Interim Presidents Named at Bakersfield College, Columbia, West Hills Lemoore

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_gallery type=”image_grid” images=”5751,5790,5789″ img_size=”240×300″][vc_column_text]Congratulations to three interim presidents appointed recently and joining the CVHEC Board of Directors:

• Bakersfield College – Dr. Zav Dadabhoy was named to replace Dr. Sonya Christian who is now the chancellor of the Kern Community College District.

• Columbia College – Dr. G.H. Javaheripour, effective  July 1, to replace Dr. Santanu Bandyopadhyay, who is now president of Modesto Jr. College.

• West Hills College Lemoore – Dr. James Preston, effective July 1, following current President Kristin Clark’s selection as West Hills Community College District Chancellor.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Dr. Santanu Bandyopadhyay Named Modesto Junior College President

Dr. Santanu Bandyopadhyay, named president of Modesto Junior College effective June 1, said growing enrollment and forging meaningful alliances with regional employers are among his immediate goals.

The Yosemite Community College District Board of Trustees selected Bandyopadhyay, who was serving as interim president since January at its May 12 meeting. Previously, Bandyopadhyay had served as president of Columbia College in Tuolumne County, YCCD’s other  institution, since July 2018 when also he joined the CVHEC Board of Directors.

Marking its centennial anniversary this fall, MJC serves about 22,000 students at MJC’s East and West campuses in Modesto.

President Bandyopadhyay takes over at a critical moment for California’s 16th-oldest community college as it focuses during its centennial on reconnecting with students after a year of mostly online learning forced by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“My short-term priority is to re-open the campus — paying particular attention to equity — build the enrollments we have lost during the pandemic, develop centers of excellence to cater to the need of our  local businesses and ensure long-term fiscal stability,” he said.

“The effect of the pandemic was most severe on students who need us the most — therefore, an equity-focused recovery is critical for long- term economic growth of the region. Developing a deep connection with local businesses and partnering with them to understand and satisfy their needs in innovative ways continues to remain our priority.”

Bandyopadhyay has more than 23 years of experience in higher education.  He was first the director of institutional research and planning and then as executive vice president  Cypress College in Orange County.  He also served at Zane State College in Ohio and Ohio University and taught computer science at theNational Institute of Information Technology.

In addition to his college administrative and teaching experience, Bandyopadhyay has been involved innational initiatives such as Achieving the Dream, Foundations of Excellence and Survey of Entering StudentEngagement.

Bandyopadhyay earned a doctorate in higher education from Ohio University, an M.B.A. from Ohio   University and a bachelor of science in physics from Kolkata University in India.

See Modesto Junior College announcement.

Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval is First Immigrant to Head Fresno State

Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval, Ph.D., became Fresno State’s ninth president May 19 when the California State University (CSU) Board of Trustees announced his selection to succeed Joseph I. Castro who was named Chancellor last fall.

“It is an honor to be chosen to lead this premier university, which opens doors of opportunities for our talented students and improves the quality of life for everyone in the Valley,” said Jiménez-Sandoval. “I look forward to working together with our dynamic faculty, committed staff, talented students and innovative community partners to increase the life-changing opportunities that a Fresno State education provides.”

Jiménez-Sandoval, who was serving as interim president joining the CVHEC board of directors in January, is the first immigrant to lead Fresno State. Born in Mexico, President Jiménez-Sandoval’s family moved to the Central Valley and he grew up on the family farm in Fowler, just south of Fresno.

Jiménez-Sandoval graduated cum laude with bachelor’s degrees in Spanish and History from the University of California, Irvine, where he also earned his Ph.D. in Spanish and Portuguese literatures. In addition, he has professional certificates in critical theory from Cornell University, in Spanish art history from Escuela de Arte y Antigüedades de Madrid (Spain), and in Portuguese language and culture from Universidade de Lisboa (Portugal).

He first joined Fresno State faculty in 2000 as professor of Spanish and Portuguese. His two decades of service also included coordinator of the Spanish master of arts degree, chair of the Department of Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures, interim associate dean of the College of Arts and Humanities, dean of the College of Arts and Humanities, and provost.

