Education
Senator’s new job is chancellor
Jack Scott, who represents Glendale and Burbank, takes top spot with state community colleges.
By Angela Hokanson
GLENDALE — State Sen. Jack Scott, who is in his final year in the state Legislature, has been named chancellor of the California Community Colleges, the state’s community college system office announced Thursday.
As chancellor, Scott will head the community college system office in Sacramento and advocate for the 109 community colleges across the state. He will give recommendations to the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, the body that sets policy for the state’s community colleges.
Scott, who represents Glendale and Burbank, will complete his final term in the state Senate in November and take the reins of leadership from Interim Chancellor Diane Woodruff on Jan. 1.
Woodruff was named interim chancellor in July after Marshall Drummond left the position of chancellor to become the head of the Los Angeles Community College District.
The Board of Governors selected Scott as chancellor in a closed-session meeting on Tuesday evening, said Tod Burnett, the vice chancellor of the community college system.
“I’m a little awed,” Scott said Thursday. “It’s such a very large system.”
Scott worked within community colleges for 23 years, including eight years as president of Pasadena City College and nine years as president of Cypress College.
The community colleges of California serves about 2.6 million students each year, Scott said.
Scott’s legislative experience, as well as his knowledge of how community colleges are run, will be assets in his new role, he said.
“I understand the community colleges,” he said.
And his knowledge of state government will help him deliver the message about the needs of community colleges to the state Legislature, he said.
“The funding is decided here in Sacramento,” he said.
Scott’s knowledge of state government, paired with his knowledge of community colleges, makes him well-suited for the role, Woodruff said.
“There is nobody that I know that has better background and experience than he does,” she said.
Scott will be aided in communicating the needs of the community colleges by the fact that he is on a first-name basis with so many legislators in Sacramento, Woodruff said.
“A huge part of the job is basically advocating on behalf of the community colleges in the capital,” she said.
Scott’s job will involve oversight of the local community colleges throughout the state, as well as advocating for those colleges when it comes to funding and state legislation, he said.
“Certainly I’ll be a spokesperson for the community colleges,” he said.
Scott was a fantastic choice for the role because he understands community colleges from multiple angles, said Tony Tartaglia, a member of the Glendale Community College board of trustees.
“Not only does he understand the needs, he knows how the monies are allocated within the government.”
While the mission of community colleges is clearly defined, Scott said he would like to see more robust state funding for the colleges, as well as an increased attention toward ensuring the success of students who enter the community college system.
Scott will be the 14th chancellor since the community college system office was created in 1968. As chancellor, Scott will be paid an annual salary of $198,500, according to the community college system office.
Scott plans to keep his home in Altadena and rotate between there and Sacramento, where he also has a residence, said Wendy Gordon, Scott’s press secretary.
As chancellor, Scott will head the community college system office in Sacramento and advocate for the 109 community colleges across the state. He will give recommendations to the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, the body that sets policy for the state’s community colleges.
Scott, who represents Glendale and Burbank, will complete his final term in the state Senate in November and take the reins of leadership from Interim Chancellor Diane Woodruff on Jan. 1.
Woodruff was named interim chancellor in July after Marshall Drummond left the position of chancellor to become the head of the Los Angeles Community College District.
The Board of Governors selected Scott as chancellor in a closed-session meeting on Tuesday evening, said Tod Burnett, the vice chancellor of the community college system.
“I’m a little awed,” Scott said Thursday. “It’s such a very large system.”
Scott worked within community colleges for 23 years, including eight years as president of Pasadena City College and nine years as president of Cypress College.
The community colleges of California serves about 2.6 million students each year, Scott said.
Scott’s legislative experience, as well as his knowledge of how community colleges are run, will be assets in his new role, he said.
“I understand the community colleges,” he said.
And his knowledge of state government will help him deliver the message about the needs of community colleges to the state Legislature, he said.
“The funding is decided here in Sacramento,” he said.
Scott’s knowledge of state government, paired with his knowledge of community colleges, makes him well-suited for the role, Woodruff said.
“There is nobody that I know that has better background and experience than he does,” she said.
Scott will be aided in communicating the needs of the community colleges by the fact that he is on a first-name basis with so many legislators in Sacramento, Woodruff said.
“A huge part of the job is basically advocating on behalf of the community colleges in the capital,” she said.
Scott’s job will involve oversight of the local community colleges throughout the state, as well as advocating for those colleges when it comes to funding and state legislation, he said.
“Certainly I’ll be a spokesperson for the community colleges,” he said.
Scott was a fantastic choice for the role because he understands community colleges from multiple angles, said Tony Tartaglia, a member of the Glendale Community College board of trustees.
“Not only does he understand the needs, he knows how the monies are allocated within the government.”
While the mission of community colleges is clearly defined, Scott said he would like to see more robust state funding for the colleges, as well as an increased attention toward ensuring the success of students who enter the community college system.
Scott will be the 14th chancellor since the community college system office was created in 1968. As chancellor, Scott will be paid an annual salary of $198,500, according to the community college system office.
Scott plans to keep his home in Altadena and rotate between there and Sacramento, where he also has a residence, said Wendy Gordon, Scott’s press secretary.
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