As the song goes, "It's Time to Say Goodbye."
Writing this piece is one of my final tasks as Orange Coast College
president, as I retire after having served six wonderful years on campus.
I am pleased to report to you that Orange Coast is in fine shape -- and
will go forward in good and capable hands. The future is bright.
After spending 32 years as a community college educator and leader,
I've decided to retire in order to spend more time with friends and
family, and to involve myself in writing projects that have been placed
on hold in recent years.
As Orange Coast College prepares to enter its 55th year of operation
this fall, it is renowned as one of America's premier community colleges.
Today, OCC serves 28,000 students who enroll in more than 2,500 courses
each semester. The college is a remarkable place, filled with incredible
stories, people and accomplishments. I feel extraordinarily grateful to
have had my six-year association with Orange Coast College.
It is gratifying that during my presidency, most of OCC's planning
goals were achieved. The college's enrollment increased by 3,000
students, and we hired a hundred new faculty members through replacements
and by expanding faculty positions in order to serve a growing student
population. These new faculty members bring additional energy and
vitality to the campus. They ensure our future as a leader in technical
training and in transferring students to the University of California and
California State University systems.
In January of 2001, OCC received a continuing, full, six-year
accreditation from the Western Assn. of Schools and Colleges. OCC's
Foundation recently completed its most successful year ever, and we were
able to raise nearly $18 million in cash and in-kind donations since my
arrival in 1996. Most of the money has gone to scholarships for students.
I offer my heartfelt thanks to all the generous persons who have made
that possible.
We began the 2002 calendar year with a $1-million gift to construct a
new $2.5-million Arts Pavilion on campus, which will break ground next
January. The college's high-tech, state-funded, $12-million,
70,000-square-foot Arts Center opens this fall. We have worked to
renovate and retrofit older buildings, and have significantly expanded
student access to technology. Our students excel in academics and
athletics.
Orange County can be justifiably proud of Orange Coast College!
What most people don't realize, however, is that many of our buildings
