Southwestern College is holding a public forum today, Sept. 12, and tomorrow Sept. 13 introducing the Southwestern College presidential finalists.
An 18-member committee of college students, faculty, administrators and community members have narrowed the field of candidates to five. They are: Dr. Debra Daniels, Dr. Betty Inclan, Dr. Willard Lewallen, Dr. Melinda Nish and Denise Whittaker.
* Daniels is in her fifth year as president of San Bernardino College where she oversaw the college’s reaffirmation of accreditation. She has more than 30 years of experience in higher education and has served as an evaluator for three different regional organizations.
* Inclan earned a doctorate in educational administration from the University of Texas at Austin with distinction from the UT Community College Leadership Program. She has 36 years of experience in higher education. For 14 years she was the accreditation liaison office at Allan Hancock College. Inclan has served as president of Berkeley City College since January 2008.
* Lewallen earned his doctorate of philosophy in education from UCLA and has more than 32 years of experience in California and Florida higher education. In June 2009, he successfully led West Hill College Coalinga to reaffirmation of accreditation. He has served president of the California Community College Counselor’s Association and is the 2011-12 president of the Association of California Community College Administrators.
* Since 2005, Nish has served as Orange Coast College’s vice president and the college’s Accreditation Liaison Officer for the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. Nish earned a doctorate of education at the Fielding Graduate University in Santa Barbara after studying at the Graduate Institute of International Studies in Geneva, Switzerland.
* Whittaker has more than 35 years of experience in California and West Virginia colleges. She received her Master’s Degree in Counseling from CSU Los Angeles and completed coursework for the educational doctorate program at UCLA. Whittaker has also served as interim superintendent/president of Southwestern College since Jan. 2011.
Two sessions will be held on Sept. 12 from 12p.m.-1p.m. and 1:30p.m.-2:30p.m. Sept. 13 will have three sessions, 10a.m.-11a.m., 11:30a.m.-12:30p.m., and 1p.m.-2p.m.
Forums will be held in the L238 conference rooms.
