Cerro Coso Community College is accepting applications for the position of

Cerro Coso Community College | President 2020 excellence

March 13, 2020 is the application deadline for being considered in the Committee’s first review. For more information, please visit: https://www.cerrocoso.edu/human-resources/presidential-search

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Established in 1973 as a separate college within the Kern Community College District (KCCD), Cerro Coso Community College is one of three colleges in the District which also includes Bakersfield College in Bakersfield and Porterville College in Porterville.

The mission of Cerro Coso Community College is to improve the life of every student it serves. Through traditional and distance delivery, the College brings transfer preparation, workforce education, remedial instruction, and learning opportunities that develop ethical and effective populations in the rural commu-nities and unincorporated areas of the Eastern Sierra. In doing so, they promise clarity of educational pathways, comprehensive and equitable support services, and a commitment to equity. The President of Cerro Coso Community College reports to the District Chancellor and Board of Trustees of KCCD, and works collaboratively with the other colleges in the District to promote and enhance the educational opportunities for all students in the KCCD geographical region. Classes for Cerro Coso students take place on six instructional sites (Eastern Sierra Center Bishop & Mammoth, Ridgecrest, and East Kern that includes Lake Isabella, Edwards AFB, and Tehachapi), which together form the largest geographical service area of any community college in California and serves a rural population of 85,000 individuals over a four county region of eastern California. A leader in distance education, Cerro Coso has been offering online classes since 1998 and offers 19 Associate degrees entirely online. The College also has a thriving education program for incarcerated students (ISEP), offering classes at two correctional facilities. The Ridgecrest campus is the main Cerro Coso site situated on a dramatic site overlooking the Sierra Nevada, Coso, Panamint, and Argus mountain ranges and serves the communities of Ridgecrest, China Lake, Inyokern, and Trona. This area is more commonly referred to as the Indian Wells Valley and is the second largest population base in Kern County. The College serves more than 2,800 FTE students total. Cerro Coso seeks a president that understands the unique challenges and opportunities of a rural college spread out over 18,500 square miles that meets the educational needs of the diverse commu-nities it serves; and a leader who can build on the traditions of the past, capitalize on the unique opportunities available, and move forward with strategic planning and actualization of long-term goals for the College, the communities it serves, and the students who seek a well-rounded, highly competitive education.

Strengths • The College has recently earned a reaffirmation of its ACCJC accreditation, without a single recom-mendation to address non-compliance with a Commission standard. The Commission issued five commendations that recognized exemplary perfor-mance, ranging from use of technology, student engagement and leadership, addressing the diverse needs of students and communities in a unique and challenging geographical setting, and fiscal stability.

• As the primary provider of post-secondary education in a geographically expansive service area, the College has a strong reputation for high quality transfer and career technical education programs.

• Community partnerships support student engagement and success, including a strong dual enrollment program with local secondary education providers and educational opportunities for nearby military and aerospace installation service members, contractors, and their families.

• The College was a nationally recognized and early leader in distance education; professional and technological approaches provide a high-quality distance education student experience.

• The College is nationally recognized for its education of incarcerated populations.

• Students enjoy a well-rounded campus life experience, including Phi Theta Kappa, an Honors Program, and an active student government and clubs.

• Students and the community benefit from the work of strong and dedicated employees, committed to providing an environment that enhances achieve-ment of educational goals.

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Challenges • The College area is unique, with numerous rural and sparsely populated communities across 18,500 square miles, all served by a Ridgecrest main campus as well as centers and educational sites at distant locations such as Lake Isabella, Tehachapi, Bishop and Mammoth Lakes. This calls for:

• attending to diverse educational needs of current and prospective student populations;

• managing enrollment in an effective and efficient manner;

• developing and maintaining programs and facilities as diverse as the populations served by them;

• cultivating and sustaining active participation in student government and other co-curricular activities; and

• striving to maintain a unifying culture, given the number and variety of program and service settings.

• While many relationships exist with local educational, business, trades, industry and govern-ment partners, there is much room for expansion of these initiatives to support students and future college development. For example, the Cerro Coso Community College Foundation and a Promise Program present opportunities for growth.

