President Search

May 23, 2024

Dear College of Alameda and Peralta Community,

As we close this graduation season of celebration for our students and colleges, I extend my heartfelt appreciation to all of you who make the Peralta Colleges a beacon of hope and positive transformation for the communities, families, and individuals we serve.

With an eye on continuously strengthening our institutions to be ever-better community stewards, I am excited to share that Melanie Dixon will join the College of Alameda as President, beginning July 1, pending formal ratification of her contract by the Board of Trustees in June.

Melanie Dixon brings extensive experience in higher education with a focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout her professional career. She has chief executive officer experience, having served as the president of American River College in the Los Rios Community College District. She has deep experience supporting students, having served as the Associate Vice Chancellor of Educational Services and Student Success at Los Rios CCD, which gives her a unique mix of both instructional and student affairs experiences. Working in a multi-college district like Los Rios has prepared her for working in a collaborative multi-college district like Peralta.

Throughout the search process, participants were impressed by Ms. Dixon’s emphasis on collaboration with stakeholders, including collective bargaining units, and her enthusiasm, energy, and communication skills. People were encouraged by her commitment to listening and transparency. She is a three-time graduate of community college herself, which resonated with our community.

Ms. Dixon’s depth and breadth of experiences in the California Community Colleges system, her laser focus on student basic needs and success, and her demonstrated commitment to leading from an authentic grounding in diversity, equity, and inclusion, are what COA and the Peralta District need at this time to inspire students to fulfill their highest aspirations and to ensure the college and community continue to thrive.

I am grateful that this national search yielded a solid pool of competent candidates, which made this selection both challenging and inspiring. Let me offer sincere thanks again to all members of the COA Search Committee who met this task with the earnest care needed, as well as to the students, faculty, staff, administrators, and community members who participated in and shared their perspectives from the public forums and constituency leader meetings.

Melanie Dixon will start her role at the beginning of our new academic year. Dr. Pamela Luster will continue serving as the College’s Acting President until then and will work closely with Ms. Dixon and COA leadership to help ensure a smooth transition.

In closing, thank you again for making this a meaningful season of celebration for our students and for thoughtfully ending the academic year. I know these last few months have been a whirlwind of activity for everyone. I hope you all find time and space to join with friends and family for some much-deserved rest and rejuvenation over the Memorial Day holiday weekend and in the summer.

Sincerely,

Tammeil

Dr. Tammeil Gilkerson
Chancellor
Peralta Community College District
333 East 8th Street Oakland CA 94606

May 10, 2024

Dear COA and Peralta Colleagues,

I am pleased to announce that the Search Committee has identified three finalists for consideration as our next College of Alameda President. The finalists are listed in alphabetical order below, and you may access information about them on the COA Presidential Search website:

Dr. William (Terry) Brown
Melanie Dixon
Dr. Rebecca Opsata

Sincere appreciation goes to the 12 Search Committee representatives from our faculty, classified professionals, administrators, student body, and community who invested much time and care over this critical search process. Special thanks go to Dr. David Johnson, president of Merritt College, who chaired the committee. These finalists were identified through an extensive screening and interview process, following a Campus Listening Session conducted on March 11 to gather insights in preparation for the national search for our new campus leader.

Thank you, Search Committee members, for your commitment to ensuring an equitable, confidential, and thorough process, which honored the concerns and aspirations of all constituents throughout the screening and first-level interview phase. This expression of our values lays a strong foundation for the future of the College of Alameda.

Participation in Public Forums with Finalists

Next week, we will hold public forums at the College of Alameda with finalists on Thursday, May 16. You are encouraged to contribute to the forum process in three ways:

ONE: Recommend Questions: You may recommend questions for the finalists in advance through an online form linked below. To promote equity and consistency, the moderator will ask all questions.

Submit Potential Forum Questions: CLICK HERE Deadline: Monday, May 13 by midnight

TWO: Attend/Watch: You may attend the forums in person, watch remotely via live stream, or watch recordings of the forums, which will be available through midnight, Tuesday, May 21.

