Superintendent/President Job Announcement
Candidates Welcome
The Santa Barbara City College Board of Trustees seeks candidates for the position of Superintendent/President of the Santa Barbara Community College District (SBCC). This position reports directly to the Board, which is composed of seven publicly elected members and a student representative.
The Board seeks a proven leader who is innovative, collaborative, energetic and committed to student success and academic excellence. SBCC is a thriving institution offering a wide range of programs. It is recognized as one of the top community colleges in the nation. The successful candidate is expected to work collaboratively to develop and implement a common vision for the future through engaged participation from the Board, faculty, staff, students and community using participatory governance processes and community outreach. He/she must have excellent communication and people skills, and be able to successfully build on the strong connections between SBCC and the local communities it serves, while also fulfilling its role in the larger statewide system of community colleges. Fundraising and innovation in revenue generation are also key skills for this position in a time of decreasing state revenues for education.
The Position
The Superintendent/President is responsible for the operations of the College and assures that the institution is operated in accordance with the policies adopted by the Board of Trustees and applicable legal requirements. The Superintendent/President provides leadership and advocacy for the College to advance its mission of promoting student learning and success. He/she oversees strategic planning and initiatives; cultivates community, legislative, and College relations; and assures fiscal integrity and responsibility on behalf of the institution.
Application Process
A SBCC online application must be submitted with all required documents with the process completed online at https://jobs.sbcc.edu. Candidates must submit a single spaced application letter—not to exceed five pages—that succinctly states how they exemplify the characteristics described under Personal Characteristics and would address the categories listed in the Challenges, Issues and Opportunities section.
Candidates should cite specific examples from their background and experience to demonstrate the personal qualities and expertise necessary for this position. The letter must indicate to what extent personal qualities, professional experience and skills match the preferred qualifications sought for this position.
In addition, candidates must submit a current resume including the names, business and home telephone numbers of nine references: two supervisors, two subordinates (including one support staff member), two community members, two faculty members and one student.
Preferably, references should be from current and former institutions. References will not be contacted without the candidate's permission.
Final candidates who are to be interviewed by the Search Committee will be given a background check by a search consultant. Final candidates submitted to the Board of Trustees will have an extensive background check completed by the consultant.
Applications may be accepted until the position is filled. However, resumes will be reviewed as soon as received. Only completed application packets will be forwarded to the Search Committee. All inquiries and applications will be held in the strictest of confidence except for the finalists submitted to the Board of Trustees who will participate in a public forum.
Submit application materials online to: https://jobs.sbcc.edu
For confidential telephone inquiries about the position, contact:
Sue Ehrlich, J.D.
Vice President Human Resources & Legal Affairs
ehrlich@sbcc.edu
Lyn Cason
Stanton Chase International, Director
l.cason@stantonchase.com
The College
Santa Barbara Community College District with its single college, Santa Barbara City College (SBCC) is part of the state funded California Community College System. Established in 1909, SBCC has a wide range of associate degree and certificate programs, as well as transfer programs that provide the first two years of study toward the baccalaureate degree.
In fall 2009, SBCC received a successful six-year Reaffirmation of Accreditation from the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges. In 2011, the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program ranked Santa Barbara City College (SBCC) as one of the nation's top ten community colleges. Criteria include high standards for learning, college completion without delay, and serving as a training ground for jobs that pay competitive wages.
The District enjoys a diverse population of students in terms of socioeconomic, ethnicity factors and life experience. The college has a budget of $108.9 million dollars with 80% of that funding coming from the state. There were 16,184 full time equivalent credit students and 1,943 full time equivalent Continuing Education students in the 2010-11 academic year.
SBCC with an award winning faculty and staff comprised of 261 full-time faculty, 537 adjunct faculty and 378 full time staff and administrators granted 1,617 degrees and 990 certificates in the 2010-2011 academic year.
About SBCC
Perched on a bluff with stunning views of the Pacific, we are located on the Mesa near downtown Santa Barbara and right down the street from Stearns Wharf.
View Larger Map
Santa Barbara City College 721 Cliff Drive Santa Barbara, CA 93109-2394
Qualifications
- A master's degree from an accredited college or university is required. An earned doctorate is preferred.
- A minimum of three to five years of senior leadership and organizational management experience is required. Leading candidates will have senior administrative experience in progressively responsible positions in higher education. Experience in community college education is desirable.
