A conversation between members of the Shoreline Community College Board of Trustees has begun the journey of finding a successor to outgoing President Lee Lambert.

On Friday, May 17, Lambert was named as chancellor at Pima Community College. His first day on the job at the Tucson, Ariz., school will be July 1. On Monday, May 20, 2013, Shoreline’s trustees met for what was originally scheduled to be an executive session, but amended to include an open, non-action, sharing of thoughts and concerns.

The conversation included questions about whether or not to use a search firm, what skills and talents would be needed, timing of a hiring and potential implications and impacts.  While no decisions were made on a succession process, there was consensus on the need to stay on track with the current strategic initiatives.

The board continued with the executive session, followed by an open comment period. The trustees are scheduled to meet again Wednesday in a regular session, including a study session at 3 p.m. and regular session at 4 p.m.

SCC/Jim Hills

Shoreline Community College President Lee Lambert has been named the new chancellor at Pima Community College in Tucson, Ariz.

In unanimous vote Friday, May 17, 2013, the Pima board of governors chose Lambert to lead the six-campus college. Board Chair Brenda Even said it was clear Lambert has the skills needed to move Pima forward.

“I’m honored and pleased to be selected as the chancellor for Pima Community College,” Lambert said. “In my visit and conversations, it is apparent to me that Pima is committed to student access and success. I’m looking forward to working with any and all groups to advance the mission of the college.”

Lambert is scheduled to start at Pima on July 1.

The next step for Shoreline will be to discuss and develop a transition plan. The Shoreline Board of Trustees has scheduled an executive session for 3 p.m., Monday, May 20, with no action items on the agenda. Then, the board has a regular meeting scheduled meeting for 4 p.m., Wednesday, May 22. The Wednesday meeting will include a study session starting at 3 p.m. that day.

“I’m sorry to see Lee go, but wish him all the best in this next stage of his career,” Shoreline Board Chair Phil Barrett said. “He was a visionary president that, with faculty and staff, moved the college forward in many significant ways.  Lee leaves the college in a far better position than when he arrived. The entire board of trustees is dedicated to finding a strong leader to help take Shoreline Community College to even greater heights.”

SCC/Jim Hills

The Pima Community College Board of Governors will meet Friday, May 17, 2013 to “select the successful finalist for chancellor."

Shoreline Community College President Lee Lambert was named last week by the Pima board as the leading candidate to be Pima’s next chancellor.

The Friday meeting agenda also includes “authorize execution of Chancellor contract, hear comments from Pima representatives who visited the Shoreline campus on Tuesday and thank those involved with the chancellor search. The meeting begins at 11 a.m. and will be streamed live on the Pima website.

Lambert visited Pima in April, toured the six Pima campuses, met with board and participated in open forums with employees and the public.

“I’m very gratified with what appears to be the Board of Governors decision,” Lambert said. “While I do love the college and people at Shoreline, I’m also excited about the opportunities at Pima Community College and the communities it serves.”

Shoreline Board Chair Phil Barrett said he was sorry to see Lambert go.

“Lee has been a great leader, a visionary leader,” Barrett said. “With this apparent change, we will now start on our own process that will continue to move Shoreline forward with the vision and values he helped to put in place.”

SCC/Jim Hills

A group of officials from Pima Community College in Tucson Ariz., are visiting Shoreline Community College on May 13-14, 2013.

Shoreline President Lee Lambert is the leading candidate for the open position of chancellor at Pima, a six-campus system that is the eighth largest community college in the U.S. Lambert is one of four finalists for the Pima job. The Pima Board of Governors voted Friday, May 10, to authorize the visit to Shoreline as part of their decision process. No other campus visits were identified.

Pima Governing Board Chair Brenda Even said Lambert was “the candidate that seemed to rise to the top.” She has said the visit to Shoreline is a typical part of the “due diligence process” in the hiring of a new chancellor

Coming to Shoreline with Board Chair Even are board member Sylvia M. Lee; Lou Albert, President of Pima’s West Campus; Terra Benson, Director of Pima Admissions and Records; Kimlisa Duchicela, faculty member at Pima’s Downtown Campus, and Norm Rebenstorf, board member of the  Pima Foundation.

Board member Lee arrived Monday afternoon, May 13, and informally toured the campus. On Tuesday, Lee and the rest of the group are scheduled to have breakfast with one or two Shoreline Trustees in the Board Room and then:

• 9:30-10:30 a.m. – Meet with senior executive team members
• 10:45-11:45 a.m. – Go on a campus tour
• Noon- 1 p.m. – Have lunch with 1-2 Shoreline trustees
• 1:15-2:15 p.m. – Open meeting with students and others
• 2:30-3:30 p.m. – Open meeting with faculty and others
• 3:34-4:45 p.m. – Open meeting with classified staff, administrators and others

The lunch and subsequent meetings tentatively scheduled to take place at the ProfessionalAutomotive Training Center. While the afternoon meetings are focused on the groups listed, they are open to others.

SCC/Jim Hills

The next step in the search for new chancellor at Pima Community College will be taken on the campus of Shoreline Community College.

Pima’s Board of Governors, in a special meeting Friday, May 10, 2013, approved travel expenses for a visit to Shoreline that could occur as soon as next week.

Shoreline President Lee Lambert is the leading candidate to be chancellor at the multi-campus district in Tucson, Ariz., according to Pima officials. At the Friday special meeting, Pima Governing Board Chair Brenda Even announced that Lambert was “the candidate that seemed to rise to the top.”

The Pima meeting and announcement came late Friday afternoon, after an all-campus meeting at Shoreline where Lambert discussed the Pima position.

In a unanimous vote, the Pima board authorized two board members and three employees to travel to Shoreline to conduct a site visit. No date for the visit was announced, but it is expected to be as soon as early next week. Chair Even described the visit as a typical part of the “due diligence process” in the hiring of a new chancellor.

“Shoreline has a lot of people and programs to be very proud of,” Lambert said. “I look forward to showing what we have built here to help our students be successful.”

Lambert is one of four finalists for the position that went to Tucson for extensive interviews. At the board meeting on Friday, Shoreline was the only site identified for a visit by the Pima delegation.

SCC/Jim Hills