Main story: Gavilan president retiring after four decades in education

Measure X passage and adjusting to online class during COVID-19 were major accomplishments

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By Marty Cheek

The May 27 commencement at Gavilan College was a bittersweet one for Dr. Kathleen Rose. As about 350 students and their families celebrated, the superintendent/president’s eyes moistened at the thought she was only a few days from retirement, closing 40 years of a remarkable career in education.

Rose officially leaves the college July 1. Dr. Pedro Avila will replace her.

Rose became Gavilan’s president July 1, 2016, after serving for seven years as the college’s vice president and chief instruction officer. She served in the California Community system since 2002, including as the vice president of Instruction and the dean of Fine Arts, Language Arts and Social Sciences at Hartnell College in Salinas.

Previous to that, she worked for Chapman University for 18 years in Tucson, Ariz., and Monterey. She started in migrant education in upstate New York in the 1970s.

Rose has called her first year as Gavilan head leader a “year of renaissance.” A month into her term, she faced an ethical decision involving the assistant coach recruiting out-of-state football players and violating the California Education Code by offering housing and assistance. The college self-reported the violation and the football program was put on probation for two years, angering athletes and many sports fans

“I really felt it was a huge test for me about what was the right thing to do,” she said. “That was a very difficult time.”

The transition was especially challenging as students and staff faced major renovation activity at the Gilroy campus with the final projects paid for by Measure E bond funds. The Student Union was closed for the entire year as workers brought it up to current seismic safety code. The admissions and administrative offices and campus bookstore were closed for remodeling.

Thanks to Rose’s outreach, voters approved the $248-million Measure X facilities bond in the November 2018 election. It was a huge win for the college by creating bridges with the diverse communities in the 2,700-square-mile district. The bond would touch everyone’s interest for higher education.

During Rose’s time as superintendent/president, the college celebrated its 100th year anniversary in 2019 with a gala on the campus. The year-long celebration was cut short in March 2020 when COVID-19 forced the campus to close and students and faculty had to start to attend classes online.

Board member Laura Perry, who represents Morgan Hill, said she’s happy for Rose’s retirement but “kind of bummed” for Gavilan because Rose has been a solid leader for the college campus and district, building a culture of trust and accessibility. Rose had a tremendous impact in getting Gavilan involved with the community and the community involved with Gavilan.

“Her outreach to the Morgan Hill, Gilroy and San Benito communities has been tremendous. We never had that kind of outreach before,” Perry said. “She’s available to students. She’s available to parents. She’s available to the entire community. You just pick up the phone and call her.”

Two major highlights of Rose’s leadership was the passage of the Measure X facility bond and helping students and staff adjust to education during COVID-19, she said.

“To get hit by COVID and to have to turn the institution on a dime and come up the next day online, she was working 24 hours a day, seven days a week for two years straight,” Perry said.

Over the years, Rose has brought a strong focus on improving instruction, meeting student needs, and equity to Gavilan College, said Gavilan Board President Edwin Diaz.

“Even during the past few years where community colleges faced historical challenges caused by a worldwide pandemic and, locally, a cyber-attack, I have witnessed Dr. Rose’s ability to maintain her focus on students and outreach to the community,” he said.

While serving as president/superintendent Rose’s outreach and partnership with the community, Gilroy, Morgan Hill, and San Benito County serves as one of her biggest accomplishments. Through her leadership, Gavilan College partnered with K-12 schools, local government, and the business community, he said.

Diaz especially noted the passage of Measure X in 2020 resulted from the partnerships and trust she established.

“Her tireless efforts have brought a great amount of resources to the college,” he said. “Dr. Rose’s strong leadership and her advocacy for students will be greatly missed.

During her years at Gavilan, Rose received several honors including the 2019 Educator of the Year award from the Morgan Hill Chamber of Commerce and the 2022 Woman of the Year award from the Gilroy Chamber of Commerce. She will continue in education as a consultant for community colleges.

“I feel extremely privileged to be here at this time, and kind of humble, and almost emotional about it because this has been a really historic chapter,” she said of her leadership at Gavilan. “We’re set up for wide-open changes in the future — and we’re going to be front and center in higher ed.”