LARIOS NAMED PRESIDENT OF AVC CHIEF TO MANAGE OPEN-DOOR STYLE.

Byline: Jim Skeen Staff Writer

LANCASTER - Antelope Valley College's new president said Tuesday he'll bring an open-door style of management to the campus.

Daniel Larios, now the president of Fresno City College, will become AVC's seventh president on July 9. Larios was selected Monday night by college trustees after a nationwide search following the resignation last year of Linda Spink, who left to become president of Los Angeles Harbor College.

``I like to wander around and visit with people and chat,'' Larios said Tuesday during a interview. ``I like to get to know people. You can't know people by looking at a flow chart. I'll have an open-door style of management.''

Larios, 53, agreed to a contract that runs to June 30, 2004. Larios will earn $135,000 a year, an increase of $30,000 from his salary at Fresno City College. Spink was paid $112,000.

In his new post, Larios will oversee a college of about 11,000 students and is responsible for providing education for a district of 1,945 square miles.

``We're very thrilled and happy that Dr. Larios has accepted the president's position,'' said Michael Adams, AVC's board president. ``We look forward to working with him and moving smoothly through this transition time.''

Larios comes to the college at a time when it is trying to start another campus in Palmdale and find ways to meet education needs in other valley communities. While trying to expand its reach, the college is also working to modernize its Lancaster campus.

``Growth - that is a real challenge. That is a challenge you can sink your teeth into,'' Larios said.

Larios will stay as the president of Fresno City College until July 8, the day before becomes AVC's new president. In the interim, Larios said he'll commute back and forth between the two schools, wrapping up projects in Fresno while learning about his new job.

On Tuesday, a day after being officially introduced as the new president, Larios spent several hours in Lancaster talking with college officials about goals for the upcoming school year.

Larios has been the president of Fresno City College since 1997. In that post, he oversees a college with an enrollment of about 23,000 students.

Prior to that post, Larios was the president of Irvine Valley College in Mission Viejo from 1994 to 1997.

Larios, who grew up in Fresno, earned his bachelor's degree in agriculture science and ornamental horticulture from California State University, Fresno. He later earned a master's degree in education from California State University, Bakersfield, and a doctorate degree from Nova Southeastern University in Florida.

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