• Innovation, marketing and promotion must be a presidential and college-wide commitment to seize numerous and varied opportunities for future college growth and development.

• Similar to higher education across the country, food, housing, transportation, and other financial insecurities challenge the success of Cerro Coso Community College students.

Minimum Qualifications • Master’s Degree from an accredited college/ university • Teaching or student services experience • At least one year of formal training, internship, or

leadership experience reasonably related to the administrator’s administrative assignment

• Demonstrated sensitivity to and understanding of the diverse academic, socioeconomic, cultural, ethnic, and disability backgrounds of community college students and employees (currently listed under knowledge and abilities)

Desirable Qualifications • Earned Doctorate Degree • At least three years of senior-level administrative experience • Both instruction and student services experience

at the community college level • Participation in community activities and

partnership development

Ideal Characteristics The next President of Cerro Coso Community College will ideally possess the following characteristics:

• Is keenly aware of the California community college mission as well as initiatives and innovative practices throughout a college that promote a student-centered environment and high student achievement.

• Understands the California community college environment – regulatory, policy, fiscal, accreditation – and its relationship with effective leadership and operation of a college in a multi-college district.

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• Promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion in all its forms as a campus value; focuses on meeting the needs of underserved student and community populations; seeks diversity in employee positions.

• Demonstrates a collaborative approach to leader-ship with all internal groups (employees and students) and with the community; is inclusive in decision making processes; is a consensus builder, respecting the valuable contributions of such groups and individ-uals; understands the California community college philosophy and practices that underpin the tenets of AB 1725.

• Leads with a focus on continuous improvement of institutional effectiveness and professional devel-opment of all employees; is a data-informed decision maker; motivates people to perform at their best.

• Manages change effectively, possessing the know- ledge as well as the technical skills and emotional intelli-gence to do the work; is a visible and accessible leader.

• Demonstrates effective skills in cultivating, plan-ning, and managing internal and external resources (human, fiscal, physical, technological).

• Understands the role of a college president within a multi-college district, including the structure of local and statewide policy and authority; owns the decisions of such authority as if it were his/her own.

• Exhibits an awareness and understanding of the California collective bargaining environment and regularly maintains effective labor relations and employee contract management.

• Understands the important role of student leader-ship development, including student government and other organizations as well as athletics, in contributing to successful student outcomes and relationships with the communities the College serves.

• Has successful experience with external relation-ships, such as advocacy and active promotion of community support of the institution, effective pursuit of funding through a foundation and grant sources, functional partnerships with education and other governmental agencies, business, and industry;em-braces the uniqueness of these relationships in a rural and geographically expansive area.

• Utilizes effective oral and written communication skills with college and community stakeholders; chooses wisely from multiple communication strategies to address a variety of interpersonal and group situations.

• Exhibits personal/professional ethics and integrity in all behavior and relationships, with a focus on transparency, fairness and equitable decision making; holds oneself accountable and, through effective delegation of responsibilities, holds others accountable as well.

• Gauges people and situations effectively; exhibits an executive presence and composure, but also patience, flexibility, and good sense of humor; seeks desired outcomes even in ambiguous situations.

Benefits and Compensation The starting salary for the President of Cerro Coso Community College is negotiable based on experience. A robust benefits package complements the salary package.

The District has retained PPL, Inc. to support its search and selection processes. For confidential inquiries and nominations, please contact: Dean C. Colli, Ed.D. Lisa Sugimoto, Ed.D. PPL, Inc. – Vice President PPL, Inc. – Vice President (619) 517-6133 (562) 972-8983 dcolli@pplpros.com Isugimoto@pplpros.com

Cerro Coso Main Campus | 3000 College Heights Blvd., Ridgecrest, CA 93555-9571 | cerrocoso.edu

The Kern Community College District (KCCD) is committed to providing an academic and work environment free of unlawful discrimination. Discrimination based on race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, sexual orientation of any person, military and veteran status, or the perception that a person has one or more of these characteristics is illegal and violates KCCD policy. The KCCD will enforce all state and federal laws prohibiting discrimination.

The KCCD is committed to recruiting, training and providing advancement opportunities that will result in equal employment opportunities for all qualified applicants and employees.