New President Named at COC
The following is a reprint of a Signal article originally published on March 9, 1983.
Dr. Ramon LaGrandeur, president of Spokane Community College in Washington, was named superintendent-president of College of the Canyons Monday afternoon.
LaGrandeur, who will take over the COC helm May 1 at a salary of $60,000 per year, was selected from a field of 100 candidates.
Ending a six-month , nationwide search for a new chief executive, the announcement was made by board of trustees president William Broyles amid high spirits in a lecture hall at COC.
LaGrandeur, 57, stood a the podium before about 150 onlookers and in a brief speech simply stated he was “anxious to get going.”
He also marveled at the thoroughness of the selection process and the COC trustees, the body responsible for his selection.
The Montana native, with 16 years of association with community colleges, appears to be making the transition confidently and with an open mind.
He hesitated to indicate how he might play out his role as president and superintendent of the Santa Clarita Community College District. Instead, he said he will wait to consult with his future colleagues before drawing any conclusions.
“I want to come in and find out what’s going on -- both good and bad,” he said in his pleasant, but straightforward manner. “Then we can develop an organizational structure that takes, advantage of our strengths.”
LaGrandeur apparently understands the financial crisis faced by COC -- “community colleges in Washington are more strapped than here” -- and related general ideas on how it might be dealt with. In addition to his duties as superintendent-president, LaGrandeur will take over Robert Berson’s position of chief financial officer. Berson is leaving the college in June.
“I want to look at how we’re spending what we have and see if we can effect a method of getting a better share of the state pot,” he said. He also wants to make use of the COC Foundation, a college fundraising arm.
One possible avenue to explore, he said, is tuition, something COC trustees have vehemently opposed.
“I’m a little surprised California hasn’t done it (tuition),” he-aid. “I agree with the philosophy (of free education), but realistically, somewhere \down the road, we’re going to have to look carefully at tuition.”
One thing is definite, though,
LaGrandeur sees the importance of working well with his colleagues, both before and after he learns the COC and California systems.
Dressed smartly in a tweed sport coat and bright red tie, LaGrandeur stood for about a half-hour shaking hands and chatting with a group of well-wishers who filed by him. Invariably, his warm smile and demeanor seemed to leave a solid first impression with those he met.
Looking for an opportunity for career advancement and a district position, along with the fact that he and his wife, Patricia, have two sons in the Los Angeles area, made COC a natural step for LaGrandeur. He had held his presidency post in Spokane since 1977. The LaGrandeurs also have a son and daughter who reside in Seattle.
LaGrandeur earned his doctorate in Administration of Higher Education at the University of Oregon in 1966. Since then, he has been associated with several community colleges in the Oregon-Washington area.
In May, LaGrandeur will take the COC reins from Gary Mouck, who has held the position on an interim basis since Leland Newcomer left the college in June. Newcomer’s departure followed the board’s decision to buy out the final nine months of his contract, which ended last week.
Newcomer earlier had publicly criticized the board and declared his intent to leave the college in April.
Mouck, who has retired effective December 21 of this year, will help LaGrandeur through the transitional stage of his presidency.
As he and Mrs. LaGrandeur prepare for the move south, LaGrandeur plans to make periodic visits to COC to meet with his fellow administrators and staff.