“Dr. Jiménez-Sandoval has an exciting vision for the future of the university while having gained immeasurable institutional knowledge and developed outstanding relationships throughout the campus and community over his many years of service to Fresno State,” said CSU Trustee Jane Carney, chair of the Fresno State search committee.

He and his wife, Dr. Mariana Anagnostopoulos, a member of the Fresno State Philosophy Department faculty, have two sons, Arion and Leo.

See California State University announcement.

 

 

 

KCCD selects sixth chancellor: Dr. Sonya Christian

Dr. Sonya Christian

Dr. Sonya Christian, Bakersfield College president, has been selected as the sixth chancellor of the Kern Community College District succeeding Dr. Tom Burke who is retiring, the KCCD Board of Directors announced April 19.

Dr. Christian, a former Mathematics instructor who earned an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from UCLA, has served in a variety of roles in the community college setting for over thirty years. During that time, she’s served in academic positions, administrative and senior administrative positions. In 2013, she was named the 10th president of Bakersfield College.

Dr. Christian will oversee KCCD’s three campuses: Bakersfield College, Cerro Coso Community College in eastern Kern County and Porterville College in Tulare County.

The chancellor-select will continue to serve on the Central Valley Higher Education Consortium board of directors moving from her Bakersfield College president seat to the KCCD chancellor seat.

See Bakersfield.com story.

Dr. Kristin Clark is next WHCCD chancellor

Dr. Kristin Clark was named West Hills Community College District’s third chancellor April 20  by the WHCCD Board of Trustees, culminating a nationwide search begun last fall for a successor to Dr. Stuart Van Horn who retires June 30.

Dr. Clark, who has served the Central San Joaquin Valley’s Westside as president of West Hills College Lemoore (WHCL) since January 2016, will begin her new duties July 1.

Dr. Clark holds a Doctorate in Higher Education Management from the University of Pennsylvania, a Master’s in Educational Technology, and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration.

She was already serving on the Central Valley Higher Education Consortium  board of directors representing WHCL but will now do so as KCCD chancellor.

See KCCCD announcement

Congratulations CSU Chancellor-select Castro!

Congratulations CSU Chancellor-select Castro!

September 24, 2020

 

On behalf of the CVHEC Board of Directors, I extend a hearty congratulations to one of our board members, Dr. Joseph I. Castro, president of Fresno State, on his appointment yesterday as chancellor-select of the California State University 23-campus system.

A native Californian born and raised in Hanford here in the Central Valley, Dr. Castro exemplifies the very success story that we at CVHEC strive to realize by increasing the degree attainment rate in our nine-county region. Upon graduation from Hanford High School in 1984, Joe earned degrees at UC Berkeley and Stanford before serving 23 years in the University of California (UC) system.

Then in 2013, this grandson of Mexican immigrants raised in a single-parent home made history when he was named the eighth president of Fresno State becoming the first Latino and valley native to hold that position in its 100-plus year history. Now, he once again makes history as the first California native and first Mexican-American to be appointed CSU chancellor, effective January 4, 2021.

We at CVHEC have come to count on President Castro for his bold leadership and unwavering encouragement of our shared goals and the strong show of support he often extended to his college leader colleagues on the board. During the last six months, as he and other Central Valley higher education have struggled with the challenges of continuing to serve students during this historic pandemic, Dr. Castro provided a strong calming voice. His down-to-earth style that listens to all voices has served him well in the valley and will serve him well as he leads the California State University system and continues the progress of the seven chancellors preceding him.

We especially salute his immediate predecessor, outgoing Chancellor Timothy P. White, also a product of the Central Valley and member institution Fresno State for a job well-done during his eight-year tenure that ends in December with retirement.

We will miss Joe on our board, but we are heartened that a great ally will be just a little further south in Long Beach as we continue to work together to serve our students with the three CSU campuses in the Central Valley: Bakersfield, Fresno and Stanislaus.

Felicidades Chancellor-select Castro …. we look forward to continuing our strong partnership with the CSU.

Benjamin T. Duran, Ed.D
Executive Director
Central Valley Higher Education Consortium (CVHEC)

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