GCC superintendent finalists emerge
The identities of the five finalists vying to become the next superintendent of Glendale Community College emerged this week, and all of them already hold the same job title.
Among the five contenders is Pam Eddinger, president of Moorpark College since June 2008. Before starting at Moorpark, Eddinger served as executive vice president and chief academic officer for Massachusetts Bay Community College in Wellesley Hills, Ma.
Another candidate, Farley Herzek, has served as interim president of East Los Angeles College since July 2012. He previously served as vice president of academic affairs for the Desert Community College District and as the dean of the School of Trades and Industrial Technologies for the Long Beach Community College District.
Also in the field is David Viar, president of American River College in the Sacramento area for the past eight years. Before that, he served as chief executive for the Community College League of California — a nonprofit made up of trustees and top administrators of community colleges from across the state — for 15 years.
Another contender is Rajen Vurdien, who has been president of Fullerton College since July 2010. Before that job, Vurdien served as vice president for instruction at Saddleback College for six years and has also served as an associate professor at Long Island University.
Rounding out the group is Kevin Walthers, president of Los Positas College in Livermore, Calif., where he has been at the helm since 2011. He has also held executive roles at the College of Eastern Utah and the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission.
As of mid-March, Glendale Community College’s 11-member hiring committee had screened 23 applications that met minimal qualifications for the superintendent job.
Of those 23 applicants, 12 were chosen to participate in on-campus interviews April 2 and 3.
Public forums featuring the five finalists will take place later this month, with plans for the next superintendent to start around July 1.
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Follow Kelly Corrigan on Twitter: @kellymcorrigan.