Darleene Barrientos
With one week left to apply, six candidates have stepped forward in
hopes of nabbing the Glendale Community College board's vacant seat.
The college is soliciting applications from community members to
fill the seat left after Ara Najarian's April 5 election to the
Glendale City Council.
Because another election would cost the college about $200,000,
trustees unanimously voted to appoint a trustee, as board President
Anita Gabrielian was appointed in 2002.
The job might seem daunting to some, especially those with
children and working full time, but Gabrielian said the experience
will be worth it.
"My initial take was, 'What a great opportunity this would be,'"
Gabrielian said. "I was serving on the foundation board at the time,
but for me, I had a full-time job and I had young children, so I did
not initially jump on it. Now, I'm so glad I took that opportunity
and threw my name in the hat."
An ideal trustee will be a team player already familiar with the
role of a community college, its place in higher education and a
person with a vision for college's future, Supt. John Davitt said.
"It should be someone who is collaborative and can work as part of
a team and someone who is responsive to the governance system at the
college," Davitt said. "So this person needs to be able to work in
governance framework."
Anyone can apply for the position, but those considered will have
experience working with the college, which should be detailed in the
letter of intent accompanying a resume, Davitt said. Resumes will be
screened by the board, who will select applicants to interview at its
May 16 meeting.
The college's various employee and faculty groups might also opt
to interview candidates.
Once the search for a fifth trustee is complete, board members
will turn their attention to finding a replacement for Davitt, who
will retire in 2006.
"We're looking for someone who will be committed to the hard work
of finding a new superintendent," board member Victor King said. "We
also want to keep in mind that it should be someone who has strong
ties to the community and represents a viewpoint that the current
board members don't necessarily have."
Applicants interested in the position are being asked to detail
their qualifications and their experience and involvement with the
college, an understanding of the challenges the college faces and
knowledge of the key issues affecting higher education.
Statements of interest and resumes should be postmarked by May 6
and sent to John Davitt, Superintendent/President, 1500 N. Verdugo
Road, Glendale, CA 91208.
* DARLEENE BARRIENTOS covers education. She may be reached at
(818) 637-3215 or by e-mail at darleene.barrientoslatimes.com.
