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.