NLC to host public forums for new presidential candidates

Finalists for Northeast Lakeview president left to right: Dr. Veronica Garcia, Dr. Lydia Tena and Dr. Lily Tercero. Courtesy

Northeast Lakeview takes another shot at vetting potential presidents.

By James Dusek

sac-ranger@alamo.edu

Northeast Lakeview College is once again hosting a series of public forums with three finalists for the college’s new president.

The forums will be an opportunity for students, employees and the public to ask questions directly to the candidates and determine their qualifications for the job.

The hiring committee, led by Dr. Tangila Dove, vice president of college services, will also have a list of prepared questions for candidates. The questions from the committee will be the same for all three.

The candidates and the dates of their forums are:

• Tuesday: Dr. Lydia Tena, Northwest Campus dean at El Paso Community College in El Paso.
• Thursday: Dr. Veronica Garcia, vice president of student affairs at Paradise Valley Community College in Phoenix.
• Friday: Dr. Lily Tercero, former president of Texas Southmost College in Brownsville. Tercero was dismissed from her former position earlier this year.

All hearings will take place 2:45-3:45 p.m. at the performing art center at the college.

The college has been without a permanent president since last November, when former President Craig Follins was removed from the position amid allegations of abusive behavior toward college faculty and staff.

Earlier this year, the college had picked a different group of four finalists, which included Tercero, and held open forums for them. Kathleen Labus, director of public relations at the college, said the previous candidates were not officially rejected. Rather, the job opening was closed and re-opened.

Tercero served as chief budget officer for the Alamo Colleges 2010-11, according to an Aug. 18 story on TheRanger.org. The story also included information from The Valley Morning Star, which reported that Tercero’s dismissal was the result of an internal investigation regarding a windstorm insurance policy Tercero had approved without board permission.

Before and after their forums, the candidates will meet with vice chancellors, presidents and other faculty, staff and administration from colleges in the district. They will also meet personally with Dr. Thomas Cleary, NLC’s interim president.

Labus expressed how important it is to the college that they find the best candidate for the job.

“We’re not going to rush into anything,” Labus said.

A press release announcing the finalists said the committee looked for applicants with experience in a wide range of skills, including “commitment to collaboration, respect, transparency and team building.”

“We need somebody with leadership, with vision,” Labus said.

Detailed resumes of the candidates and more information on the search committee can be found at www.alamo.edu/nlc/PresidentSearch/.