Welcome, President Bioteau

At long last, Salt Lake Community College has a new president. Cynthia A. Bioteau, vice president for instruction and chief academic officer of Forsyth Technical Community College in North Carolina, was named SLCC's seventh president on Monday.

Bioteau (pronounced bee - oh - toe) is the seventh president of SLCC, an institution that now boasts more than 25,000 students at 11 locations.

Members of the state Board of Regents praised Bioteau's firm grasp of the mission of a community college. She has either taught at or has been a community college administrator in three states, North Carolina, Massachusetts and New Hampshire. She earned a Ph.D. in educational studies from Lesley University, a master of arts in special education from Assumption College, and a bachelor of science in special education from the University of New Hampshire. Particularly impressive is Bioteau's recent experience as a guest presenter for the U.S. Department of Labor and Workforce Innovations Symposium in January.

Bioteau emerged from an impressive group of finalists for the SLCC job. Sixty three candidates from 30 states and two foreign countries sought the job, which pays $170,000 a year plus considerable benefits. The committee whittled down the candidates to five finalists, each of whom had impressive credentials. SLCC Board of Trustees Chairman Dave Thomas described Bioteau as "a standout" among the final candidates.

Naming a successor to former president Lynn Cundiff who left SLCC for the private sector in 2003 turned was beset by some difficulties. A search in 2003 was scrubbed after regents could not agree on one of three finalists. A search conducted the following year did not initially yield a sufficient number of applicants. That search was extended.

But regents, SLCC trustees and others in Utah's higher education community say the appointment of Bioteau was worth the wait. We wish her well in heading one of Utah's most thriving and dynamic public institutions.

Moreover, we again congratulate the regents for making public the names and credentials of other candidates so Utahns themselves can be assured of the quality candidates that seek these high level appointments. It was a very impressive group of individuals, indeed.