Clark College Vice President of Instruction Dr. Tim Cook has been named President of Clackamas Community College. Dr. Cook’s appointment at Clackamas Community College comes after a national search to replace Dr. Joanne Truesdell, who has served as Clackamas Community College president since 2007.

Dr. Cook started his career at Clark College in 1997 as a faculty counselor and taught at the college for 14 years before moving into the Vice President of Instruction role. In total, Dr. Cook has spent 21 years at the college and has been an active member of the community. The move to Clackamas Community College is a move home for Dr. Cook, who is from Oregon City, Ore.

“As a first-generation community college student, I am committed to the work of community colleges, and I’m excited for this next step in my career,” Dr. Cook said. “Clark College provided me with many opportunities to positively impact the lives of students, and I’m looking forward to continuing that work at Clackamas Community College.”

“We are all very happy for Dr. Cook and know he will make an excellent president,” Clark College President Robert K. Knight said. “He has been at the heart of some of our most important initiatives, and leaves us with a great foundation due to his work on our Academic Plan and the work we have been doing to improve college completion through our involvement with the national American Association of Community Colleges Guided Pathways initiative.”

The search is underway for a new Vice President of Instruction. Dr. Cook begins his new role at Clackamas Community College on July 1, and in order to ensure a smooth transition Dr. Travis Kibota has been named Interim Vice President of Instruction. Dr. Kibota is a professor of biology who previously served as a dean at the college and in the grant development office. Dr. Kibota will not be a candidate for the permanent position. “I’m happy to have someone with Dr. Kibota’s experience and expertise step in as the interim. It will make the transition much easier,” President Knight said.

The search timeline comprises bringing candidates to the college during spring term and having a new Vice President of Instruction named before the end of the academic year. That new person would likely not start until sometime during the 2018 fall term.