Uncertainty in Olympia over the state budget won’t mean uncertainty for summer-quarter students at Shoreline Community College.

“We are committed to serving students this summer,” Acting President Daryl Campbell said on Thursday, June 13, 2013. “We don’t know what will happen in the Legislature, but we do know classes will go on this summer at Shoreline.”

Lawmakers are entering their second special session, still trying to pass a state budget.  Facing a deadline of June 30, the end of the state’s fiscal year, Gov. Jay Inslee has asked his cabinet to look at how and what pieces of state government could be impacted if funding isn’t approved.

Community and technical colleges receive funding from three general sources: direct state allocation, student tuition and various grants and contracts. With repeated cuts over recent years, the state allocation is a shrinking percentage of college budgets. The specific percentage and potential budget implications are different for each college.

“We’re hopeful that our elected officials will reach an accord as soon as possible,” Campbell said. “We know that they understand the value of higher education and the key role that community and technical colleges play not only in the lives of our students, but the state’s overall economic recovery.”

The Shoreline Board of Trustees is scheduled to meet June 26. Campbell said staff members are preparing several budget options for possible adoption.  “We hope the Legislature has finished their work by then,” Campbell said. “But even if they haven’t, we will provide the education and training our students expect and need.”

SCC/Jim Hills

Acting and soon-to-be Interim President Daryl Campbell (center) is flanked by trustees Roger Olsstad, Shoubee Liaw, Gidget Terpstra and Phil Barrett (from left). 

Daryl Campbell will be Interim President of Shoreline Community College as of July 1, 2013.

With a 5-0 vote, the Board of Trustees said at June 13, 2013 special meeting that Campbell has the knowledge and experience they are looking for to take the college through period of searching for a permanent president.

“In my three years working with you, I’ve been very pleased with your precision and ability to treat people with respect,” said Phil Barrett, the current board chair. “You’ve got good communication skills and develop trust with those you work with; that’s something you’ve done every day.”

Incoming board chair Shoubee Liaw said, “If there is anyone who can move this campus forward, it is Daryl Campbell.”

For his part, Campbell said he is ready for the job.

“I’ve been here five years … and have fallen in love with the place,” Campbell said. “We have the vision, we have the motivation and we have the strength. As long as we stand together, we also have the answer to any problem or challenge we may face.”

Campbell is filling the position because the previous president, Lee Lambert, left for the chancellor job at Pima Community College in Tucson, Ariz.  Campbell was named by Lambert to be acting president through June 30 and will now become interim president on July 1.

In May, the trustees had asked for public input on the qualities and qualifications that might be needed for an interim president. Prior to Thursday’s vote and an executive session, the trustees characterized the substance of the 89 comments that were received either by e-mail or letter.

“I’m very pleased that the community responded and gave us a tremendous amount of input,” Barrett said. “They ranged from terse to expansive, but for the most part were thoughtful and focused.”

In an e-mail to all employees and students, the trustees had suggested questions that might be answered in the feedback messages. One was whether a business administrator or an academic was preferred and another was whether an internal or external candidate should be the pick.

“Many people said we need someone understands both the academic side and the business side,” Barrett said, adding that “if I had to count,” it was 16-7, business over academic. “And it was 3-1, internal over external.”

By far, Barrett said, the number one trait identified in the comments was a “good communications skills.” One of the comments received, Barrett said, described having Campbell come to the person’s classroom as: “That’s the first time I’d seen an administrator in the classroom.”

Barrett and Liaw will serve as the negotiating team to work with Campbell on negotiating a contract for the interim duties. In addition, Campbell is working on a transition plan for his soon-to-be former duties as vice president for administrative duties. Both the contract and transition plan are expected to be completed prior to July 1.

The board also made some headway on the search process for a permanent president. Director of Financial Services Stuart Trippel presented information about the request for proposal for an executive search firm. While a final decision has not been made on whether to use such a service, the trustees did see a potential timeline that could push the start to a search back to Oct. 1, 2013. A decision on using a search firm could come at the board’s June 26 meeting.

One decision that was made regarding the permanent position is that the interim president will not be a candidate. The discussion included a comment by Assistant Attorney General Alan Smith that regardless of the decision, the board could always change its collective mind. A motion to exclude the interim made by Barrett passed on a 5-0 vote.

