Email this page
Print this page
del.icio.us
diggSan Diegan takes Estrella mountain CC helm
When it was announced that Homero Lopez would be stepping down after 31 years as president of Estrella Mountain Community College, MCCD Chancellor Rufus Glasper turned to Augustine P. Gallego to serve as interim president of the west Valley college.
Gallego, who served as chancellor of the San Diego Community College District from 1990-2004, has earned a reputation as a national leader in higher education. He was named as one of the 21 most influential higher education senior leaders in the United States.
He also is not a stranger to controversy.
Back in 1999, according to The San Diego Union Tribune, Gallego once dared his bosses to fire him. Board members had threatened to undermine his authority as a chancellor. In a gutsy move, Gallego stood up, showing he could play hardball.
"If board members have a problem with my performance, that's fine," he is quoted as saying. "All you have to do is take a vote."
He eventually won unanimous support of the board's members, going on to shepherd a $685 million bond and postponing retirement three times to make sure the measure passed.
At Estrella, he steps into the shoes of the embattled Lopez, who allegedly mismanaged travel funds in pursuit of international students to recruit.
Gallego also is known for being a champion of providing education and training for small- and medium-sized companies to help them become more competitive.
Currently, Gallegos is working on the Community College Initiative, Achieving the Dream, a multi-year national initiative across seven states to help more college students succeed, especially those who face more barriers, such as low-income and minorities.
He also chairs the board of directors of the San Diego Dialogue Public policy organization based at the University of California and is a member of the Board of Trustees at the University of San Diego.
