By Frank X. Moraga / Amigos805
Frank X. Moraga
It’s back-to-school time for many local public school districts, private schools, colleges and universities.
Time for students to pick up their books, meet new classmates, teachers and administrators.
There are a few changes in store for students at local colleges and universities as we enter into the fall semester.
“There are important changes at Oxnard College,” Bernard Luskin, chancellor of Ventura County Community College District, stated in a media release. “Oxnard College Interim President James Limbaugh has a strong higher-education background and he is joined by two very experienced vice presidents.”
Limbaugh takes over for former Oxnard College president Richard Duran, who retired in June and is moving back home to Colorado.
Limbaugh has extensive experience in student affairs, academic affairs, business / finance, development / fundraising and executive leadership. He served as chancellor of Montana State University-Northern and vice president for Strategy, Planning, and Policy and interim provost at Angelo State University in Texas. He is known for his collaboration with faculty, staff and students. Limbaugh holds a Ph.D. in Educational Policy and Leadership from the University of Maryland, district officials reported.
“It will be a privilege to work in partnership with the dedicated faculty and staff of Oxnard College for the coming year,” Limbaugh said.
Joining Limbaugh at Oxnard College are Oscar Cobian, vice president of Student Development, and Ken Sherwood, vice president of Academic Affairs and Student Learning.
Cobian joined Oxnard College in June. He previously served as vice president of Student Services at Los Angeles Southwest College. He has held the positions of dean of Student Services, dean of Special Programs – TRIO, executive director of Federal TRIO Programs and Community Programs, director of Upward Bound, counselor and adjunct professor.
Sherwood has spent the past two and a half years as the dean of Liberal Studies at Oxnard College, where he was responsible for overseeing three academic departments that included disciplines in the Humanities, Social Sciences and Visual and Performing Arts.
It was also announced recently that Richard R. Rush will retire at the end of the 2015-16 academic year as president of CSU Channel Islands.
Rush is the campus’ inaugural president and has served for 15 years. His career in higher education as a scholar and administrator spans more than 40 years, 31 of which have been spent at CSU campuses, the university reported.
“I have been privileged to serve as the president of CSU Channel Islands and am honored, more than I can say, to have held in trust — for the once and future students and the good people of Ventura County and the region — this marvelous idea of a university,” Rush said. “Over the past 15 years, I have been honored to work with innovative faculty and staff, creative students, and engaged alumni. In addition, I am tremendously grateful for the support that the university has received from the community.”
“President Rush will forever be memorialized for his role in establishing and building the reputation of our newest campus,” CSU Chancellor Timothy P. White stated in a media release. “He is leaving a lasting and living legacy of academic excellence that has not only made CSU Channel Islands the campus of choice for graduating high school seniors and community college transfer students in Ventura County but also across the state.”
In the coming months, the CSU Board of Trustees will begin a national search to select a new campus president.
Congratulations to the new leadership team at Oxnard College and wishing President Rush a successful year as he enjoys his final academic year at CSU Channel Islands.
— Frank X. Moraga is editor/publisher of Amigos805. He has served as business editor, director of diversity and general manager of a bilingual publication at the Ventura County Star, and as a reporter in the community editions of the Orange County Register and Los Angeles Daily News. Send an email to frank@amigos805.com for more information.