The new president and superintendent of Gavilan College is no stranger to the tree-lined campus. For seven years Kathleen Rose has served as the school’s executive vice president and chief instruction officer. Named by the Gavilan Joint Community College District Board of Trustees at their meeting on June 14, following a nationwide search to replace outgoing president Steven M. Kinsella, Rose will lead the school as it expands to new campuses at Coyote Valley and in Hollister and gets ready to celebrate the school’s 100th year serving South Valley and San Benito County communities.
New SV Media: What does being president at Gavilan mean to you?
ROSE: I am thrilled to have this opportunity, after more than 30 years in higher education as a faculty member and administrator. This campus has felt like home from the beginning of my time here seven years ago, maybe because of its rural setting and my farm upbringing, maybe because of the closeness of the working relationships I have formed, maybe because of the obvious warmth the community has for the college. I feel that this is the time for me to use the strength of my experience, my academic training, my personal leadership style and my energy to work with the faculty and staff here at Gavilan to chart our course for the future. I am excited to get started!
What is the first thing you are going to do as college president?
I intend to be present, listen and build on the excellence that Gavilan has enjoyed for many years in our instructional programs, student services, and dedication to the communities we serve. I plan to offer opportunities for the community to get to know me in the months ahead in Morgan Hill, Gilroy and Hollister as well as on campus in both formal and informal settings. There is much to do to expand our work but it will be important to take the time to build relationships and highlight the successes of our students and the innovative teaching of our faculty. We have a great story to tell!
New SV Media reported last October that Gavilan had been awarded a $2.6 million federal grant to improve student transfer rates and increase college success for Hispanics. What is the status of that initiative?
Gavilan College received its fifth Title V award in October 2015 to improve student success and transfer rates. We have begun to implement new programs on campus in the areas of distance education, civic engagement and the newly established Learning Commons. Over the next academic year you will be hearing more about directed learning activities and expanded distance education offerings as a result of this grant, in addition to increased activities for students interested in Service Learning in our communities.
Compensation for adjunct faculty has been a hot topic not only at Gavilan, but at community colleges across the state and nationwide. Where do you see adjunct in the overall community of Gavilan and its future? What can you say of the administration’s relationship with adjunct?
I have been an adjunct faculty member myself for more than 30 years so I understand the importance of teaching and the role of the part-time instructor to our instructional mission. Here at Gavilan College the part-time faculty are represented by the Gavilan College Faculty Association and it is my responsibility to ensure that the voice of the part-time faculty is well represented in all participative governance on campus.
The proposal to have an armed deputy or officer on the Gilroy campus has been met with some controversy. It’s opposed by student groups and the union which represents the college’s security workers. What is the status of this proposal? Is it going to happen? And, if so, why is it important to have an armed officer on campus?
We have not taken any action on this yet. For now, the conversation is ongoing and we are collecting all of the information necessary to bring to the board of trustees and to the community to make the best decision. The focus is on maintaining a campus environment where safety is ensured and students can learn.
We are in Santa Clara County, and a stone’s throw from the heart of Silicon Valley, but we did not hear much about technology during the interview. Where does innovation and technology stand at Gavilan? How important are those subjects to the future of the school? How do you intend to support students in gaining jobs in these lucrative fields?
Technology isn’t only about “apps”! Gavilan offers degrees and certificates in fields such as Biological Science, Health Science, Biotechnology. There is a strong focus on science and technology at Gavilan. In fact we currently have a federal STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) grant that connects students with technology in a number of ways. To learn more, stop by campus Aug. 19 to view the displays presented by our students describing their summer internships. Through the federal STEM grants the Gilroy campus has also become an outdoor learning laboratory, as our students work with faculty on the development of the Arboretum, Native Garden, and Restoration Meadow, or study outdoors in the Outdoor Classroom overlooking the pond. Students have worked on a variety of habitat improvement projects at Cañada de los Osos Ecological Reserve.
Technology offerings also include programs in Digital Media, Computer Networking, Computer Programming, Programming for the Internet, Scientific Programming, UNIX Operating System, and Computer Hardware. Our career technical education (CTE) students have partnered with CSU-Monterey Bay to hold several events to highlight digital media and gaming software projects throughout the year.
Our MESA (Math, Engineering, Science, Achievement) program has strong partnerships with Lockheed, NASA and Stanford where our students are completing internships. We encourage students who want to get involved in science fields to find out more by meeting with one of our counselors.
What are your main goals for the Hollister and Coyote Valley campuses?
This is an exciting time for Gavilan as construction is underway at Coyote Valley and plans are underway for classes to begin in Spring 2017. The site will offer public safety training as well as instruction leading to certificates and degrees preparing students for careers and transfer to four-year colleges and universities.
In Hollister, our adult education and noncredit programs continue to expand and our Gavilan ACES consortium is creating pathways for vocational training that will meet the needs of our community’s adult learners and industries. During my first year, I plan to spend a great deal of time in both communities to learn more about the educational needs as the demographics shift and new housing continues to be built. We want to be at the forefront of all training needs, from adult education to career technical education to transfer to workplace development.
What are you most looking forward to accomplishing in your new role?
There is so much to look forward to right now at Gavilan—our Coyote Valley site, our growth in Hollister, our athletic programs, the expanding career technical programs, the ongoing initiatives from the state chancellor’s office and more. In addition, we are preparing to celebrate our centennial in two short years. Stay tuned to hear more about our First Day of School Celebration in the fall.
Anything you’d like to add?
I invite the community to join me for ‘Coffee and Conversation’—these will be a series of informal opportunities for the community to join me for coffee at a local establishment and let me know what is important to them. They will be held on Saturday mornings this summer, with dates and locations to be announced.
Gavilan President Kathleen Rose encourages the community to come out to the college to say hello, or email [email protected].
