COM announces finalists in presidential search
The College of the Mainland board of trustees has named three finalists in the search for the college’s next president and will hold public forums at which community members may meet them.
The finalists, who all offer extensive experience working in higher education, are Dr. Dale Doty, vice president for academic affairs at Florence-Darlington Technical College in Florence, S.C.; Dr. Ralph Ford, vice president of student services at Union County College in Cranford, N.J.; and Dr. Beth Lewis, vice president of academic affairs at Northeast Lakeview College in Universal City, Texas.
To provide the community, students and college staff an opportunity to meet and hear the vision of each candidate, each finalist will speak at a public forum from 12:30 to 1:30 at COM in the Learning Resources Center Auditorium. Doty will share Oct. 23, Ford will speak Oct. 24, and Lewis will share Oct. 25. The three finalists will be also interviewed by the full board.
The finalists were recommended by the presidential search committee, comprised of community members, industry representatives, labor leaders, faculty, staff, student government and COM board representatives. COM’s national search gave the search committee the opportunity to select from a rich pool of candidates.
“This recommendation is the culmination of hours of reviewing applications and interviews,” said Roney McCrary, search committee chair and member of the COM board of trustees. “The committee felt that these three candidates best fit the profile that the search committee developed after receiving community input at the presidential search public forums.”
College of the Mainland offers a variety of nationally accredited associate degrees and certifications that prepare students for success in transferring to a university or entering the workforce. An Achieving the Dream Leader College, COM has an excellent professor-to-student ratio that allows instructors to connect with each class. We’re the launching pad for success stories throughout the Mainland.