PORT ANGELES — Peninsula College President Tom Keegan is one of five finalists for the presidency of Tallahassee Community College in Florida — the second time in as many years he’s interviewed for a post in the Sunshine State.
He was selected from among 10 semifinalists by a search committee Monday, and the Board of Trustees gave its stamp of approval to the list at its board meeting that day, according to a statement from Tallahassee Community College.
Keegan, who has led Peninsula College since 2001, said in a statement issued Thursday that he is pleased to be among the final five candidates for the presidency.
“TCC is a nationally recognized institution, and I am flattered to be named a finalist,” he said. “This opportunity is enticing both professionally and personally.”
Keegan was on a flight to Florida to interview for the post, and was unavailable for more comment. He is expected to return at the end of next week.
The board plans to make a decision at its Oct. 18 meeting, according to the Tallahassee Community College website.
The Tallahassee presidency is a position vacated by Bill Law, who accepted a job at St. Petersburg College in Florida — a job for which Keegan also was a finalist.
Law, who had led the Tallahassee college for about eight years, and Keegan were tied for the St. Petersburg College search committee’s first choice.
Law was offered the job after a contentious meeting in March, in which board members initially split on the decision.
The other finalists for the Tallahassee post are:
• Randall Hanna, managing shareholder and chairman, Bryant Miller & Olive Attorneys at Law, Orlando, Fla.
• Jeanne Jacobs, president, Homestead Campus, Miami Dade College, Fla.
• Jim Murdaugh, assistant vice president, Tallahassee Community College.
• Patricia Rowell, western campus president, Cuyahoga Community College, Ohio.
The college serves about 45,000 students annually, and employs about 1,800 staff at its main campus and four satellite campuses, according to the job announcement for the presidency.
Peninsula College has about 8,700 students and about 61 full-time faculty members, according to its website.
Keegan earns about $165,000 annually at Peninsula College.
The salary for the Tallahassee job will be negotiated with the candidate who is offered the job.
Peninsula College Board of Trustees Chairman Erik Rohrer said the board was supportive of Keegan’s application to Tallahassee.
“Dr. Keegan has a national reputation that makes him a very attractive candidate,” Rohrer said.
“He is widely recognized as an innovative and inspiring leader who puts students and their learning first.”
During his tenure at Peninsula College, Keegan has led the college to secure millions from the state Legislature for new buildings on the campus.
The college received about $36 million from the state Legislature to fund the construction of the 61,750-square-foot Maier Hall, which is currently under construction.
A new library on campus amounted to a $14 million project, and replaces a 1964 library structure.
The new library is about 27,000 square feet, and the adjoining administration building — built at the same time — is about 8,000 square feet.
The Longhouse, called the House of Learning, was opened in 2007 as a place for Native American cultural traditions to be shared.
The college has also started its first four-year degree program with a bachelor of applied science in applied management.
In addition to several previous partnerships with universities to offer four-year degrees, the college was recently accredited to offer more baccalaureate degrees.
“Dr. Keegan continues to transform the college,” Rohrer said.
“We want him to stay. At the same time, the board is very supportive of this professional opportunity.”
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Reporter Paige Dickerson can be reached at 360-417-3535 or at paige.dickerson@peninsuladailynews.com.
