Miksa named ‘top candidate’ for next COCC president

The Central Oregon Community College Board of Directors announced late Thursday it has identified Dr. Anthony R. (Tony) Miksa as the top candidate to become the next president of COCC.

Miksa is currently the vice president of academic and student affairs at McHenry County College in Illinois. A team from COCC will visit McHenry County College next week to talk to Miksa’s colleagues and board members from the college.

Miksa was one of four candidates who visited Central Oregon and interviewed at COCC in January as part of the college’s search for a new president.

The other finalists were Leah Bornstein, president of Coconino Community College in Flagstaff, Arizona; Jimmie Bruce, vice president of academic success at Northwest Vista College in San Antonio; and Jerrilee Mosier, the chancellor of Ivy Tech Community College Northeast in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

If confirmed, Miksa will replace Dr. James E. Middleton, who retired in September. Dr. Shirley Metcalf, dean of extended learning at COCC, has been serving as the interim president since that time, and will continue in that position until June.

“We are very pleased to have Dr. Miksa as our top candidate,” said Laura Craska Cooper, COCC’s board chair. “As we said last week, we had an exceptionally strong group of candidates and four outstanding finalists.

“That was clear not only from our board interviews, but also from the extensive input we received from students, faculty, staff and the community. After careful deliberations, we concluded that Dr. Miksa is the right person for this position at this time.

“Throughout his time on campus, what came through repeatedly and passionately is his focus on student success. Everything circles back to ‘how can we best serve students?'” she said. “He will bring vision and great ideas to COCC, but most importantly he will be a listener and a team builder.

“That is a priority for us, because COCC enjoys exceptional support from the community, employees and students, and we want to continue that tradition. This college values a collaborative approach and Dr. Miksa emphasized his desire to lead with an inclusive, collaborative style, gathering input and ideas from all stakeholders.”

Following the site visit, the board is expected to begin negotiations with Miksa. Contingent on a successful site visit and negotiations, a formal announcement is anticipated later this month.

Miksa began his career as an admissions counselor at Mount Mercy College in Iowa, an?d then assistant basketball coach and full-time math professor at Kishwaukee College in Illinois.

He then served as dean of mathematics, education, science and health at Kishwaukee; and dean of mathematics, science, engineering and health professions at Elgin Community College, also in Illinois.

In 2009, he was named vice president of academic and student affairs at McHenry, and has served there for nearly six years.

Miksa earned an associate of arts degree in mathematics from Kishwauke Community College; a bachelor of arts degree in mathematics from Mount Mercy College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa; a master of arts degree in mathematics from the University of Northern Iowa; and a doctorate of education in community college leadership from National Louis University in Chicago.