Kaua‘i is helping choose the next leader of its only college; meet the first two candidates

The University of Hawai‘i is nearly ready to select the next chancellor of Kaua‘i Community College, having settled on four finalists after a months-long search.

Those finalists are now formally introducing themselves to the Garden Isle, during a two-day series of public forums that began Jan. 25.

Thursday saw candidates Mark Lausch and Margaret Sanchez – who has served as interim chancellor of Kaua‘i Community College since January 2023 – field questions from faculty, staff, students and community members at back-to-back meetings held in the Kaua‘i campus Fine Arts Auditorium.

Lausch – a longtime educator and academic administrator who has held top leadership positions at large institutions in Illinois, Wisconsin and New York – went first.

“Thirty-five-plus years of experience has given me this really good … view of what goes on in higher education, and how we can help faculty do their very best so students can be successful,” said Lausch – the former vice chancellor of academic affairs at Ivy Tech Community College in Indianapolis – during his introductory remarks. “When students are successful, as an institution we’re successful and then our community thrives – that’s what we’re really trying to do, and that’s what your senior leadership needs to be able to do.”

Lausch was first asked to describe his position on shared governance in higher education, during the Q&A portion of his forum. Lausch responded by promoting a collaborative approach to leadership that brings faculty, administration and students to the same table.

“I’ve been really fortunate to have worked at multiple institutions that have great shared governance models, the best being probably at Madison College in Wisconsin, where they implemented something called IBPS: Interest-Based Problem Solving,” Lausch said. “It’s since become interest-based negotiation … It’s really not about taking positions, but about having open, transparent conversations, using data to inform those discussions and then making shared decisions.”

Other questions lobbed at Lausch addressed his thoughts on high schools and early college education; student satisfaction; increased enrollment; on-campus housing; and the welfare and advancement of Native Hawaiian students and issues.

“My understanding is that the college wants to be [an] indigenous student-serving institution … That means embracing culture, embracing diversity, embracing language differences and bringing that into the classroom,” Lausch said.

Lausch has spent much of his career working at colleges boasting student populations in the 10s of thousands. Kaua‘i Community College counted only 1,298 enrolled learners during its fall 2023 semester.

“One of the things that really, really, really excites me … about this position is the size of the college,” Lausch said. “You want a small population in which to work so you can turn on a dime … We can have a great idea hit our desks Monday morning, and we can do something about it by Wednesday of that week.

“You are the smallest college in the [University of Hawai‘i] system,” Lausch continued. “But that doesn’t prevent you from having the biggest, most innovative ideas in the system.”

Sanchez took the floor of the Fine Arts Auditorium several hours after Lausch’s departure but addressed many of the same audience members.

Like Lausch, Sanchez possesses an impressive résumé in higher education. She spent five years as the Kaua‘i Community College vice chancellor for student affairs, before becoming the institution’s interim leader following the retirement of chancellor Joseph Daisy in December 2022.

Sanchez – who grew up in California and served in the U.S. Peace Corps – can also claim bilingual teaching experience and leadership positions at Mendocino College in Northern California and the City College of San Francisco. She was drawn to Kaua‘i Community College by its status as an indigenous-serving institution, having dedicated much of her career to working with such populations.

“We need to grow to provide more support to our students and community. Our state and local leaders have identified priorities for the upcoming year that include access to affordable housing, developing our workforce and access to childcare,” Sanchez said, after touting Kaua‘i Community College’s established programs and initiatives.

“We will be a hub where students and community members can ideate, incubate and innovate to create our future businesses and work toward solving the problems of our island,” she continued. “We will provide a space for support for student parents and increase access to childcare and preschool. I know we can accomplish this because of the unrelenting support of our college and greater community.”

The interim chancellor, who faced many of the same questions leveled at Lausch, was also asked to describe her leadership style, should she be selected as the next chancellor of Kaua‘i Community College.

“I’m not sure if I really have a style or not,” Sanchez said. “I think … what it comes down to is, can you walk the walk? Can you do what you want other people to do and can you work alongside them? Can you inspire others to lead? I would strive to be that leader. I don’t know if I am. But that is something that I strive to be.”

Unlike the mainlander Lausch, Sanchez – as a familiar face in the Kaua‘i community – received endorsements as well as questions during her Thursday forum.

“I have been extremely impressed with her vision, knowledge of our island and how wonderfully she interacts with students, faculty and the [Friends of KCC] Board,” wrote a college affiliate who attended the forum via Zoom.

Kaua‘i County Councilmember Addison Bulosan praised Sanchez in person.

“In your time serving as interim chancellor and vice chancellor of student services, you have by far exceeded all expectations of providing leadership to KCC,” Bulosan said. “I’m … a big fan.”

Remaining candidates Angela McLean (the director of American Indian/minority achievement and K-12 partnerships in the Montana University System) and Jeffrey Thomas (former vice president of academic affairs at Central Carolina Technical College) will speak at their own forums on Jan. 26.

Following the four candidates’ visits to Kaua‘i and review of feedback from the chancellor search advisory committee and others, the University of Hawaiʻi vice president for community colleges will submit a recommendation to University President David Lassner in March.

The new chancellor is expected to start in July.

• To read each candidate’s complete biography, view recordings of their Kaua‘i Community College forums and submit feedback forms, click here. Feedback forms will be accepted through the evening of Jan. 29.