Four Finalists have been named in the search for the next president of Chattanooga State Community College, and will be visiting the college’s campus in coming weeks.
The finalists are:
- Rebecca Ashford, vice president of student affairs at Pellissippi State Community College in Knoxville.
- Pamela Haney, provost, vice president for academic affairs at Moraine Valley Community College, Palos Hill, Ill.
- Tyjaun A. Lee, vice president for student affairs at Prince George’s Community College, Largo, Md.
- Kirk Nooks, president of Metropolitan Community College – Longview, Lee’s Summit, Mo.
About two years ago, Flora Tydings was named president of Chattanooga State, and tapped last year to be the state’s first female chancellor of the Tennessee Board of Regents. Tydings will select one of these finalists to replace her, and submit their name to the Board of Regents for its approval.
The 21 member presidential search committee met behind closed doors to select the list of four finalists from 63 applicants. Tennessee law was changed in 2012 to allow TBR presidential search committees to meet in private and seal records as a way to protect the privacy of candidates.
The committee worked with Betty Asher, a partner in the Greenwood/Asher & Associates search firm, who helped find Tydings.
Ashford has been at Pellissippi State for about a decade, and last year co-chaired TBR’s Campus Safety and Security Task Force. She started her career in higher education at Brevard Community College, now known as Eastern Florida State College in 1997. In 2005 Ashford earned her doctorate in educational leadership from the University of Central Florida.
Haney started her career at Moraine Valley Community College in 2009, serving as an assistant dean. In 2011 she became the dean of science, business and computer technology, and was promoted to vice-president in 2012. Haney holds a doctorate in philosophy in interpersonal communication, and from 2007 to 2009 worked as an ombudsman for the University of Nevada.
Since 2009 Lee has served as vice president at Prince George’s Community College,the fourth largest, comprehensive, urban, multi-campus institution in Maryland. Lee also is an adjunct faculty member at Concordia University’s School of Education and Capella University. Lee earned a doctorate in philosophy from Ohio University in 1998.
Nooks is the only male finalist, and has been president of Metropolitan Community College since 2013. Prior to this post, Nooks served at Georgia Highlands College as the campus dean and executive liaison for diversity initiatives. In 2007 he earned a doctorate in higher education administration from George Washington University.
Debbie Adams, Chattanooga State’s vice president of student affairs and workforce development is serving as interim president until the next leader is appointed and in office by July 1.
Chattanooga State serves more than 9,000 students and employs about 640 full-time employees, including 238 full-time faculty members. The college operates on a $95 million budget.
Contact staff writer Kendi A. Rainwater at krainwater@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6592. Follow her on Twitter @kendi_and.
Campus visits:
The final candidates will each visit Chattanooga State’s campus in coming weeks for meetings and public forums. Ashford will visit April 19; Haney April 20; Nooks April 21 and Lee April 25. The open forums will be held on each visit day from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. ET in the Humanities Auditorium on campus. The forums will also be live-streamed online via links that will be available on the presidential search website above.
Chattanooga State Presidential search advisory committee:
Tom Griscom, TBR board member Howard Roddy, TBR board member Danni Varlan, TBR board member Evelyn Mobley, Chatt State faculty representative Mike Ricketts, Chatt State TCAT representative Roy Sofield, Chatt State faculty representative Martina Harris, Chatt State faculty representative Hisel Gobbl, Chatt State faculty representative Austin Adderholt, Chatt State student representative Laura Smart, student representative Ray Bertani, Chatt State professional staff representative Tammy Swenson, Chatt State executive staff representative Denise Sales, Chatt State support staff representative Edna Varner, Chatt State foundation board representative Britt Tabor, Chatt State foundation board representative Julie Cook Davis, Alumni Association Representative Jerald Ainsworth, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga representative Jill Levine, Hamilton County Schools representative Bill Kilbride, Chamber of Commerce representative David Jackson, Marion County, rural communities representative Thomas White, community leader Source: Tennessee Board of Regents