OCC finds some permanency in presidency

Christine Carrillo

Nothing could stop Gene Farrell.

Neither his retirement nor the dismal financial future for

California community colleges could block his move from a temporary

seat as interim president for Orange Coast College to a permanent

one.

Extending his temporary return to the district after nearly three

years of retirement, the Coast Community College District Board of

Trustees approved the search committee’s proposal for Farrell’s

presidency at the board meeting on Wednesday night. Farrell’s

contract extends through June 30, 2005.

After working as the district’s vice chancellor of business

affairs for 12 years, 65-year-old Farrell jumped back into a familiar

realm with very different challenges.

“I’m actually having a great time, and the people here have

actually been wonderful,” Farrell said. “I’m not even thinking about

retiring now.”

Having worked as an instructor and an administrator for the

district for 31 years, Farrell understands what makes the Coast

community colleges tick. With a strong knowledge of business and

financial matters, district officials say they believe he will serve

as an asset to the college as it faces massive budget cuts.

“Gene is the right person at the right time,” said John Renley,

district vice chancellor of human resources. “He is, in my opinion,

probably the best individual for the presidency of Orange Coast

College at this time in our history.”

OCC has been without a permanent president since July 2002, when

six-year president Margaret A. Gratton retired. As a result, the

search committee launched two separate nationwide searches for a

replacement, to no avail.

“Gene provides a stability and confidence level that we need,”

Renley said, adding that the search committee’s unanimous 12-0 vote

favoring Farrell confirmed that.

“Gene has that charisma and knowledge and experience to handle

these kinds of questions,” he said.

After Farrell became so deeply involved with addressing OCC’s

budget problems, the significance of his presence took on a life of

its own. He became a part of the school and a part of its solution,

Renley said.

“We had to give it a little thought, but this is something we need

to do,” Farrell said. “We started this process of getting better ...

getting our fiscal house in order, and now it’s time to finish it.”

Having discarded the interim president mentality when he walked in

the door Thursday morning, Farrell stepped into a new world. And with

that, he begins to look to the college’s future.

“I think we’ve still got some work here to do,” he said. “Because

we’re making so many cuts, it’s like we’re working from a baseline.”