NORTH COAST, Calif. – Mendocino College officials reported that a new superintendent and president has been selected to lead the community college district.
At the end of a Wednesday evening closed session, the Mendocino College Board of Trustees appointed Arturo Reyes as the next superintendent/president, according to district Human Resources Director Karen Chaty.
“I am thankful to the trustees for placing their faith in me to serve Mendocino College and the surrounding communities,” Reyes said in a written statement. “I am honored to contribute to Mendocino’s long standing reputation of academic excellence, exceptional support services and outstanding extracurricular activities. As superintendent/president, I am looking forward to working collaboratively with all college constituency groups to enhance the educational opportunities for the residents of Mendocino and Lake counties.”
Reyes will begin his new job on Jan. 7, with the board to ratify his contract at its Jan. 9 meeting, Chaty reported.
Chaty said the board of trustees on Wednesday also received the resignation of Roe Darnell, who had acted as interim superintendent and president following the departure of Kathy Lehner, who took the president's job at College of the Redwoods in May.
Reyes is coming from Solano Community College, where he has served as executive vice president of academic and student affairs for the last two and a half years, according to Chaty.
He also has been interim president and vice president of academic affairs for San Jose City College, and served for seven years as dean of humanities and social sciences for Cosumnes River College, Mendocino College reported.
Reyes taught Spanish full-time for Cosumnes River College and Will C. Wood High School in Vacaville, and currently is completing an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership at the University of California, Davis.
Chaty said his selection was assisted by a search committee that included Wilda Shock and John Tompkins of Lake County, as well as Larry Perryman, Virginia Guleff, Steve Hixenbaugh, Reid Edelman, Karen Christopherson, Eileen Cichocki, Larry Lang, Nancy Heth, Morgan Shippey, Gwen Chapman and Gary Smith.
The announcement of Reyes' appointment came the same day as college officials announced that the new Mendocino College Lake Center on Parallel Drive in Lakeport will open to students on Jan. 14.
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