The Minnesota State Colleges and Universities Board of Trustees, acting on a recommendation by Chancellor James H. McCormick, Wednesday appointed James R. Davis as interim president of Riverland Community College.

Davis, former president of Lehigh Carbon Community College near Allentown, Pa., will replace President Gary Rhodes, who is leaving in October to become president of J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College in Richmond, Va.

As interim president, Davis will lead the college while a search for a permanent replacement is conducted. The search is anticipated to be concluded by June 30, 2003. Under a policy of the Board of Trustees, interim presidents are not eligible to be considered for the permanent position.

"James Davis will bring extensive and excellent experience to the interim position, having served as president of five community colleges over the past 31 years," McCormick said.

Amy Wangen, director of public relations and marketing at Riverland in Austin says the college is impressed with Davis and is looking forward to working with him.

"His career history is very impressive and it's very encouraging that he has had such an extensive history with community colleges," she said.

Representatives from the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities visited Riverland before choosing an interim president to conduct meetings with faculty and staff and hear what they wanted in a new president at the college, Wangen said.

She said the main consensus of those meetings was "the college wants to continue moving forward and growing so we hope (Davis) can lead us in that. We feel we made significant enhancements to the college under the leadership of Dr. Rhodes and we hope (Davis) can help us with that."

Davis, president emeritus of Lehigh Carbon Community College, was president from 1992 to 2000. Prior to that, he served as president of Royal Oak/Southfield Campuses of Oakland Community College in Michigan, Wenatchee Valley College in Washington, McHenry County College in Illinois and Wabash Valley College in Illinois.

His previous experience includes serving as assistant to the president of Highland Community College in Illinois.

Davis, 64, has taught communication, personnel, organizational behavior and management courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels. He began his career as a high school English and speech teacher in Freeport, Ill., and West Dubuque High School in Iowa. He also is co-founder and former chairman of the Board of CAPE, a distance learning corporation that has more than 150 member colleges and universities, public school consortia, libraries and teaching hospitals. Davis holds a bachelor's degree in English from the University of Dubuque and a master's degree and doctorate in educational administration and supervision from the University of Illinois.

"I look forward to working with the students, faculty and staff and the community in continuing to help the college grow and prosper," Davis said.

Davis and his wife, Shirley, are living in Worthington, Minn., and he said they plan to move near the college.

Amanda L. Rohde can be reached at 434-2214 or by e-mail at amanda.rohde@austindailyherald.com