LTCC president wants to leave; he’s interviewing
Updated April 27 8:23am.
By Kathryn Reed
If Lake Tahoe Community College President Paul Killpatrick has his way, he won’t complete his three-year contract that expires in summer 2011.
Killpatrick is one of four finalists for the president’s job at Green River Community College in Auburn, Wash.
Paul Killpatrick
A decision on that job is not expected until early May. Finalists will be interviewed the first week of May.
Killpatrick told Lake Tahoe News on Tuesday morning that when the Green River job came open he jumped at the chance to apply because he and his wife would like to return to the Northwest where they’ve lived for 30 years, and their children and grandchildren live.
“It’s no reflection of (LTCC) or the community,” Killpatrick said of his desire to move on. “It’s been a positive experience.”
Killpatrick called board President Kerry David to tell him about the possibility of his leaving South Lake Tahoe’s two-year institution.
“I know Paul has not felt as though he has been a proper fit. He is from the Northwest and has roots there,” David said. “It’s not an easy transition to follow in the shadow of long tenured leaders.”
Killpatrick is the third president the college has had since opening more than 30 years ago.
Killpatrick has been criticized by some for not being a better fund-raiser since arriving here in summer 2008. David, who is also on the college’s foundation board, said Killpatrick has planted seeds and that in this economy raising money is near impossible.
David anticipates the board will release Killpatrick from the contract when he gets another job.
Asked if he thought Killpatrick would be able to continue to his job at LTCC when everyone knows he is interviewing, David said yes. He also said the board is not likely to ask him to leave before he secures another position.
“In our economic situation we are not in a position to afford to try to make that happen sooner rather than later,” David said.
Killpatrick said if he does not get the job he is a finalist for or one of the others he’s applied for, he will continue to do the job in Tahoe, with possible mid-year budget cuts still something that will have to be tackled.
David credits Killpatrick with working in difficult financial times that have involved cutbacks at the college as the state continuously wrestles with deficits.
“While we have had to undergo cuts, he has participated in leading us through those troubled waters,” David said.
The board’s first order of business it hire a vice president of Academic Affairs and Student Services. Two finalists will be interviewed Friday. A decision should be made in early May.
Can’t blame him, these are not good times for California colleges, every quarter they cut more classes.
So Paul is not so good at begging for money. Of course, that is what college presidents are for. This brave new world is sad. By the way, didn’t Ted Bundy hang out around Green River?
Also Wendy David is herself somewhat confusing. Why didn’t Paul feel he fitted in?
Also, I always wonder why this little town had a jc to begin with. And finally,
the jc is symtomatic of the south shore malaise in general and the direction it is heading.
Yes, but it sure seems like a lot of folks just use positions in Tahoe as stepping stones to more prestigious jobs and their contracts be damned.
Remember when a contract was a promise?
Dr. Kilpatrick has been a wonderful supporter of the fine arts & performing arts ever since he took the position as President of LTCC. He never misses a production, and that means so much to the students and performers! While I wish him the best, and know he’d like to get back to his roots, I hope he’ll stay with us a while longer.
Were the taxpayers reasonably protected by the terms of the 3 year contract that will possibly be unfulfilled? Why should he even be out interviewing if he had a 3 year contract?
If your not a mountain kind person,and the opportunity list here like non-existence for Survival,the place stinks.
Pardon my French!
Tahoe has really changed over the last 10 years or so,we’ve got many places with the same great views,better prices,easier location to get to year round.
A lot new comers I’ve talked to say this place reminds them of the movie the Shinning.Too much isolation and no real culture, tends to run people that want job opportunity, room to move up ,feeling left out main stream money success arena.
Our roads are blocked at all point of entering the highways that lead here with new business,new communities,lots more opportunity,better ran city ,bottom line, bigger, better, pay scales.
I’ve seen many a people with good intention of wanting to live here leave after a few years of the experience .
How many out there plan on spending the rest your life here in old age?
Nothing really improved here over the years gone past.Sun comes up,sun goes down,same holidays,same cold winters,same traffic jams, same kind people coming,same old u haul going back to greener pastures.
That Old Cold Lake would just as soon welcome you to the Bottom, not give you up to leave it alone in it’s Peace.
I think we do pretty good for the size (less than 30,000 permanent residents) of this town, for ‘culture’. I like the small amount of ‘isolation’. It is a ski town, and a summer Lake town. We have four real seasons. We have relatively mild weather. None of the Eastern sleet, freezing rain…let alone hurricanes and tornadoes. I’ve made a small modest here for many years doing electronics repairs, and I LIKE the town atmosphere; and I LIKE knowing my customers. I LIKE living where many know me by name. I don’t particularly care for the drivers (many of whom are locals!) and the traffic on the holidays and weekends, but I don’t have to be in it daily either. There is a lot of the same-old-boys-atmosphere, and a somewhat dysfunctional City Council, and too much influence over the years by the big casino interests. Such is life. This is a nice place to live, and if one is not the type to live here, well, good riddance. This is not generally the place to live if you intend to get rich, or have a big income. Move to the Big City if that is what you want.
…AND, I DO fully intend to life here in my old age. Heck, I’m already old. 72+. Still skiing, already bought next years Season’s Pass, still hiking the woods, ETC.
I haven’t found a better place to live; and, after 38+ years here, and traveling a fair amount in my lifetime, I don’t think I will find a better OVERALL place.
Life is what you make of it, not of what OTHERS make it for you. Enjoy what you have, what you do for yourself and family, your friends, your neighbors. Help out with local events. Volunteer for several charities and events. If you think the culture is lacking, then create some.
I sure hope they start looking for a new president now, since “if he does not get the job he is a finalist for or one of the others he’s applied for…” suggests he’s going to still look. Since the contract won’t be honored, they should start looking for a replacement now, so the college isn’t left holding the bag.
A correction to the comment from “doubleblack”: Wendy David was not mentioned in the article. She is a board member of the Lake Tahoe Unified School District. The person quoted was Kerry David from the LTCC board.
Wow. I’m so glad I was sitting down when I read this story.
Mr. Killpatrick has been a mostly absentee member of our community. He slashed course offerings, took work away from committed, loyal instructors at the same time leaving unpopular and ineffective instructors at the front of their classroom. What kind of work will he do for us with one foot out the door?
Farewell Mr. Killpatrick. I hope the BOD does a better job next time around.
Bob you fixed my amps,speakers, many times……I create all the time.
Bob there are some pretty outrageous places out there in the world.Just got back after a month on a small island in the Baltic Scandinavian,I love to live there.
You were a young man when I meant you,glad your still here doing what you love.Peace
And how sad that Lori Gaskin was passed over before and wanted to be here long term!