While some students will be changing into summer wear, other students will be holding on to their books around campus this summer. In the meantime, they might have a chance to meet the new Vice President of Administration Jeff Kingston as he changes his role from District Representative of Chabot-Las Positas to an LPC team player.
Kingston has been working with LPC for over eight years now, but in a different capacity. Stationed at the District Office, he was originally hired for the bond program. It was a $600 million plan, and $100 million a year went to planning the construction of the new buildings that are on campus now.
Years ago, many of the buildings were temporary, older and small. So much has changed in the past few years at LPC. Kingston was the man behind all the designing and planning.
Kingston feels that this experience will help him in his new position at LPC.
“The district is really here to serve the colleges. The most important aspect that I can bring to Las Positas College would be the understanding of the culture of the district, my relationships with the people at the district and the work I did,” Kingston said. “All organizations are made with people, and things get done based on relationships.”
Kingston has a background in finance, graduating with an MBA in finance from Cal State East Bay. As a result, he understands the responsibility of the community college budgeting process.
While his responsibilities will be different while he is at LPC, some jobs will stay the same. Because he has a background in facilities and engineering, he will help in being responsible for coordinating with the District with projects such as a new academic building coming soon.
“It will be different, but (there will be) some similarities. Before I worked together with other presidents and other vice chancellors, and now I will work with the college administrative team, which are the other VPs and Dr. Russell,” Kingston said. “I will also be closer to the students and be directly engaged with the college. Before I was working for the colleges on behalf of the district.”
Kingston is not the only one looking forward to his arrival on campus.
“Kingston will be very valuable. He is filling a position that has been vacant for long,” Russell said. “It will be great to have someone of expertise to watch out for the budget and overseeing.”
