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The administration at De Anza College is about to undergo a change of hands, as San Francisco State University's Brian Murphy steps in to take the reigns as the new president of the college.
As founder and executive director of the San Francisco Urban Institute, a program within SFSU that links campus activities with the community, Murphy has been considered a prime candidate to direct De Anza.
Former De Anza President and current FoothillDe Anza Community College District Chancellor Martha Kanter made the final decision to choose Murphy.
Kanter said she thinks Murphy's community alliances will be a great asset to the school.
"He is a recognized leader in the Bay Area and nationally," she said.
Murphy, who received his Ph.D. in political science from UC-Berkeley, is scheduled to begin his term July 1. Meanwhile, he is still chairman of the San Francisco Urban Institute, a program Murphy said works to confront issues such as economic development and environmental and health problems, all through a combined effort by both the university and the surrounding community.
"De Anza College is made up of a variety of diverse communities," said Murphy. "They have high expectations of excellence in academics."
Murphy said he plans to promote more of that same "excellence and engagement" at De Anza.
Michael Chang, chairman of De Anza's Asian American studies department and former mayor of Cupertino, also believes Murphy is a solid choice.
As part of the selection committee, Chang and his associates chose the three final candidates.
"There were a lot of applicants," Chang said.
"They had a very thorough selection process," said Murphy. "I was glad to be the one they chose."
Since Kanter moved from her position as president to chancellor, the school has been run by interim President Judy Miner. Miner was formerly the vice president of instruction and will return to that position once Murphy is inducted.
"I'm really looking forward to welcoming him to De Anza," Miner said. "He's an educator who cares deeply about providing access to a comprehensive curriculum."
"I am extremely confident Brian will continue the tradition of outstanding leadership that we have enjoyed here at campus," she said.
Paul Fong, president of the board of trustees that oversees the FoothillDe Anza district, said he also looks forward to Murphy's arrival.
"I hope he brings his community knowledge to Cupertino and Silicon Valley," he said.
Fong said that the school has high expectations for Murphy.
"De Anza has had only two presidents, who have left tremendous legacies," he said. "He has big shoes to fill, and I believe that he can fill those shoes."
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