Butte College’s new president to take helm
BUTTE VALLEY » The torch will be passing in July at Butte College.
The reigning president of the college, Samia Yaqub, announced her retirement which will begin June 30 at a Butte-Glenn Community College District board of trustees meeting. Virginia L. Guleff will be taking over starting July 1.
“Virginia brings a wealth of skills to the Butte College presidency and exemplifies a commitment to students as a long-standing educator for 36 years. Her efforts have been instrumental in helping lead the college through the Camp Fire and the COVID-19 pandemic, and her work to pivot the district to online instruction was a challenge she met with great success,” Julie Boss, president of the Butte-Glenn Community College District board of trustees said in a press release.
Yaqub said she has mixed feelings about her retirement.
“Retiring from Butte College is bittersweet since it has been my professional home for 37 years. Being able to serve as the superintendent/president these last seven years has been a wonderful experience. Butte is a remarkable college and such a vital asset to our communities. I am so proud of the good work we do here and look forward to cheering the college on in my retirement,” said Yaqub in a statement.
Since 2017, Guleff has worked as Butte College’s vice president of instruction and accreditation liaison officer in which she directed instructional programs including the Economic and Workforce Development department as well as all accreditation activities. Guleff began her career in 1986 in the California community college by working as a tutor at De Anza College. She worked as a classified employee at De Anza College, a part-time faculty member, a full-time tenured faculty member, ESL Coordinator; chair of English, communication and world languages in the San Diego Community College District; dean of career and technical education, transfer and basic skills as well as vice president of education and student services at Mendocino College; and vice president of instruction at Solano College, according to the release.
Guleff also served as a board member for the Chief Instructional Officers Board, as Co-Chair of the California Community College Curriculum Committee, and as co-chair with the Statewide Academic Senate and the Chancellor’s Office in the development of a streamlined curriculum approval and certification process for all California Community Colleges, according to the press release.
She has a bachelor degree in linguistics from San Jose State and a masters degree in linguistics from San Diego State.
“We will continue to focus on inclusive student success, preparing students for careers through our comprehensive degrees, certificates and transfer pathways. Additionally, this is a particularly exciting time for the college as we return many of our classes to oncampus meeting patterns while maintaining a robust online program. There is much exciting work ahead, and I look forward to a continued collaboration with students, faculty, staff and community members as we envision the role of the Butte-Glenn Community College District as an educational leader in the 21st Century,” said Guleff in the release.