WOODLAND HILLS : Valley College President to Replace Pierce College Chief

The president of Pierce College, the target of a no-confidence motion by his faculty last fall, is being replaced by the president of Valley College--herself the object of a no-confidence vote by that school’s faculty after the January quake.

Los Angeles Community College District officials are expected to announce today that Pierce President Lowell Erickson will take a leave of absence and his post will be assumed by Valley College President Mary Lee.

The upcoming change was confirmed by the presidents of both 16,000-student campuses Thursday night.

Erickson said he would “probably not” return to the nine-campus district.

“The earthquake and budget problems have been factors in the decision but not the no-confidence vote by the faculty,” said Erickson, 58. The Pierce faculty had scheduled a vote on a no-confidence motion last October, but the formal balloting was postponed and no vote was taken.

Lee, 54, who has been president of Valley College for 13 years, was criticized by her faculty for reopening the Van Nuys campus two days after the Jan. 17 quake. A total of 88 of 90 faculty members voted for the criticism, contending it was still unclear whether campus buildings--which apparently were not seriously damaged--were safe.