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Officials at the Contra Costa Community College District have announced their top choice for a permanent replacement for a former cabinet member who was put on leave from the position prior to a settlement agreement last year that saw him formally part ways with the district.
Jeffrey Michels, a longtime president and director for United Faculty and English professor at Contra Costa College, is poised to be the district’s next associate vice chancellor of human resources. He would be the permanent successor to Dio Shipp, who was put on leave in 2021 during the tumultuous tenure of a since-ousted former chancellor.
In addition to his work as a union organizer and professor, Michels is seeking to leverage past administrative experience for the position at the head of the district’s human resources department, as well as experience and ethos as a union representative who’s been at the center of more than 14 negotiations with the district.
The decision to put Shipp on paid administrative leave was announced by former chancellor Bryan Reece, who said at the time that he would be taking the lead on human resources matters in Shipp’s absence, with Andrea Medina being appointed to fill Shipp’s shoes on an interim basis. Shipp was among the three administrators who would go on to file a joint lawsuit against the district in the wake of being removed from their positions by Reece, ultimately settling for more than $1.5 million combined.
Officials with the district began searching for a permanent replacement with a job ad posted last fall, with the process culminating in the announcement of Michels as finalist on Jan. 30.
Michels will take to a public Zoom forum at 2 p.m. on Thursday (Feb. 2) to take questions and comments about his selection for the position. The district is soliciting feedback on the announcement through Feb. 6. Registration and more information are available here.
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