By Clyde Noel
Leo Chavez to join Community Foundation Silicon Valley by end of year
hen faculty and staff members of the Foothill-De Anza Community College District opened their e-mail last Tuesday, they were surprised to learn their chancellor, Leo Chavez, had resigned.
He will remain as chancellor until Dec. 31, after which he will become executive vice president of Community Foundation Silicon Valley.
A look at Chavez’ career:
1976: Begins his teaching career at San Jose City College.
1989: Chavez becomes president of West Valley College in Saratoga, where he continues teaching in the classroom to better gauge “students’ needs.”
1995: After a national search, named Foothill-De Anza Community College District’s fourth chancellor.
2002: Named executive vice president of Community Foundation Silicon Valley.”This was not an easy thing to do,” Chavez said. “I will be leaving a wonderful staff and a wonderful district. The people are very cooperative and supportive. It’s the best job a person could have.”
“I cannot state how saddened the entire board is by Leo’s announcement,” said Sandy Hay, president of the board of trustees. “His commitment to education in general and the community colleges in particular has enabled him to be an outstanding chancellor for the district.”
Chavez is leaving the field of education after 27 years, the last eight of which he was chancellor of the Foothill-De Anza Community College District. He said his leaving is a personal decision based on a desire to re-establish some degree of balance in his life. Chavez said he is accepting change because change is the only constant in life. And while change always involves endings, it means new beginnings as well, he added.
Chavez has served as a member of CFSV’s board of directors for seven years. He has also served as chairman of the advisory board of the Mayfair Improvement Initiative, a six-year, resident-directed revitalization project in East San Jose, funded by the Hewlett Foundation and sponsored by CFSV.
CFSV Chairwoman Debra Engel commented that Chavez has shown tremendous vision in working with the community, and they are privileged to have someone with his integrity, talent and passion for the community joining the executive team.
The search to find a replacement for Chavez will start immediately, with the formation of a search committee that reflects the range of constituencies in the district. A search firm will be hired as soon as possible. The goal of the district is to have a new chancellor in place by the beginning of the next academic year, June 2003.
Although Chavez’s official departure will be at the end of the year, he has agreed to continue his involvement with the district as needed during the upcoming transition and over the long term.
