COLLEGE BOARD NAMES PROFESSOR INTERIM PRESIDENT BOARD CITES ADMINISTRATIVE EXPERTISE.

Byline: Greg Botonis Staff Writer

LANCASTER - Antelope Valley College professor Patricia Sandoval has been named interim president, replacing Linda Spink.

``I feel that this is an opportunity to give back and to impact a lot of students, and for right now I want to learn and really do the best job I can for this college,'' Sandoval said Tuesday.

Sandoval, who has taught at the college for 24 years and is Academic Senate president, will hold the position until a permanent president is found, which could take a year or longer, officials said.

``The board of trustees feels (Sandoval's) long and comprehensive experience with, and knowledge of, Antelope Valley College will allow for a smooth transition from the previous president to a new permanent president,'' says a written statement released by the board.

At a meeting Monday night, the board also accepted Spink's resignation effective July 2. Spink accepted the position of president at Los Angeles Harbor College on June 20.

Sandoval was appointed on a 3-2 vote, with the board president, Betty Wienke; the vice president, Michael Adams, and the board clerk, Wayne Woodhall, in the majority and with trustees Betty Lou Nash and Earl Wilson opposed.

Sandoval, a professor of social and behavioral sciences and psychology who has taught at the college since 1976, in March was named a recipient of the Hayward Award for Academic Excellence, a top state honor for community college teachers. She is only the third to receive the award in the college's history of more than 50 years.

She ``has demonstrated administrative expertise, leadership, organizational skills and ability to work well with all of the constituent groups at the college and in our community,'' the board statement says.

Sandoval will have to step down from her duties as Academic Senate president when she assumes her position as interim president.

She earned her bachelor's and master's degrees from California State University, San Bernadino. She is a member of the California Association of Billingual Educators, Association of Mexican-American Educators and California Association of Hispanic Psychologists.

Sandoval said she plans no immediate changes while she is getting oriented in her new job. She said she will call Allan Kurki, who was president of the college from 1986 to 1996, for advice.

At Monday's meeting, the board did not discuss specifics for beginning the search for a permanent president. The usual procedure is to hire a search consultant such as the California Committee of College Trustees Association and name a campus committee to screen applicants, officials said.

Once the applications are narrowed down, forums will be held for faculty, staffers, students and others to question presidential candidates.

``Typically, searches for a president are quite involved and quite lengthy,'' said public-relations director Steve Standerfer.

Spink will begin her new position with Harbor at a base salary of $121,000, up from $114,000 at Antelope Valley College.

Spink will be Harbor College's first female president and only the fourth president in the school's 50-year history.

The public has been invited to a farewell reception for her from 3:30 to 5 p.m. today in Room 102 of the Student Services Building at Antelope Valley College, 3041 W. Ave. K.

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Photo: (color) Patricia Sandoval

Changing college roles