Derr’s selection meets with general praise

With the April 6 announcement of Debra Derr as MHCC’s new president, set to take the reins in July, various campus groups and staff members expressed support of the soon-to-be college leader.

Despite having only two candidates to choose from – Jacob Ng, a vice chancellor for the Peralta Community College District in California, and Derr, the president at Northern Iowa Community College – the announcement was generally met positively.

One staff member — David Sussman, the manager of the Student Union Services and Grant Sponsored Programs — is satisfied with the decision. Based on what Derr said at the campus presidential forum a day before the board announced the job offer to her, Sussman said, “It gives me hope that she’ll be here long-term.”

During the forum, Derr said one of her reasons for returning to MHCC (she’s a former 15-year MHCC employee and longtime Oregon resident) was because she wished to live near her family and eventually retire here.

“I’m very optimistic. I think that this final selection will bode well for us,” said Sussman. He also said Derr’s various experiences in numerous positions and roles should be beneficial.

Sara Williams, a member of the MHCC faculty association, was equally satisfied with the results of the president search.

Williams said, “I would say the faculty are optimistic about Derr. Many people have reported positive experiences with her. They say she has respect for others and good listening skills.”

In regards to the small pool of finalists for the job, “I think if we had a pool of 100 candidates, it still would have come down to Derr,” Williams said. “I am happy with results and I think that speaks for itself.”

The Associated Student Government (ASG) reacted similarly to the board’s selection.

“I think she’s fantastic. She has a lot of energy and spunk,” Laura Aguon, the ASG director of State & Federal Affairs.

According to ASG President William Miller, ASG had around 30 members present at the April 5 campus forums to ask questions of Ng and Derr.

Miller said that his hope for the new MHCC president is that student government will be able to maintain “opened lines of communication” with the administration once she comes aboard, adding that she seems a good fit.

ASG Vice President Antonio Guererro sees a chance for progress. “MHCC needed a change. I think that new ideas will take us where we want to be,” he said.

As for the selection process and having only two finalists make it to the last stage, Guererro said, “I guess it was what I expected. It was definitely a small (number of candidates), but I was expecting a small group.”

The board initially screened 38 applicants before naming three finalists, including Ng, Derr and Suzanne Miles, interim leader of Pima Community College in Tucson, Ariz.

Soon after, Miles withdrew after some controversy arose over her brief tenure in Arizona.