Los Rios Community College District Chancellor Brian King announced April 24 that he will be recommending Thomas Greene for the position of American River College president.

Greene is currently president of academic affairs and student services at Lake Tahoe Community College. In an email interview with the Current he said he was “both pleasantly surprised and honored when (he) was offered the job.”

This was the only college he applied to in the state.

“I wasn’t necessarily looking to leave the mountains,” Greene said, “but when I learned of the opportunity at ARC, I started to consider relocating.”

Previously the associate vice president of enrollment and student services at Sacramento City College, Greene said he was familiar with the reputation of ARC and its commitment to students.

“My primary focus as president will be to ensure that the best conditions exist for students to learn and achieve their educational goals,” he said.

One of those conditions is an environment where students feel safe on campus.

In response to the recent sexual assaults and attacks in the area, Greene is looking to work hand in hand with “those directly responsible for day-to-day campus and neighborhood safety to identify opportunities for ongoing improvement.”

Whether it be by having better lighted areas at night or increasing patrol and shuttle services, he wants to create “a culture where all of us—students, faculty, and staff—feel safe, welcome, and secure is essential to being able to learn and succeed.”

Greene received a doctorate in educational administration and community college leadership from the University of Texas, Austin.

In the email sent out to all ARC employees, King said he will be making the recommendation at the next board of trustee meeting May 14.

If approved, Greene will begin his duties Auf.4. In the meantime he will be working to bring a number of projects to a close at LTCC, making preparations for his upcoming move to Sacramento and spending a week or two hiking with his wife.