Search for MJC president starts over after two finalists rejected

The Yosemite Community College District has turned down the two finalists for the president's job at Modesto Junior College.

A new search for an MJC president will be held in the fall. In the meantime, YCCD Chancellor Henry Yong is expected to soon appoint an interim president for the college.

Yong said in an internal announcement Wednesday the college is "best served" by going out for a second recruitment. He has not elaborated on the decision. Yong is responsible for choosing the next president for MJC and then getting approval from the YYCD board of trustees.

The finalists were Albert Alt, the vice president of college and administrative services at MJC, and Kimberlee Messina, vice chancellor of Educational Services and Planning at San Mateo Community College District.

Alt and Messina discussed their qualifications and answered questions at a June 18 forum attended by faculty and community members in the YCCD board room.

Jill Stearns, who was MJC's president for six years, was offered the president's job at Cuesta College in March. She took over the position at the San Luis Obispo college this week.

Neither of the top candidates to replace Stearns had previous experience as a full-time college president.

Messina had previously served as interim president of Foothill College and vice president of instruction and institutional research at the Bay Area college. Her resume also included a position as dean of instruction for science and technology at Santa Rosa Junior College.

Alt's prior work experience included jobs as interim director of Human Resources at the Tuolumne County Office of Education and chief financial officer of Sweetwater Union High School District in Southern California. He was vice chancellor of administrative services and human resources director for Yuba Community College District and director of human resources and a security director at Feather River College.

The YCCD did not release information on the number of applicants for the MJC position. An executive firm was used to recruit candidates for the job opening.

Jim Sahlman, president of the Yosemite Faculty Association, said a search committee recommended the two finalists to the chancellor’s office. Many faculty members thought Alt was the best choice for the job, he said.

Alt had a couple of bumps in his career before he was hired at MJC in 2014, though it's not known whether that was a factor in Yong's decision.

Alt's vice chancellor's position with Yuba Community College District was eliminated after the district was criticized for the interest charges on a capital-appreciation bond, according to a San Diego Union-Tribune article that raised questions about Alt being hired at Sweetwater Union in early 2013.

Yuba's faculty union reportedly chided Alt for getting extra pay for a doctoral degree from an unaccredited institution. Alt continued with his education and holds a doctoral degree from Drexel University.

Efforts to reach Alt for comment were not successful Thursday.

"He was fully vetted for his current position before he was hired (at MJC) four years ago and backgrounds are checked by the consultants who help with these searches,” Sahlman said. “He has done exceptional work here. It does not seem fair to nullify the committee’s recommendation.”

This story was originally published July 5, 2018 at 3:28 PM.