New SAC leader must recognize what’s at stake
The sudden demotion of the president at San Antonio College, Naydeen González-de Jesús, left a massive void at one of our city’s most critical educational institutions. Her reassignment to the district office sheds light on the deep challenges at the college.
We’ve read enough of the internal “no confidence” letters from González-de Jesús’ executive staff and the SAC Student Government Association to gain a sense of the serious concerns during her tenure.
In October, students accused González-de Jesús of trying to shut down plans for a faculty-led “teach-in” about Palestine. The event was postponed and held several days later, but not before creating major conflict.
That was only part of the problem. Those who worked closest to Gonzálezde Jesús began detailing examples alleging she disparaged staff, students and the entire college.
Anyone who applies for this job will learn these details. San Antonio College, so crucial to local workforce development and entry into higher education, needs a dynamic and visionary president. It needs someone to meet this critical moment. To that end, we offer a job description.
Help wanted: SAC president
One of five award-winning colleges in the Alamo Colleges District, San Antonio College, founded in 1925, isn’t just any academic campus. Located near the heart of beautiful downtown San Antonio, our Hispanic Serving Institution is consistently recognized for how we educate 20,000 students each semester.
We’ve set a high bar. In 2021, we were awarded the Aspen Prize, which recognizes the top community college in the United States, for demonstrating success and support of a diverse student body.
We urge you to learn our mission, vision and values, so critical to fulfilling our strategic priorities and goals. More than feel-good words, they reflect our daily expectations and long-term aspirations. The right next leader will live and breathe every word of these priorities and goals.
Our students face genuine life challenges, real hardships that can hold them back and limit their potential careers. More than half of our students rely on financial aid, nearly half are first-generation college students, and more than 30% are older than 25.
Our next president must emphasize continuing to strengthen the pipeline of students through Alamo Promise, which covers tuition and fees for local high school graduates and has increased the Alamo Colleges District’s total enrollment by 24% in the past decade. A focus on collecting and analyzing data to track student outcomes and prioritizing workforce development also will be key.
To serve our diverse students, the next president will need to stay informed of the issues important to students and provide them safe space to not only communicate but learn alongside one another. Part of that is continuing to rebuild a strong journalism program that includes a student publication to replace (or revive) the Ranger, which was shuttered in 2021.
It will take a team to lead SAC, so you’ll have to foster a sense of respectful collaboration with your executive team and the board of trustees.
You’ll need to eliminate every barrier for not only enrolling but thriving at San Antonio College, as if your job and the future of thousands of students and their families, depends upon it — because it does.
Right president would eliminate barriers, help students thrive