New COCC president pick familiar – and a trail blazer

After two derailed efforts to choose a new president, the Central Oregon Community College Board decided Friday to hire from within — or to be more precise, to name the interim leader, Dr. Shirley Metcalf, to the permanent position.

The board voted Friday to begin negotiations to appoint Metcalf as the college’s fifth president — both the first woman and minority to hold the college’s top position.

She told NewsChannel 21 that her top priority is serving students.

“Our students are often single parents, they’re minorities, they are first in their family to go to college, and we will be able to offer them more opportunities. And that is what I’m most excited about,” Metcalf said.

Metcalf has been serving as interim president since September. She began that role after Dr. James Middleton retired with 10 years of service at COCC.

COCC recently concluded a national search for president after the identified leading candidate, Dr. Tony Miksa from McHenry County College in Illinois, withdrew following a death in his family.

Last year, the college announced its intention to hire Patrick Lanning, an administrator from Chemeketa Community College, as its next president, but decided to restart its search after learning Lanning was accused of raping a colleague.

Prior to serving as interim president, Metcalf was COCC’s Dean of Extended Learning, overseeing the college’s non-credit instruction and the COCC campuses in Redmond, Madras and Prineville. She has been at COCC for four years.

In 2013, from February through June, she served as interim vice president for instruction.

Prior to coming to COCC, she held the positions of executive vice president for instruction and vice president for advancement at Lake Washington Technical College.

At Hawaii Community College, she served as dean of instruction (chief academic officer) and dean of outreach.

Metcalf attained the rank of full professor in business and held a tenured position with the University of Hawaii System for 26 years. She earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Hawaii and her doctorate in education from Northern Illinois University.

Laura Craska Cooper, COCC’s board chair, describes her leadership skills as including “listening, being responsive, following through and empowering those she leads.

“She also builds consensus, is open-minded and she has an infectious enthusiasm and energy that makes everyone want to jump on board and follow her on a journey leading to student success.”

Metcalf is an avid skier and enjoys traveling with her husband, Wayne.