College of the Desert is Back on Track [Opinion]

Getting past the drama, College of the Desert is back on track [Opinion]

As a longtime resident of the Coachella Valley and former Palm Springs City Councilmember, I have watched College of the Desert (COD) weather a storm of instability and some would say chaos over the past several years starting with past President Martha Garcia, but especially under the leadership of what is now the past Interim President Laura Hope who is currently on administrative leave for undisclosed reason.

At their Friday meeting, the COD Board of Trustees voted 5-0 to approve a contract making Interim President Val Martinez Garcia the new permanent President of COD.   His thoughtful and experienced leadership coupled with overwhelming support from students, staff and faculty made him the logical and best choice of all the candidates that applied through the nationwide search. His appointment, originally backed by a majority of the Board of Trustees and guided by Board Chair Dr. Joel Kinnamon, marks a turning point for the college.

President Martinez Garcia brings more than two decades of leadership in higher education, having served as Vice President of Instruction and Vice President of Student Services. But more than his impressive résumé, it is his character—his kindness, humility, and collaborative approach—that makes him the right leader for this moment. He listens. He leads with heart. And most importantly, he respects the voices of students, faculty, staff, and community stakeholders.

Unfortunately, the path that led us here with COD has been far from smooth. While Interim President Laura Hope projected a dynamic and compelling public presence, her tenure ultimately proved to be deeply problematic beneath the surface. Many decisions were made that put the Palm Springs Campus in severe jeopardy. One significant example was her decision to dismantle the highly experienced Palm Springs Development Project (PSDP) design team, which had been involved with the campus from the outset. She replaced them with a handpicked staff member who lacked experience with modern projects of this scale. This change led to numerous planning missteps that affected the core infrastructure needed to support the campus’s innovative academic programs. Critical deadlines were missed, and key roles were filled by individuals without the necessary expertise. Ultimately, in December 2024, the Board—by a narrow 3-2 vote—made the difficult but necessary decision to place Interim President Hope on paid administrative leave.

The Board appointed Val Martinez Garcia as Acting President, and he immediately reinstated the original PSDP design team, taking decisive steps to get the campus development back on track. His leadership produced swift and tangible results. On May 1, 2025, the Division of the State Architect approved the final schematic and design plans for the Palm Springs Campus. Thanks to his prompt action—and the restoration of community-rooted leadership—the campus is once again aligned with the bold vision that voters overwhelmingly endorsed in 2016.

None of this would have been possible without the tireless leadership of Board Chair Dr. Joel Kinnamon. His steady voice and unshakable integrity helped guide COD through one of the most divisive periods in its history. And in spite of the attempts to discredit him, he has never stopped fighting for transparency, accountability, and excellence.

I also want to recognize Trustees Mary Jane Sanchez and Ruben Perez for their courageous votes to appoint President Martinez Garcia and for keeping the Palm Springs Campus on the path to completion. Their leadership has been instrumental in restoring trust and momentum.  Now that President Martinez Garcia’s contract has been approved by all of the Trustees, I encourage them to work together with the goal of making what started out as an idea 20 years ago, a reality.

To some, the appointment of a community college president might seem a little routine. However, the long-promised and fought for, Palm Springs Campus is a vital piece of the educational and economic future for our Valley.  It will serve as a hub for workforce development in fields like architecture, healthcare, sustainable energy, artificial intelligence, film, hospitality, culinary, and more. COD’s impact on every family and every generation in our valley is immense. The residents of the Valley through two bond measures have paid for a first-class community college for the students in the West Valley.  Now through the actions of the Board of Trustees in appointing President Martinez Garcia and through the experienced leadership of Board Chair Dr. Joel Kinnamon – we will have one!