Texas Educator in Line for Local District Post : Community colleges: Trustees will be asked to approve Jeff Marsee as the vice chancellor for administrative services.

A 42-year-old Texas educator--experienced in weathering steep budget cuts--is expected to fill one of the highest ranking positions in the Ventura County Community College District, officials said Tuesday.

Chancellor Thomas Lakin will ask the Board of Trustees to approve the nomination of Jeff Marsee when the board meets Dec. 10.

Marsee, an administrator at a community college district in Houston, would replace Tom Kimberling as vice chancellor for administrative services.

Kimberling resigned from the position in August after he was convicted of misdemeanor spousal abuse. District officials had considered rehiring Kimberling and placed him among their top four candidates for the job.

But Marsee wound up with top billing.

“Jeff Marsee knows the finance system of community colleges,” said Jerry Pauley, associate vice chancellor of personnel for the district. “He is well-qualified for the job.”

Marsee is the vice chancellor at North Harris County Community College District, a position he has held since 1983. Before joining the Houston district, Marsee served as dean of business affairs for Texarkana Community College District in Texarkana, Tex.

He was also the director of business systems at Dallas County Community College District and an internal auditor for Atlantic Richfield Co.

Marsee was born in Pasadena and raised in Redondo Beach. He has a doctorate degree in higher education and administration from the University of Texas, a master’s degree in economics from Cal State Long Beach and a B.A. in economics from USC.

He was selected for the $86,000-a-year job from 119 candidates nationwide.

During a phone interview Tuesday, Marsee said he is excited about returning to California and taking the position with the 33,000-student district. If the trustees approve Marsee, as expected, he would start the job in January.

Recently, the district absorbed $5 million in budget cuts. It continues to struggle financially as the recession keeps a strong hold on the state.

“My first order of business would be to reevaluate how we can maintain high quality during budget cuts, while being accessible to an increasing number of students,” Marsee said. “Capital improvements will also be an issue that will have to be improved and organized.”

Marsee said that while he was in Houston, the college district weathered a series of budget cutbacks that followed a downturn in the state’s oil industry.

“The last eight years have been very rough,” he said. “But we made sure faculty and instructional programs received funding that was available.”

Marsee said officials cut back on spending in non-instructional areas and upgraded a problem computer system, which allowed them to use employees more efficiently.