SCC/Jim Hills

The next step in choosing an interim president for Shoreline Community College could come Thursday morning, June, 13, 2013.

The Board intends to reconvene with action possible on appointing an interim president. There will an opportunity for public comment at the end of the meeting.

The college is looking for a new president after Lee Lambert took the job as chancellor at Pima Community College in Tucson, Ariz. Lambert participated in Sunday’s graduation exercise at Shoreline and flew to Tucson the next day for the job that officially starts on July 1. He is on leave from Shoreline through the end of June.

Prior to leaving, Lambert appointed Vice President for Administrative Services Daryl Campbell as acting president, effective June 10 through the end of the month.

At their May 22 regular meeting, the trustees asked for public input on the qualities and qualifications that might be needed for an interim president. The interim president would be in place while the search is conducted for the permanent position. Such searches can often take a number of months.

SCC/Jim Hills

Shoreline Community College officials are planning two partial power outages now so that they can keep the electricity flowing later.

Facilities and Capital Projects Director Bob Roehl said targeted outages in four buildings on June 1 and June 15-18 will allow workers to replace some electrical panels, install a new transformer and test a new generator. The upgrades will ensure that the campus phone system will stay operational during unplanned outages and provide power to areas that would be communications and planning centers in the case of emergencies.

The areas impacted will be 1000, 1100, 1200 and 1300 buildings. The 1000 building houses the main administration offices while business offices are in the 1200 building. The 1100 and 1300 buildings are classrooms. During the outages, there will be no power for lights or computers although a temporary generator will keep the phone system operational.

June 1 is a Saturday and the disruption should be minimal. However, the second outage includes a Monday and Tuesday, June 17-18. Roehl is contacting the impacted employees and arranging temporary work accommodations. Signage will be posted on the buildings prior to and during the outages.

SCC/Jim Hills

Daryl Campbell is the acting president of Shoreline Community College, effective June 10, 2013.

At the May 22 Board of Trustees meeting, President Lee Lambert submitted his resignation effective June 30. His last day on campus will be at the June 9 Commencement ceremonies, followed by previously unused annual leave. Lambert has accepted a position as chancellor of Pima Community College in Tucson, Ariz. His first day there will be July 1.

“As anticipated under our policy governance, I’m appointing Daryl Campbell as acting president,” Lambert said after handing his resignation letter to the board.

Board chair Phil Barrett said that while he will miss working with Lambert, “I have incredible faith in Daryl Campbell to keep this college on a steady course. It is very, very important to have continuity. We are doing incredibly great things here and we must keep that going.”

Campbell said he’s ready and looking forward to the role.

“I’m proud to have worked with President Lambert over the past five years to put this college on a strong financial footing, to forward key strategic initiatives, navigate through unprecedented state budget cuts and much more,” Campbell said after the meeting. “I’m excited to be able to help keep this college moving forward and to help our students.”

Campbell came to Shoreline in 2008 as vice president for administrative services, the position he continues to hold. From 2001-08, he held administrative positions with Goddard College in Plainfield, VT., including vice president for finance and administration. Campbell also has experience in the private sector as executive vice president, chief financial officer and general manager in the health and fitness industry.

Campbell has a law degree from Seattle University and recently passed the Washington State Bar. He earned an MBA from the University of Phoenix in San Francisco and BS from the University of Vermont. He was also a registered dietitian through 1997, earned at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.

The board also discussed potential next steps toward choosing an interim president and then finding a permanent replacement for Lambert.

“We will work through consensus, we need your input to help us make a great decision,” Board Chair Barrett said, referring to the campus community. Barrett urged anyone with thoughts on process or qualities needed in an interim president to send those comments to the board. Comments can be sent to board secretary Lori Yonemitsu by e-mail at lyonemitsu@shoreline.edu or delivered to her office in the 1000 building at the college.

Later in the meeting, the board authorized college staff to begin preparing a request for proposal to find a search firm to assist in the search for a permanent president.

Kira Wennstrom was faculty representative for the meeting, filling in for faculty member and union president Amy Kinsel. “I’m pleased to hear the board is anticipating an open and inclusive process,” Wennstrom said.

SCC/Jim Hills