WVC Board Approves Contract For New President

Wenatchee Valley College has its next president under contract after approval this week by the school's board of trustees. 

Famous Harrison was selected last month to head the college, and has agreed to terms that include a three-year deal with an annual salary of $250,000. 

WVC Community Relations Director Libby Siebens says Harrison rose through a selection process that started with almost 50 applicants 

"The search committee was brought together," said Siebens. "They selected several candidates to do semi-finalist interviews. And from those interviews, only four candidates were chosen." 

Each finalist spent one full day visiting both the Omak and Wenatchee campuses to take part in forums with WVC students and staff members as well as some outside stakeholders. 

The finalists were instructed to speak about the role of community colleges with workforce and economic development, specifically in rural areas. 

After that process, Harrison was chosen from the four semi-finalists to be WVC president. He was announced to the public on November 7. 

Harrison was previously dean of California State University Stanislaus-Stockton. He also has more than 20 years of experience working in the Washington state community and technical college system.  

Siebens says Harrison's agreement at WVC  includes one year of executive coaching. 

 "Dr. Harrison is coming in as a first-time president," Siebens said. "So, the executive coaching opportunity allows him to have a mentor to lean on, and learn from in that first year." 

He starts work at WVC on January 1st, and will be the 13th person to lead the school since it opened in 1939. Harrison replaces Dr. Jim Richardson who is retiring this month after 17 years. 

Both WVC and Harrison's previous campus are federally designated Hispanic-serving institutions (HSI’s).