2008 Woodie Awards
Who will replace Dr. Claude Caffee?
Nadia Galindo
Issue date: 4/21/08 Section: News
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The candidates gave speeches to faculty, staff and students at Brookhaven April 15-17 in the Performance Hall lobby.
The candidates spoke and then opened the floor for questions.
Melissa Lavender, director of student services at Gulf Coast Community College, was the first candidate to state her mission for Brookhaven on April 15. Lavender, who currently lives in Panama City, Fla., said she wants to work at Brookhaven because she believes education is a rewarding field.
"How do you measure changing somebody's life?" Lavender said.
She has experience as a counselor and coordinator of counseling. She worked with high school students for several years. Lavender used personal experiences to answer questions during the open forum, where students, faculty and administrators could ask questions.
She said: "I am looking for a challenge. I never want to get to where I can do something in my sleep."
Oscar Lopez, dean of admissions, advisement and registration at Richland College, said he is a first-generation graduate who realizes the importance and value of community college educations.
"Our job, first and foremost, is to serve students," Lopez said.
He has been a public school teacher, adjunct faculty in the Dallas County Community College District and an administrator. He said he takes pride that in every employment opportunity he has had, he achieved many levels of success and left every job in a better place than when he arrived.
Deborah Garrett, consultant to several colleges and national organizations, spoke the last day, April 17. She stressed the importance of student involvement on campus.
"You're [students] our customer," Garrett said.
She has worked as dean of student affairs at Ivy Tech Community College in Evansville, Ind., and interim president/special assistant to the president at Kaskaskia College in Centralia, Ill. She said she is concerned with the debt students are accumulating in college through loans and credit cards. She said she wants to help students be successful and accomplish goals.
Faculty, staff and students who attended the meetings with the candidates were asked to fill out a review of each of the candidates.
Caffee said the candidate selected would supervise many of the student services, including: admissions, Advising, Counseling, Financial Aid, Health Center, Testing Center, Student Programs and Resources and the Multicultural Center.
Caffee said he retired in August 2007, but decided to stay at Brookhaven until his position could be filled. He said he will miss the faculty, staff and students, but looks forward to moving to his Victorian home built in 1905 in Honey Grove, Texas. He said he has been gradually phasing out of his job.
"I've been on a schedule all my life," Caffee said.
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