Bornstein

Three finalists for the top job at Central Oregon Community College were announced Tuesday, and the school said a fourth is expected to be revealed early next month.

The three identified presidential finalists are Leah Bornstein, president of Coconino Community College in Flagstaff, Arizona; Jimmie Bruce, vice president of academic success at Northwest Vista College in San Antonio, Texas; and Tony Miksa, vice president of academic and student affairs at McHenry County College in Crystal Lake, Illinois. The fourth candidate asked for more time to inform colleagues before beingidentified.

Bornstein is also a finalist to be president at Tacoma Community College in Washington, where she interviewed this month. According to the school’s director of marketing, communications and social media, Shawn Jennison, Bornstein is among three candidates. The college has not said when it will decide.

This is COCC’s second group of finalists in the past 12 months.

Last academic year, the college narrowed a field of 36 candidates to one, Patrick Lanning, an administrator from Chemeketa Community College in Salem. The college decided to redo its search in April after discovering Lanning had been accused of raping a colleague and placed on administrative leave, a fact he did not disclose to COCC.

Shirley Metcalf, who was previously extended learning dean, took over as interim president this summer. She was not considered in the search for a noninterim leader.

“We had a great pool of candidates, from the written portion to the Skype interviews. It was very impressive,” said Charley Miller, a COCC board member who helped evaluated all 50 candidates.

Laura Craska Cooper, COCC’s board president, said, “In the end, it was not hard to narrow down to the four candidates we have.”

Bornstein has been president at Coconino Community College since 2007. She previously worked at two community colleges in Colorado, as a vice president of instruction at the Higher Colleges of Technology in Abu Dhabi and as vice president for academic affairs at University College at the University of Denver. She earned her doctorate in higher education administration from the University of Denver in 1996.

COCC spokesman Ron Paradis said Bornstein has committed to interviewing at COCC despite her status as a finalist for the job at Tacoma Community College.

Bruce has worked at Northwest Vista College for 12 years, serving as dean of student success and chief student affairs officer. He worked previously as a tenured professor and administrator at Elizabethtown Community and Technical College in Kentucky. He earned his doctorate in education leadership from Texas A&M University, Corpus Christi, in 2008.

Miksa has been a vice president at McHenry Community College for five years. He has previously worked as an admissions counselor, math instructor, dean and basketball coach throughout the Midwest. He earned his doctorate in education from National Louis University in 2009.

The candidates are scheduled to interview with the college’s board, faculty senate and community members during two-day visits at the end of January.

— Reporter: 541-633-2160, tleeds@bendbulletin.com