SAN MARCOS — President Star Rivera-Lacey was named one of three finalists for the deputy chancellor and provost position at Riverside Community College District (RCCD), a role for which 40 candidates were considered.
The news comes as many students and faculty at Palomar are voicing frustration over Rivera-Lacey’s silence during the Governing Board’s Oct. 14 decision to delete Board Policy 3000. BP 3000 was the college’s board-level anti-racism and diversity policy and its deletion drew widespread opposition from the campus community.
The day after that meeting, on Oct. 15, Rivera-Lacey participated in a public finalist forum at Moreno Valley College as part of RCCD’s selection process.
“I’m very proud of the work that I’ve done when it comes to diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility. That is a point of pride for me,” Rivera-Lacey said during the forum.
Palomar faculty brought her silence at the Oct. 14 meeting back to her at the Oct. 27 Faculty Senate meeting, where several instructors questioned why she did not speak out more forcefully when BP 3000 was removed.
“I have never been disappointed in you like they have until October 14th. I watched you, during that debate, say nothing. Then after that debate, when you spoke, say actually nothing. And then you sent a communication to the campus that said more nothing,” said Lawrence Lawson, co-president of the Palomar Faculty Federation. “For the people who are disappointed in you, right now, in this moment when we needed our president to stand up and fight and be that warrior … What can you say to those people right now who feel disappointed in you?”
President Rivera-Lacey told faculty she understood the criticism and that she was committed to helping Palomar move forward.
“I would say that, first of all, that I’m sorry. I’m sorry that they’re disappointed,” Rivera-Lacey said in response to Lawson. “I would hope that they would understand the difficult position that I’m in. And understand that for me, leadership right now means helping Palomar move forward. For those of you who have known my work, previous to this, I’m hoping that there is no doubt to my commitment for educational opportunities for all, diversity, equity and inclusion.”
Rivera-Lacey has served as Palomar’s president since 2021 and has been a fixture at campus events. If she is selected for the RCCD position, she would likely have to step down as president of Palomar College.
In the new position, Rivera-Lacey would serve as the district’s deputy administrative leader, manage and oversee district operations and act on behalf of the chancellor in their absence.
Some faculty and administrators have speculated that Rivera-Lacey has already accepted the position, but RCCD has not announced a final selection. Rivera-Lacey did not respond to a request for comment from The Telescope.
Before becoming president, Rivera-Lacey served as the vice president of student services at Palomar College for less than a year, resigning during the period when former President Joi Lin Blake was facing a vote of no confidence from faculty.
“I sleep well at night knowing that I really, really have this district’s best interests in mind,” said Rivera-Lacey at the Oct. 27 Faculty Senate meeting.
“I’ll speak for myself right now — I’m not sleeping nice at night,” said Nina Shmorhun, assistant professor of oceanography and geology in response. “So it’s hard to hear you say that you’re sleeping okay at night. I’m not sleeping okay at night because my students are not sleeping okay at night. Because my part-time colleagues are not sleeping okay at night.”
