SLCC vice president resigns

A Salt Lake Community College vice president, Don Porter, has resigned, but neither he nor college President Cynthia Bioteau is saying why.

"I can tell you that Don resigned from his position as vice president of administrative services," Bioteau said Monday from Boston where she is at conference on nanotechnology, an area of study she'd like to emphasize at SLCC.

Bioteau did not comment further on Porter.

"People are going to come and go," she added. "I'm trying to maintain the dignity of anyone who leaves Salt Lake Community College."

Porter told the Deseret Morning News he left SLCC willingly, that he is currently seeking employment, and that he wants to stay in the Salt Lake area. He offered no other explanation about why he left.

Porter came to SLCC under the leadership of former president H. Lynn Cundiff. After Cundiff left SLCC, Porter stayed on under interim president Judd Morgan while the State Board of Regents looked for a new leader.

Last June, the regents chose Bioteau, former vice president of Forsyth Technical Community College in North Carolina. Regents liked her approach to SLCC, which is to keep it on track as a two-year institution and not look to transform it into a university.

Is Porter's departure is a sign of things to come?

"I have no concrete or specific plans for any changes," Bioteau said. "I am not looking at a shake-up at all."

She described the transition into a new era of leadership in terms of getting to know her style, which she describes as inclusive and participatory. Any changes in personnel, she added, would be made after involving stakeholders in SLCC.

"I view my responsibility as navigator of the ship," she said. "I do not lead, administrate or manage by fear — so, I would not want people fearing any aspect of me as a new president."

So far, SLCC's trustees like what they see.

"We believe the vision she has for the college is in line with the vision and direction we believe the college has," said Dave Thomas, trustees chairman.

Thomas was equally silent about Porter.

"All that I can say about Don is, he resigned," Thomas said. "We wish him well."

Trustees, he added, supported Bioteau's decision to accept Porter's resignation, which was effective Oct. 7, the same day Porter submitted his notice. Porter's sudden decision did not raise an eyebrow with the head of public higher education in this state.