Written 3/19 /07
Story by Julie Haas
JCCC trustees select new college president
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – Terry A. Calaway, Coolidge, Ariz., has accepted the position of president of Johnson County Community College.
He will start at JCCC July 1.
“Like the faculty said in their recommendation, we were impressed by his experience with the League for Innovation in the Community College, his experience with AQIP (the Academic Quality Improvement Project), his ability to build partnerships and the vision he’s shown at Central Arizona,” said Lynn Mitchelson, chair, JCCC board of trustees. “His references cited his integrity, honesty and commitment to the community college movement.
“We are grateful for the work of the 16-member screening committee and of the faculty and staff at JCCC in this search process. Dr. Calaway was the unanimous choice of the trustees.”
Calaway has been president of Central Arizona College since 2003; he also served there as vice president, academic and student services, from 1999 to 2003. At Cuyahoga Community College, Cleveland, Ohio, he was the assistant vice president, workforce and economic development, 1996-1999, and dean/district director, division of continuing and professional education, 1993-1995.
The selection of JCCC’s new president culminates a search that began in September 2006. The college hired a consultant, Hockaday-Hunter and Associates, Sanford, N.C., to help with the process. A 16-member screening committee composed of representatives from the trustees, faculty, staff, students and the community reviewed applications and made recommendations to the board. The board then decided to bring five candidates to campus for interviews in January, February and March 2007.
During his visit to JCCC, each candidate met with students, faculty and staff; the college’s Foundation; school district superintendents; and representatives from area chambers of commerce. In addition, the community had the opportunity to meet the candidate at a public reception. The board of trustees conducted a two-hour public interview with each candidate and met with each one for dinner.
The other candidates for the president’s position were A. James Kerley, president/CEO of Bluegrass Community and Technical College District, Lexington, Kentucky (who withdrew his name from consideration this month when he accepted the presidency of Gulf Coast Community College, Panama City, Fla.); Eric E. Reno, president, Northeast Lakeview College, Alamo Community College District, San Antonio, Texas; Richard M. Rhodes, president, El Paso Community College, El Paso, Texas; and Zachary Hodges, president, Houston Community College-Northwest, Houston, Texas.
