Features Editor Update: Walthers has been confirmed by Allan Hancock College’s Board of Trustees as their new President. He is set to start at AHC on July 8, 2013.
Original Story
Kevin Walthers is saying goodbye to Las Positas College.
In an interview with the Express on May 15, LPC President Kevin Walthers confirmed that he has accepted an offer from Allan Hancock College (AHC) to be its president. His two-year tenure is sent to end by the end of the academic year.
“On Tuesday, May 21, it will be finalized. I’ve been sending contracts back and forth with Allan Hancock,” Walthers said.
According to him, his new contract with AHC will begin sometime in the first week of July and will run for three years. At the moment, his tentative start date is July 4.
When asked how ready he is to take on the role of president/superintendent in another college, Walthers simply responded that he is still focused on getting things done at LPC.
“Everything is pretty much done. We’ve finished up (the new) building. We got a plan for the money that’s left over of our bond,” Walthers said. “So it would be nice for somebody to come in and hit the ground running.”
But business aside, the college president has nothing but positive words about his experience and over-all stay at Las Positas.
“I’ve made a lot of good friends here. And I’m really proud of the students,” Walthers said. “When I walk across campus, students stop me. And they’d say they’re gone to Berkeley or they’ve gone to the school they really want go to. It’s fun to see, especially since you get to know them and see them working towards that.”
Many of Walthers’ colleagues, such as LPC Senate Academic President Sarah Thompson, are also supportive of the president’s career decision.
“I am happy for him. If he’s chosen, he will be able to create the next chapter in his life,” Thompson said. “He knows what direction he is going in. And that will give him a lot of peace.”
Walthers’ departure is not the only conclusion LPC will be seeing this July. LPC can expect a whole process of leadership turnover at the beginning of the next school year.
“There’s going to be a turnover in leadership in general at the college. There is going to be a new classified senate president, a new faculty senate president, a new student senate president. We’re still short one vice president and two deans,” Thompson said. “The leadership is going to continue to change. We’re going to get a new chancellor and that’s going to have a big difference in the vision and the direction of this district.”