Mission Viejo : Saddleback Trustees Change Chancellor Plan

David Habura will continue as acting chancellor of the Saddleback Community College District until a new, permanent chancellor is appointed, district trustees have announced. The district governs Saddleback College in Mission Viejo and Irvine Valley College in Irvine.

Habura, who is executive vice chancellor of educational services and student development, took over as acting chancellor on Jan. 7 after embattled Chancellor Larry Stevens agreed to resign. Stevens had been under fire for more than two years from some trustees and members of the teachers’ union, who accused him of being “dictatorial.”

When Habura took over on Jan. 7, district officials said he would remain as acting chancellor only until the end of that month, when an interim chancellor would be appointed to serve during a months-long search for a permanent chancellor.

However, the trustees, at their meeting Tuesday night, decided to keep Habura in the acting chancellor position. No timetable has been announced for appointment of a permanent chancellor, but the process in other community college districts has taken a year or longer.

As acting chancellor, Habura will be paid the same annual salary--$70,525--that Stevens was, the trustees said. Habura is not restricted from applying to be permanent chancellor, but he has announced that he will not be a candidate.

Habura came to the community college district in 1983. Before that he was executive dean of education services at Tacoma (Wash.) Community College.