Russell Kavalhuna, who was named the new chancellor of Virginia’s 23 community colleges, is no longer expected to take the job, a surprising turn of events following a tumultuous hiring process and interference from Gov. Glenn Youngkin.
Douglas Garcia, vice chair of the board, wrote in an email to the community college presidents Monday night that Kavalhuna is negotiating an agreement to remain with Henry Ford College in Michigan. In his absence, the State Board for Community Colleges named Sharon Morrissey its interim chancellor.
“The board will move forward with our duty in selecting the next chancellor, one who will share the governor’s and the board’s strong passion for developing the talent that Virginia’s businesses need to thrive and the types of credentials that allow Virginians to have better lives,” Garcia wrote in the email, which was obtained by the Richmond Times-Dispatch.
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In March, the board named Kavalhuna its new chancellor, replacing Glenn Dubois, who will retire at the end of this month. Kavalhuna is president of Henry Ford College, a Michigan community college.
His appointment came days after Youngkin asked the board to restart its hiring process and include the governor’s office in the process. Youngkin said the board lacked transparency and was neglecting community colleges’ greatest needs. Jobs remain unfilled in Virginia, and community college enrollment has plummeted 27% in the past decade.
“While there are outstanding individual schools, Virginia needs an entire system that supports all Virginians in the pursuit of gaining skills, furthering their academic goals and equipping them with the tools they need to succeed in an ever-competitive world,” a spokesperson for the governor said at the time.
In an act of defiance, the board hired Kavalhuna without delay, against Youngkin’s wishes. Now the board expects Kavalhuna to resign, even though he never started.
Kavalhuna has begun negotiating a contract that would allow him to stay, the Henry Ford College board wrote to school employees Monday. Kavalhuna declined to comment through a spokesperson.
Morrissey, the interim chancellor, serves as vice chancellor for academic services and research for the community college system.
She “is a seasoned leader who is well positioned to guide us in preparing for our next great leader and in helping to provide stability in a turbulent time,” Garcia said in the email.
The board will restart the process of hiring a permanent chancellor as soon as possible, Garcia added.
Garcia declined to comment, a spokesperson for the state board said, and a spokesperson for the governor did not respond to a request for comment.