Santa Clarita Community College District Introduces Interim Chancellor

The Santa Clarita Community College District Board of Trustees has not yet provided a reason for the termination of Chancellor and CEO Dianne Van Hook, but it is proceeding with the appointment of an interim chancellor and preparations for a search for a replacement, while also attempting to fill two vacant seats on the board.

The College of the Canyons Valencia district board voted unanimously 3-0 on July 10 to place Van Hook on administrative leave. Interim Chancellor David Andrus began his new role on Monday.

“Her title is chancellor, but she is no longer active,” board Vice Chairman Jerry Danielsen said of Van Hook. “More will be revealed sooner rather than later.”

Only three trustees were present for the vote to suspend her. Chuck Lyon resigned from the board in June and was not present at the meeting. Sebastian Cazares was not present at the meeting due to a family emergency.

While the district has publicly said only that Van Hook — who has a contract through 2027 — is on leave, Danielson said he is already planning a search for a new chancellor. It was unclear whether the district has already moved to fire Van Hook or whether it will have to buy out her contract.

“We’re not looking at this time because we’re bringing in David Andrus, who just started on the job on Monday. It’s only been a couple of days since he got his feet on the ground and tried to figure out what was going on,” Danielsen said.

However, a search will be conducted for a new chancellor and Danielsen said he wants the board to include community input in the process.

“There’s going to be a robust, active search,” Danielsen said. “We’ll probably have a committee that directs us on where to look, to get the word out nationwide. That’s a process that could take months and months and months. It could take six months, it could take eight months. That process hasn’t officially begun yet, because this is all brand new. It’s going to take a little bit of time.”

CSEA Chapter 725, a union representing some university employees, and the Classified Senate presented a resolution to the Board of Trustees in June calling for “those responsible for the current climate of conditions and those who have perpetuated and enabled a culture of psychological insecurity to be held accountable.”

“I appreciated that resolution, the thought that went into it, the words that went into it,” Danielsen said. “And I agreed with a lot of it. The resolution was not at least part of my personal consideration … I listened. I listened to what they had to say.”

The resolution called on the board to report to employees on specific measures and direct actions being taken to rectify what it called the “current climate crisis” at the college.

In the spring of 2024, the Research and Planning Group conducted a survey to gauge employee sentiment and the state of college workplaces.

The survey results were predominantly positive: 64% of respondents rated the climate on COC’s campus as somewhat (36%) or very (27%) positive, while 32% rated the climate on campus as somewhat (21%) or very (11%) negative.

“The climate survey revealed some really good things about the university,” Danielsen said. “It’s a great place. It’s like yin and yang. You can focus on the negative or you can focus on the positive. I try to look at it and see how great this university is. Are there things we can work on? Yes.”

The survey consisted of 64 items (52 fixed-choice items and 12 open-ended questions) and included demographic and employee characteristic information and questions about campus climate and engagement.

The survey was completed by 625 university employees, approximately 58% of those asked to participate. Experiences of campus climate were mixed, with notable differences across employee classifications.

“Overall, employees felt a sense of belonging in the workplace was high, but experiences varied across departments and colleges when it came to being heard and fear of reprisal for speaking out,” according to an RP Group report. “Overall, employees feel welcome at the university and enjoy the work they do there. However, they do not feel they can report concerns or provide critical feedback about the university without fear of reprisal, nor do they feel that complaints and concerns are taken seriously and addressed promptly.”

Danielsen said it could take months to find and hire a new chancellor. The board is also looking for candidates to fill the seat vacated by Joan MacGregor, who is stepping down on Aug. 5.

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