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Robert Riza hopes to tell story of CCC

CLOVIS - Robert Riza said a community college has to tell its story, and a community college president has to be known throughout the community and the state. That's because in both cases, nobody else is going to do it for them.

Riza hopes he'll soon be telling the story of Clovis Community College, as he took part in a day full of interviews at the Clovis campus.

Riza, currently the president at Clarendon College in Texas, has had 21 years experience in higher education administration, all coming in community college.

"I am a product of community college," Riza said. "I have an associate's degree and so do my children. The cool thing is, I've signed both of my children's diplomas."

Riza, one of five finalists for the CCC president's position, had a public interview with about 20 people Wednesday at the college. The selected candidate will succeed Becky Rowley, who left in June for the president's position at Santa Fe Community College.

For many of the audience questions, Riza noted a need for a college and its president to make connections before you need something. He recalled a position in Arizona, where he was fundraising for the college's wrestling team. When he went to a car dealer to pick up a sponsor check, the dealer noted how difficult it was to find quality automotive employees. Riza left with not only the $10,000 check for wrestling, but a $100,000 check for automotive training and a promise the business owner would give each program graduate a tool set as a graduation gift.

Riza said the same philosophy applies in legislative sessions, and that he makes himself known to as many legislators as he can because you never know who's going to end up chairing an important committee.

"If I need it now, it's not the time to talk," Riza said. "I should know you before that. If you have to walk into the capital and introduce yourself to the staff and the legislator, you've wasted a trip."

Riza was asked about a public rift between himself and a minority of board members at Clarendon College. He was limited in his remarks, saying "the wheels came off" after the board chairman was forced to resign that position due to his job at a bank vying for the college's depository services.

Riza said his contract at Clarendon has not been renewed, and that he's discussed the situation with the CCC trustees. Riza is also a finalist for the president's position at Coastal Bend College in Beeville, Texas.

When asked about his concerns with the standardization of New Mexico community college education, Riza acknowledged there are issues but a key benefit had to be the ability to transfer credits.

A question was asked about how Riza would handle the New Mexico Lottery Scholarship pushing students to four-year colleges. Riza said the community college has to promote itself so it's the first option. Part of that is to point out stories of people who get training at a community college, and in a few years they're making more money than their parents ever did.

"Not everybody needs a four-year degree," Riza said, "but everybody needs something after high school for the American dream."

 
 
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