COD Extends Contract for Joel Kinnamon

PALM DESERT — The employment contract for Joel Kinnamon, Superintendent/President of College of the Desert, has been extended until September 2024.

At their August 14 meeting, the College of the Desert Board of Trustees voted unanimously, 5-0, to extend the employment contract.

Joel Kinnamon has been working in community colleges for more over 30 years. He assumed the role of Superintendent/President at College of the Desert in July 2012.

In July 2012, Kinnamon assumed the role of Superintendent/President at College of the Desert.  During his time at College of the Desert he has overseen tremendous growth, and witnessed the completion of numerous buildings on the Palm Desert campus, the expansion of the East Valley campus, and the opening of new campuses in Indio, Desert Hot Springs and Palm Springs.  As a result of the new facilities, increased course offerings and additional instructors, in May 2017, the College celebrated the largest graduating class in its 60-year history for the third straight year.  College of the Desert is currently ranked as the fastest-growing community college in the state of California.

In 2017, College of the Desert was named one of 150 community colleges eligible to compete for the Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence.  In addition, the College was named as one of ten finalists in two categories for the prestigious Bellwether Award and won the award in January 2018 in the Instructional Programs & Service category for its innovative tuition-free plEDGE program

The annual Bellwether Awards are part of the Community College Futures Assembly, established in 1995 and sp​onsored by the Institute of Higher Education at the University of Florida. The awards – given in three categories – focus on innovative programs that other colleges might consider replicating.