Attend in person Thursday, May 16, College of Alameda, Room H153/154, or watch live via Zoom Webinar:

12:15 – 1:00 Melanie Dixon Zoom: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87346389634

1:15 – 2:00 Dr. William (Terry) Brown Zoom: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82522490836

2:30 – 3:15 Dr. Rebecca Opsata Zoom: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84115772836

Forum recordings will be shared via PCCD Announcement by close of business on Thursday, May 16, for viewing through midnight, Tuesday, May 21.

THREE: Provide Feedback: You are invited to provide feedback on finalists through an online form available May 16-21. I will review internal and external community feedback before making my final decision and recommendation to the Board.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me or reach out to our HSV Search Consultants:

Dr. Helen Benjamin – hbenjamin91@icloud.com – 510-701-1153
Dr. Cindy Miles – cmiles1779@icloud.com – 619-322-8824

I am pleased with the comprehensive, inclusive process underway to identify our new College of Alameda President. Thanks again to all who have and will participate as we complete the next phase of the search and announce our new President by June 1, with their anticipated start date of July 1, 2024.

Sincerely yours,

Dr. Tammeil Gilkerson

Chancellor

Peralta Community College District

333 East 8^th Street Oakland CA 94606

—

March 21, 2024

Dear College of Alameda and Peralta Community,

I am writing to express my sincere gratitude to everyone who warmly welcomed College of Alameda (CoA) Acting President Dr. Pam Luster during yesterday’s meet-and-greet event, both in-person and online. Your kindness and support demonstrate the strength of our community, for which I am truly thankful.

I’m excited to announce the official launch of our search for a permanent CoA President. Working alongside Dr. Helen Benjamin and Dr. Cindy Miles of HSV Consulting, we have established an ambitious yet achievable timeline to appoint a president to begin their tenure in July 2024. The application deadline is April 21, with interviews scheduled for May. Finalists will be on campus in May for open forums and other activities in which you are invited to participate. Please take advantage of the opportunity. I want your input. I am confident that we will attract an outstanding pool of candidates by our upcoming deadline.

Our search committee, as outlined in AP 7122: Hiring Procedures for Regular Academic Administrators and Classified Managers, comprises 12 members, including representatives from various stakeholders. I extend my heartfelt thanks to Dr. David M. Johnson, Merritt College President, for chairing this committee and all members who will dedicate their time and expertise to this critical endeavor.

The current committee members are:

· Natasha Masand (Student)

· Natay Myers (Student)

· Anna O’Neal (Classified Professional)

· Louie Martirez (Classified Professional)

· Malik Shabazz (Classified Professional)

· Jody Campbell (Faculty)

· Jennifer Fowler (Faculty)

· Rich Kaeser (Faculty) (Added April 16, 2024)

· Dr. David M. Johnson (Administrator)

· Dr. Reza Majlesi (Administrator)

· Natalie Rodriguez (Administrator)

· Dr. Rich Sherratt (Community Representative)

You may find additional details about the Search Committee and the timeline on the CoA President Search website at https://alameda.edu/our-college/president-search/.

The job posting is available on the Peralta Careers website here. Leveraging insights from the March 11 President Search Listening Session, the Search Committee, Human Resources, and District Marketing, Communication & Public Relations department crafted a brochure to attract exceptional candidates. This appointment will shape the future of the college for years to come, so please share this brochure widely within your professional networks.

If you have any questions or suggestions or wish to nominate prospective candidates for our consultants to contact, please feel free to reach out to our consultants.

· Dr. Helen Benjamin: 510-701-1553

· Dr. Cindy Miles: 619-322-8824

As we embark upon “Smile Season” (Dr. Luster’s term for late spring when students prepare for graduation), I am confident that with your patience and support, we will continue to serve the students of CoA and the Peralta Colleges while successfully identifying our next CoA President.