Presidential Search Updates

CCA is thrilled to announce David C. Howse as its 10th president of the college. After a thoughtful and rigorous process, David clearly emerged as our top choice and we are so pleased to welcome him to the CCA community.

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Dear CCA Community,

We are so thrilled to share that we are nearing the end of our search process for CCA’s next president! The fantastic group of finalists have recently toured campus and met with key stakeholders as part of the final step in the process of our presidential search. Each candidate’s enthusiasm for CCA only affirms how special the college is, and it has been a privilege for the search committee to steward this process over the last several months. We are very excited about the candidate pool and hope to have more news to share with the community very soon.

As we prepare to welcome the next president, I am pleased to share that a Presidential Transition Team has organized to ensure that this individual receives a warm and complete welcome as they are introduced to the community. The objectives of this group include:

• Developing an onboarding framework and plan
• Soliciting feedback on the framework from various stakeholders to ensure multiple perspectives are incorporated into the onboarding process
• Communicating this plan with the community as it develops
• Identifying leads who will support the coordination of various activities tied to the transition plan
• Supporting the president throughout the onboarding and transition process

Thanks to the individuals who are serving as CCA’s Presidential Transition Team during this pivotal time for the college. This group includes Maira Lazdins, VP of HR; Tricia Brand, VP of DEIB; Adriana Lopez Lobovits, Director of the President’s Office; Mara Hancock, Acting COO; and Charlie Melichar, Senior Advancement and Communications Advisor.

We will follow up with the community in the coming weeks to keep you up to date on this process. It’s an exciting moment for the college and we look forward to sharing more with you as the search develops.

All the best,

Diane Christensen
Trustee and Chair of the Presidential Search Committee
CCA Board of Trustees

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Dear CCA Community,

As Chair of the Presidential Search Advisory Committee, I am pleased to share an update on our work. The group met on Friday, June 16 with consultants from Isaacson, Miller, who provided the committee with highlights and insights on prospective candidates emerging in the search thus far. The committee gave feedback on potential candidates and received a draft evaluation rubric and draft interview topics.

In late May, the Presidential Search Advisory Committee, Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees, and members of the Isaacson, Miller team participated in two bias identification, reduction, and inclusive hiring training sessions. Participants developed skills to manage implicit bias in the search process, as well as explore best practices in inclusive search and hiring. The training was conducted by Dr. Sumi Pendakur,a seasoned expert who specializes in diversity, equity, and inclusion and was formerly the Chief Learning Officer and Director of the USC Equity Institutes at the USC Race and Equity Center..

The committee will meet again in late July to review the evolving candidate pool, as well as determine who will move forward in the interview process. We are pleased to share that the search process remains on schedule, and encourage you to follow our timeline on our Presidential Search page, which includes more details about the phases of this process.

If you know of qualified candidates that you’d like to recommend, please send us your suggestions via the nomination form featured on the job profile. That form will stay active throughout the process.

We look forward to sharing more updates later this summer.

All the best,

Diane Christensen
Board Member and Chair of the Presidential Search Committee
on behalf of the Presidential Search Committee

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Dear CCA Community,

I am pleased to share that the Presidential Search Committee now has a job profile finalized for the next CCA president. Thanks to each and every one of you who offered your feedback at the listening sessions held over the last few months, or via the online form. Your important insights helped Isaacson, Miller (IM) gain a deeper understanding of the qualities that this community wants to see in our next president of the college. Here is a link to the final job profile.

We have created a visual timeline with key milestones so that you can follow along the process of the search. Our web page also includes details about our committee members and a helpful FAQ.

As the search continues, our committee will participate in bias identification, reduction, and inclusive hiring training, which will provide us with the skills to manage implicit bias in the search process, as well as explore best practices in inclusive search and hiring. We are working with a seasoned expert who specializes in diversity, equity, and inclusion.

We will send an update on our progress a month from now. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to the committee.

All the best,

Diane Christensen
Board Member and Chair of the Presidential Search Committee
on behalf of the Presidential Search Committee

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Dear CCA Community,

We (the Presidential Search Committee) wanted to reach out to provide you with a brief update on the search process for our next president. Many of you have participated in the various listening sessions led by our search firm, Isaacson, Miller (IM). Thank you to those of you who took the time to provide your feedback, which will be incorporated into the job description for the role once the listening sessions conclude.

For anyone who may have missed their corresponding listening session, there will be a listening session open to all students, staff, faculty, and community members on Wednesday, April 5, 2–3 pm via Zoom. A calendar invitation will be sent out shortly.

Have you seen our new Presidential Search website on cca.edu? Be sure to follow along as we post information about the search. You’ll also find information about each search committee member, links to the application and nomination forms, a link to the online survey where you can provide your feedback, and a helpful FAQ from IM about the search process. Other questions or comments? Please feel free to contact us at [email protected].

The perspectives of all members of the CCA community are very important to the college’s success. Your participation is critical to shaping the future of the college and its leadership.

Best regards,

Diane Christensen
Board Member and Chair of the Presidential Search Committee
on behalf of the Presidential Search Committee

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Dear CCA Community,

Thank you for your participation in this week’s listening sessions for the presidential search. As we look for our next visionary leader, your feedback, input, and insights will continue to be invaluable. These campus-wide listening sessions are an open forum to discuss the challenges and opportunities of the role and share input into the job profile and search criteria.

This phase of the search process, led by Isaacson, Miller (IM), will be ongoing over the coming weeks. We will be holding additional listening sessions for members of our CCA community – please stay tuned for more ways to get involved in the conversation. Upon completion and review of the ideas gathered in the listening sessions, IM will craft the job profile and search criteria that will soon be shared with you.

If you are unable to attend a designated listening session or you’d rather share your feedback via the online survey, here is a link where you can contribute.

We will continue to outline details about the search on our new presidential search website cca.edu/presidential-search. You may also reach out with any questions to [email protected].

Thank you for your time and engagement in these important conversations.

Sincerely,
Presidential Search Committee

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CCA community stakeholder groups are invited to participate in listening sessions with Isaacson, Miller (IM), the firm assisting in the presidential search. IM firm and team details are provided in the attached document. The listening sessions will help IM craft the job profile and search criteria for the next president.

You may also offer your feedback through this online survey.

The majority of the meeting will focus on discussing the position itself and the important opportunities and challenges that will face the incoming president. Please review the questions listed below to help us think about the future of our organization and the ways in which we can tangibly measure the success of a new president:

• In five years, how will you know that the president has been successful? What will be different to suggest the president has had a real impact?
• What are the key issues, challenges, and opportunities facing the president, particularly in terms of:
  • People
  • Campus Climate
  • Finances
  • Operations
• What does the president need to know about California College of the Arts to be successful?

After the listening sessions, IM will synthesize what they have learned into an Opportunity and Challenge Profile. Once completed, the search firm will share this document broadly with prospective candidates and key sources.

If you have anyone in mind who might be considered a potential candidate for this position, you may nominate them at the following link.

Thank you for your participation. The ideas and perspectives of CCA community are valued and will contribute to guiding the presidential recruitment and selection process.