> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.smdp.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Three’s a crowd at SMC - URL: https://www.smdp.com/threes-a-crowd-at-smc/ - Published: 2005-11-04T16:00:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-23T08:06:56.000Z - Author: Ryan Hyatt - Tags: Education, Santa Monica, #archive-import *SMC’s top post commands an annual salary of $200K* SANTA MONICA COLLEGE — The new top administrator at Santa Monica’s local community college may be taking the reins as early as December, that is, once he or she has been selected by elected officials. Representatives from Santa Monica College announced on Wednesday they are one step closer to finding a permanent president, having narrowed their short list down to three candidates. Each of the finalists this month will spend a full day at SMC’s main campus for interviews with the Board of Trustees. They also will appear at public forums to speak and answer questions. The forums will be held from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., Monday through Wednesday (Nov. 14-16). The three finalists are Dr. Deborah Blue, vice president of policy and research for the Accrediting Commission for Community & Junior Colleges (ACCJC) in Novato, Calif.; Dr. G. None of the candidates were available for comment. WHAT GOOGLE HAS TO SAY According to a biographical profile, Blue assumed her position doing policy and research work in January of 2004 at the ACCJC, an organization which accredits two-year public and private higher learning programs. Before that, she was the president at Laney College in the Peralta Community College District in Oakland, Calif. Blue holds a doctorate from the University of Illinois, Champagne-Urbana in speech and hearing science. She has served as an administrator for several California community colleges. Her work with accreditation includes development of campus self studies, service on many evaluation teams, as well as serving as chair. According to his biographical profile, G. Jeremiah “Jerry” Ryan has been the president of Raritan Valley Community College since March 2000\. He supervises all of the academic and administrative enterprises of that institution. Raritan Valley Community College (RVCC) serves more than 30,000 students each year, and has a $32 million operating budget. It offers programs on its 240-acre main campus in North Branch, New Jersey, at a higher education center in Franklin, and at 11 satellite centers. RVCC is considered a comprehensive community college offering degrees, certificates and employee development training. Ryan is an honors graduate of Hamilton College with a bachelor’s degree in government and speech. He earned a master of arts degree from Stanford University in organizational development and a master of science degree from the State University of New York at Albany in education administration. His doctorate is in higher education administration from Nova Southeastern University. Ryan has had post doctoral fellowships with the League for Innovation in the Community College and the American Association of Community Colleges. According to a biographical profile, Tsang was born and raised in China. He came to the United States in 1971 at the age of 19\. He received his start in education as a student at Contra Costa Community College in San Pablo. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree from UC Berkeley, Tsang earned his doctorate in linguistics at Stanford University, where he taught for several years. Dr. Tsang soon left his teaching career behind to work full-time as the director of the Career Resources Development Center in San Francisco, specializing in providing job training to refugees, immigrants and the unemployed. He also served as dean of the School of Applied Science and Technology at City College of San Francisco for five years. He became president of San José City College in 1997\. In May 2004, Tsang was honored as a “Local Hero” by the Asian Pacific American Heritage for his commitment and contributions to the Bay Area through business, community activism, education and social services. ABOUT THE SEARCH SMC’s Presidential Search Committee — comprised of SMC employees, students and Santa Monica community members — screened applications and interviewed semi-finalists for the position. The committee forwarded to SMC’s Board of Trustees the names of three candidates for consideration as finalists for the college president position. SMC undertook a national search that included mailings, use of e-mail lists, and advertising in a variety of publications, including the Chronicle of Higher Education, Women in Higher Education, Asian Week, Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education and Black Careers. “I want to thank the committee for its hard and conscientious work and for the many hours devoted to this important task,” said Carole Currey, board chair. The search for a new president began early this year after Dr. Piedad F. Robertson left the chief executive position in January to take the presidency of Denver-based Education Commission of the States. Dr. Thomas J. Donner, former SMC executive vice president, has served as interim president since Jan. 1. The new position is expected to pay approximately $200,000 — Robertson’s salary — according to Bruce Smith, an SMC spokesman. During the recruitment process, SMC has covered the cost of plane tickets and hotel stays for interviewing candidates. *Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on November 4, 2005.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/110405.pdf?ref=smdp.com)