her name placed on San Diego City College’s iconic Arts and Humanities building.
The 128,000-square-foot building opened in 2014 and was built using Proposition N bond funds, for which Carroll fought hard to secure voter support in 2006. It is one of 43 new buildings and 18 building renovations completed as part of the $1.5 billion Propositions S and N bond campaigns across the district’s four colleges.
“Chancellor Carroll leaves a legacy of outstanding leadership at the SDCCD, which has provided significant contributions to literally hundreds of thousands of students over the years and naming the building in her honor acknowledges her impact and commitment to educating current and future generations of students,” said Maria Nieto Senour, president of the district’s board of trustees.
Nathan Carpenter, director of global education and international services at Pennsylvania’s Northampton Community College, has received a fellowship from the U.S. Fulbright Scholars program, the nation’s flagship international exchange program. Carpenter was selected for the International Education Administrator Seminar in France in October.