- In addition, actual classroom teaching experience in an educational institution is preferred.
The Personal Characteristics
The ideal candidate will be:
- A leader who has strong people skills, fundraising capabilities and the ability to work collaboratively with both campus and community.
- An effective communicator who can bring together diverse stakeholders in a common vision supporting the mission of the College. A leader who shares a commitment to student success and academic excellence and who acts with sensitivity to the impacts of policy decisions on students, campus and community.
- An individual who leads by example, demonstrating integrity, honesty, directness, flexibility, humility, respect for others and a sense of humor.
- A leader who encourages openness and transparency at all levels, particularly in decision-making, and who appreciates and encourages input from the diverse college constituencies. A great listener.
- A leader who is experienced in collaboration and committed to meaningful participatory governance before decisions are made.
- An administrator who is effective in building teams and successful in delegating responsibilities.
- A leader who challenges others to think creatively, take risks, innovate, evaluate and succeed at all levels.
- An individual who will work harmoniously with campus leaders and the community to resolve controversial issues and problems in a timely manner in collaboration with key constituent groups.
- A person who will be actively involved as a community leader with the ability to effectively represent the College in and to the community.
- An individual with demonstrated experience and sensitivity to the needs of a diverse campus community and an engaged community.
- A leader who can facilitate planning, development and management of the College budget.
- A leader who is able to create a collaborative environment where the College community and the Board work together even on tough decisions relating to curriculum and potential funding reductions.
- A person whose strong professional experience demonstrates the ability to understand the California Community College system, the statewide education system, and the dynamics and realties that affect the education sector.
Challenges, Issues & Opportunities
The following categories reflect current challenges, issues and opportunities that SBCC presidential candidates must address:
Governance-Leadership-Advocacy
- Encourage and facilitate open, timely and straightforward communications across the College and with the community.
- Support a climate of campus-wide engagement, and promote collegiality, cohesiveness and the core values of the institution reflective of a student-centered focus.
- Enhance SBCC's strong presence by building upon and strengthening relationships between the College and surrounding communities.
- Enhance SBCC's role as a leader in the statewide community college system and advocate for SBCC at the state and federal level. Increase coordination with local K-12 schools and other higher education institutions.
Student Learning and
Student Support Services
- Promote and support teaching, learning and student success, by encouraging creativity and innovation in instructional support services.
- Support career and occupational education for workforce training and the continuing assessment and development of the requisite skills students require to find jobs and succeed in the workplace.
- Fulfill the needs of a diverse student body by supporting faculty, staff and students in developing and maintaining effective programs and curricula.
- Advocate for equal access and student support programs needed for at-risk students, and propose effective ways to improve the success of underprepared credit and noncredit students while maintaining academic standards.
Community Services, Noncredit Education and
Economic Development
- Advance the State and region's economic growth and global competitiveness through education, training and services that contribute to continuous workforce improvement and increased productivity.
- Promote lifelong learning opportunities, with or without state funding, and the effective delivery of state funded noncredit instruction including college and vocational preparation.
- Pursue business and other partnerships that mutually serve the needs of SBCC students and regional economic development.
Human Resources
- Demonstrate effectiveness and commitment to diversity and equal employment opportunity.
- Demonstrate knowledge and experience in labor relations with collective bargaining units and effectiveness with conflict resolution.
- Support competitive salaries and benefits for all employee groups.
- Support professional growth and development opportunities for all employees.
Planning, Finance and Facilities
- Provide leadership in maintaining fiscal stability and solvency including fundraising, revenue generation and targeted grant proposals. Protect, expand and leverage the College's fiscal resources by aggressively advocating for State and federal funding, collaborating with the Foundation for SBCC on fundraising, developing new sources of revenue and targeted grant writing.
- Provide experience and leadership in the continuing review, development and implementation of the College's long-term strategic plan and related facilities planning, and for the effective expenditure of existing Measure V Bond funds for facilities.
- Strengthen the resource allocations process to emphasize the student-focus of the College and maintain quality standards for instruction in all facilities.
- Support technology integration across the campus and the need to review, upgrade and maintain equipment and technological systems to foster innovative teaching, learning and administrative support.
Compensation
Santa Barbara City College offers a highly competitive executive compensation package that includes base salary, medical, dental, vision benefits and life insurance benefits, vacation and sick leave and opportunities for professional development. Salary and benefits are based on experience and qualifications and are negotiated with the Board of Trustees.
