Student Activities Director resigns

By Nicole Donner

Richard Magruder, the Coordinator of Student Activities, announced Oct. 13 that he will be leaving his post at Mt. Hood Community College for an athletic position at Portland Community College as a physical education administrator.

For almost 15 years, Magruder has assisted the Associated Student Government, the student senate and supported student services. Magruder jokingly cites his reasons for his seemingly sudden departure as a “mid-life crisis”. Teaching P.E. at PCC, according to Magruder, would be “going back to my roots.”

Al Sigala, Director of Media and Public Relations, said, “Apparently it’s something [he] has always wanted to do, to go into athletics, so this is his opportunity.” He said, “I think that’s great for him.”

Magruder said on his way to PCC the job at MHCC opened and did not pursue the athletic position in Portland.

The position he once applied for 15 years ago re-opened this past summer and Magruder seized the opportunity.

In his absence, Pam Kuretich, Paula Cline and Dean of Student Services Rob Nielson will play interim coordinator of student activities while the search for Magruder’s replacement gets underway.

The administration has received the okay to post the position and is now putting together the application and organizing a hiring committee. According to Sigala, the college hopes to hire within the school in order to obey the teacher’s union contract.

“Unfortunately, it takes time [and] usually you can’t get everything done and hired within a short amount of time in most cases especially for administrative positions,” said Sigala.

“You want to try to get the best person in there anyway. Usually what you end up doing for most  administrative positions is include a national search so advertising it nationally so you have prospects,” he said.

Recently, Magruder has almost completely revamped the once out-dated College Center and the game room is at the end of its upgrade.

Magruder is the third administration member to announce his departure from MHCC in a year’s time. Chief Operating Officer Gary Murph has announced his retirement once more, after returning out of retirement in 2004 to take his position, and Joe Fischer (Magruder’s former boss) abruptly resigned Spring term.

Rob Nielson, dean of student development and services, was unavailable for comment.

The pursuit for the replacement of the Fischer seat is still under way. Vice President of Student Learning Paul Hill said they’ve closed in on a few applicants and will begin the interviewing process soon but is prepared to re-start the search if no-applicants seem fit. Hill predicts the search will take six months to a year to find a suitable replacement.

Murph’s announcement of his second retirement took many by surprise. The application for his replacement has already been posted and Hill said finding a replacement should take six months or less.