COD Trustees Prep to Resume Presidential Search

PALM DESERT — One week after Bonnie Stefan, chair of the search committee for College of the Desert’s next Superintendent/President, made the “difficult but necessary decision to cancel the current search,” due to a confidentiality breach,” the presidential search appears to be moving forward with the same search firm, according to the agenda for Trustees” regularly scheduled meeting.

Under recommended action from Joel Kinnamon, acting in the absence of a chair, general counsel and Human Resources, the Board of Trustees are asked to adopt a motion:

1. relaunching the Superintendent/President recruitment and selection process;
2. directing staff to continue working with AGB, the District’s identified search consultant, to reopen and readvertise the Superintendent/President position utilizing the previously approved job announcement, profile, and advertising plan;
3. directing the Board Chair, in consultation with staff and AGB, to develop a proposed timeline and search committee structure for Board consideration and approval at its January 17, 2025 meeting; and
4. directing staff and AGB to take any actions necessary and appropriate to facilitate and expedite the relaunch of the Superintendent/President recruitment and selection process.

Therre is no mention of the breach of confidentiality — or who breached it — yet, anyway. The Presidential Search Committee is comprised of 19 members who were approved in August. All took an oath to keep applicants” names and information confidential. All understood there would be consequences if information was breached.

Nicholas Robles, Interim Public Information Officer & Interim Director of Educational Partnerships, told Uken Report that the breach is still being reviewed, and appropriate action will be taken.

The one thing the public seems to agree upon is that COD has once again descended into chaos. First, the interim president applies for the position, then retracts her application, then resubmits it. First, there is a search, then it’s halted, and now apparently, it’s ready to start again. Who is running this spectacle?

Consistent with the Board of Trustee’s previously approved recruitment timeline, the District’s Superintendent/President search was launched the week of Sept. 23. The recruitment and selection process continued throughout the Fall 2024 Semester in accordance with the Board’s established timeline, and the Search Committee met on multiple occasions to evaluate candidates and make recommendations to the Board, according to the agenda,

“Unfortunately, the search was cancelled the week of December 9th due to circumstances outside of the control of the Board,” according to the published agenda, “This Item, if adopted, would restart the recruitment and selection process for the permanent District Superintendent/President as quickly as possible.”

If approved, the trustees’ action would relaunch the Superintendent/President recruitment and selection process and direct staff to continue working with AGB, the District’s identified search consultant, to reopen and readvertise the position as soon as possible utilizing the previously approved job announcement and profile for the position. The proposed action would also direct the Board Chair, in consultation with staff and AGB, to develop a proposed timeline and search committee structure for consideration and approval at the Board’s Jan. 17 meeting.