TRUSTEES DEMOTE PRESIDENT ONLINE DEGREE DOESN'T FLY.

Byline: Jim Skeen Staff Writer

LANCASTER - Antelope Valley College's interim president, Dee Henry Lee, was demoted after a controversy over a doctorate degree earned over the Internet.

Henry Lee, who had served as interim president since Sept. 1, was returned to her previous post as vice president for human resources, and the college board named vice president of academic affairs Jackie Fisher as acting president.

``We need to put this issue behind us,'' Fisher said Friday night after the vote, which followed a special closed-door board meeting. ``This institution needs to move forward in a positive way.''

Trustees - who voted 5-0 in three separate actions to demote Henry Lee, to appoint Fisher acting president and to return Henry Lee to her old post - did not answer questions Friday night, but issued a brief statement.

The statement noted the resignation in August of President Dan Larios, who said he wanted to retire; announced Fisher's appointment as acting president and noted that the board is recruiting applicants for the presidency. The statement did not mention Henry Lee by name or refer to the doctoral controversy.

The board, the statement said, ``has determined that the events that have occurred over the last several weeks, including the resignation of Superintendent/President Dr. Larios have caused the board to give considerations as to the administrative leadership style which would be in the best interests of the district ... The board felt this leadership appointment was necessary for the board to refocus its attention on educational matters of the district.'' Fisher said he will be a candidate for the permanent president job.

Fisher said the college needs to focus on three main issues: preparing for the 2004 accreditation review, working toward a possible bond election and ensuring that the class schedule meets the students' needs.

Henry Lee's demotion came after faculty raised questions about her doctorate degree in human resource management from Trinity College and University, which conducts all its course work over the Internet.

AVC officials said only degrees from universities recognized by the U.S. Department of Education are acceptable by the accreditation organization covering AVC.

Trinity College and University, according to its Web site, is accredited by the Association for Online Academic Excellence - an organization not recognized by federal education officials.

Under AVC's salary schedule, employees with doctorate degrees receive an $1,800 annual stipend.

After questions about Henry Lee's degree surfaced, the college board enacted a policy clarifying that the stipend would only go to staffers with degrees recognized by the regional accrediting associations equal in status to the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, which covers AVC's accreditation.

Fisher has been the college's No. 2 administrator since 1998, when he was hired away from Bakersfield College, where he had been the dean of instruction.

He taught and served as director of the fire technology program at Bakersfield for 11 years. Before that, Fisher was a Kern County Fire Department firefighter who had risen to the rank of captain.

Fisher holds an associate of arts degree from Bakersfield; a bachelor's degree in physical education from California State University, Fresno; a master's degree in counseling from CSU Bakersfield; and a doctorate in education management from the University of La Verne.

Jim Skeen, [phone]

james.skeen(at)dailynews.com