Santa Fe Community College Announces Forums for Interim President Candidates

SANTA FE, NM – Santa Fe Community College announces two public candidate forums for the position of Interim President. The first forum will feature Gregory Maxwell South, Ph.D., at 1 p.m. on Wed., Sept. 20. The second forum will feature Cecilia Y.M. Cervantes, Ph.D., at 1 p.m. on Fri., Sept. 22.

The SFCC Governing Board launched a search for an Interim President after President Randy W. Grissom announced his retirement on Aug. 4. Grissom’s retirement is effective Oct. 31. The forum gives the college campus and community members the opportunity to meet the finalists and to provide feedback to the Governing Board.

Cecilia Y.M. Cervantes most recently worked (2016) as a consultant in curriculum development at the Minneapolis Public Schools. From 2008-2015, Cervantes served as president of Hennepin Technical College (a two-campus college at Brooklyn Park and Eden Park, Minnesota). The college is the largest technical college in Minnesota and the region, serving more than 9,500 students in credit classes, as well as 10,000 students in customized training and continuing education courses.

Cervantes provided leadership as president of College of Alameda (2002-2008) in the city/island of Alameda, California. The college served 6,500 credit students and additional enrollment through fee-based, non-credit offerings on the main campus at one off-campus facility, as well as at various community locations.

She also served as Associate Vice President of Lifelong Learning and Career Technical Education at El Paso Community College (1998-2002), Provost Transmountain Campus El Paso Community College District, Texas (1998-1999); Associate Campus Director (Chief Instructional Officer) at Doña Ana Community College in Las Cruces (1994-1998), Vice President of Academic Affairs at Western New Mexico University in Silver City (1992-1994) and Dean of Continuing Education and Dean of Arts and Humanities at the Community College of Denver (1989-1992).

Previously, she also served as Director of Federal Projects at Community of Denver, CO; Director, National Early Childhood Bilingual Multicultural Resource Center (Head Start programs) for Colorado, Utah and Wyoming; assistant professor of reading and coordinator Bilingual education, Metropolitan State University of Denver; reading coordinator, Right to Read Project at Denver Public Library and an elementary school teacher in Texas.

Cervantes has earned the following academic credentials: Ph.D. University of Colorado (major: curriculum and instruction, minor: bilingual multicultural education/reading; M.A. University of Texas at El Paso (education/reading); and a B.A. University of Texas at El Paso (major/minor: Spanish/Chicano studies).

Gregory Maxwell South is currently the board-appointed acting president/superintendent of the College of the Siskiyous in Weed, California, where he has worked since 2014. At the same college, prior to his current position, he was Vice President of Academic Affairs—Interim (2013-2015) and Dean, Student Learning (2012-present). College of Siskyous is a comprehensive community college serving one of the largest rural county districts in the country with three extension campuses with 2,600 full-time degree seeking students with a total of 6,400 students.

From 2011 to 2012, he served as Dean of Career, Technical Education and Workforce Innovation at State Fair Community College, Sedalia Missouri. South was the Dean of Career, Technical and Work Force Education at Odessa College in Odessa, Texas (2009-2010). The community college serves a 13-county district with three extension campuses. There are 7,600 full-time degree seeking students and 12,000 continuing education students

From 2005 to 2009, he also served as Vice President of Physical Performance and Development, as well as Director of Athletics and Associate Dean Division of Health, Physical Education and Recreation at New Mexico Military Institute in Roswell.

He has taught for about 20 years including faculty positions at Washington State University (sport management), University of Idaho (sport psychology) and Yuba College in Marysville, Calif. (physical education). During that time, he was also head coach (men’s and women’s tennis instructor) at the University of Idaho and head coach (men’s and women’s tennis instructor) at Yuba College and the Performance Psychology Consultant to the Cougar Athletic Department at Washington State University in Pullman, Washington.

He has earned the following academic credentials: Ph.D. University of Idaho (Education/Leadership & Performance/Sport Psychology); M.A. California State University (Physical Education/Psychology and Sociology of Sport Motor Learning), B.A. California State University (Sociology) and A.A. Yuba College (General Education).