Public invited to meet-and-greet sessions with candidates for new VP position

by Rachel Coleman

LIBERAL, Kan. — Seward County Community College invites the public to meet two finalists for the newly created Vice President of Career Tech Education. Dr. Amber Jones, currently the SCCC Dean of Career & Technical Education, and Dr. Christiaan B. Desmond, currently Dean of Consumer & Health Sciences at Orange Coast College of Costa Mesa, Calif., will interview during the first week of June.
Community members may attend public receptions for each, scheduled for:

Wednesday, June 5, 3:30 p.m, SCCC Library — Dr. Amber Jones
Thursday, June 6, 10:30 a.m., SCCC Library — Dr. Christiaan Desmond

In their April board meeting, SCCC approved a restructure of academic affairs, adding a Vice President of Technical Education and cutting the two academic deans. The restructure was prompted in part by faculty retirements, which Bennett said always prompt the college to take a fresh look at how the current organizational structure could be improved. The two VP academic models are standard in schools with strong technical and workforce programs.
Folllowing unanimous approval by the board, the restructuring goes into effect on July 1, 2024.