Pierce College President Alexis S. Montevirgen introduced April 15 his resignation which stunned most of the school and administration. He plans to stay within the place by way of June.
After two years, Montevirgen introduced his resignation because of private and underlying well being causes that repress his capability to satisfy the wants of the campus.
“I can’t give the 100% and even the 110% that I imagine this school wants, and that I count on of myself,” Montevirgen stated. “I don’t know if I might have been in a position to proceed and say, ‘Well, I do know I’m not doing as a lot as I can, however that’s due to this, after which that will have been me making excuses.”
Montevirgen’s aim other than sustaining his well being is to give attention to getting a everlasting vp put in cost at Pierce.
“The precedence for me is launching the searches for the everlasting VPs for Student Services and Academic Affairs,” Montevirgen stated. “And I might hope that after these are named, these will then be the everlasting VPs.”
Department Chair of Performing Arts Michael Gend expressed that his preliminary fear other than the president’s well being was the dearth of a vp.
“I’m extra involved concerning the vice presidential vacancies proper now as a result of the president can be serving because the appearing vp of Student Services,” Gend stated. “If we discover ourselves in a state of affairs with no president and no vp, that total space doesn’t have management and that will be my largest concern, much less so of filling Montevirgen’s footwear.”
The preliminary announcement of Montevirgen’s upcoming departure was shocking for a lot of.
“Coupled with the pandemic we’ve all been dwelling in, it’s arduous to inform if any of our co-workers are actually going by way of arduous occasions,” Gend stated. “We see them briefly Zoom home windows and never for the remainder of the day.”
Senate President Barbara Anderson stated Pierce is going through an enormous loss.
“I care about President Montevirgen, so first I assumed I hope he’s okay and I want him effectively and I solely need the perfect for him. We’re going to overlook him,” Anderson stated. “I admire many issues about him, so I perceive his want to do what he must do and naturally am supportive of him doing that. It shall be a loss for Pierce for certain.”
Psychology professor Angela Belden stated she admires the best way Motevirgen led the school campus over the past two years.
“One of the issues I actually beloved about President Montevirgen have been his core values of congeniality and transparency,” Belden stated. “I feel his management type was very collaborative and I actually admire that in a president. He desires us to construct consensus round campus, he desires everybody’s voices to be heard, he desires to listen to what the individuals suppose and I feel that’s a extremely highly effective option to lead a university.”
Gend stated that Montevirgen takes care of himself.
“I by no means actually acquired to know him however I’ll miss him regardless,” Gend stated.
Anderson expressed her gratitude towards Montevirgen and recommended him on the superb job he has completed over the past two years.
“I wish to personally thank him on behalf of the Academic Senate for his participation within the Senate conferences, his listening ear to school issues, his responses to our issues,” Anderson stated. “I felt that he was supportive of the work that school and employees have been doing and that he solely needed good issues for us and our college students.”
Despite solely being president for 2 years, Montevirgen made lengthy lasting recollections and stated he felt extraordinarily related to campus and employees.
“I look fondly at my two years,” Montevirgen stated. “ I want I might have been right here for much longer, however I did what I might. I thank the campus for becoming a member of me and embracing form of the vitality and the path that we’ve taken the school in these final two years. I simply encourage the campus to proceed that progress. It’s that lifelong pursuit for steady enchancment.”
