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Dr. James Kossler was appointed by the Pasadena Area Community
College District Board of Trustees in October
1995 as the tenth president of Pasadena City College.
Pasadena City College (PCC), founded in 1924,
is one of the nation's largest community colleges,
offering classes in over 60 academic areas and
70 career-related vocational areas. As one of
California's 106 community colleges, PCC is part
of the largest educational system in the world,
with a statewide total of more than 1.4 million
students.
In his initial convocation with the college's
faculty and staff, Dr. Kossler laid out several
goals for his administration. He expressed a strong
commitment to completing the college's $100 million
facilities master plan, with which he was already
closely associated while serving for eight years
as the college's vice president for administrative
services. The construction of a comprehensive
student services center in the old library building,
a new physical education complex including a gymnasium,
swimming pool, and track and football facility,
and a world-class sculpture garden are all projects
underway on the campus. Dr. Kossler also wants
to make sure the college remains a leader in instructional
technology and learning innovation as the college
approaches the new millennium. A technology master
plan has been prepared to provide a blue print
for the use of technology throughout the campus.
Raised in Lynnwood, California, Jim Kossler received
his bachelor's degree in philosophy and English
from St. Johns College, California, and later
earned a baccalaureate in sacred theology and
canon law from Gregorian University. Rome Italy.
From Pepperdine University, he received his master
of science degree in school management and administration,
and his doctor of education degree in institutional
management.
Dr. Kossler taught at several Los Angeles area
high schools and held positions at East Los Angeles
College, the University of Southern California,
Pepperdine University, and Long Beach City College
before coming to PCC as a vice president in 1988.
He is active in a number of civic organizations,
including the Pasadena Rotary, the San Gabriel
Chapter of the American Cancer Society, the YWCA,
and the Pasadena Senior Center. He also serves
as a member of the Jackie Robinson Memorial Coordinating
Committee.
In discussing his goals, Dr. Kossler also includes
his commitment to ensuring that PCC is a college
that is student-centered and learning-focused;
a college that is managed in a fiscally prudent
manner; and a college that - as a workplace -
will be an example and a model for how intelligent
and creative people can work together in an environment
of fairness, civility, and mutual respect.
Today's community colleges are exciting places
to be. They are like the bustling trading bazaars
of old, located at the crossroads of the great
caravan routes. The bazaars were enormous marketplaces
with something for everyone. And everyone was
welcome, the wealthy and the poor, the elders
and the young people, the focused shopper and
the casual explorer, the native citizenry and
the visiting foreigners. All rubbed shoulders
freely in their search for that special treasure.
Today, community colleges, with their richly diverse
student populations, are like modern learning
bazaars - with something of value for everyone.
Is it any wonder that those who understand and
enjoy the wonderful and exciting complexity of
the community college would never, want to serve
anywhere else.
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