Many long days for interim vice president

David Follosco's main concern will still be students, even in his new position

Melissa Meek / Roundup

When David Follosco became interim vice president, it put him in a better position to oversee student services.

Follosco was appointed vice president of student services Sept. 2 by Joy McCaslin, Ph.D, who is serving as interim president at Pierce College.

“There were a number of candidates interviewed, and he was selected. I’m very happy with this choice,” said McCaslin, who has known Follosco for 20 years.

Follosco, who was previously dean of student services, took on the job after McCaslin was named interim president following Robert Garber’s abrupt departure to care for his son.

“It’s an experience,” he said.

Born and raised in the Valley, he got his associate’s degree at Los Angeles Valley College before transferring to CSUN for his bachelor’s degree. His first job in the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD) was as a student worker at Los Angeles Mission College. He was a peer adviser in the Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOP&S) while he obtained his master’s degree. He was then hired as a counselor in 1979.

Follosco has assumed positions at five different campuses in the district, including EOP&S director at Mission and at Los Angeles City College for four years.

He was also vice president of student services at West Los Angeles College for 10 years before coming to Pierce, where he has served for three years.

“My biggest goal is to see how much we can get done and be as creative as possible so we can continue to provide services,” he said.

Follosco said the preliminary reports from each service have just come in and they’re still looking them over to find out what areas to cut. He stressed that all programs would remain running, but some would be cut back. Some, he said, have been cut by as much as 32 to 33 percent.

“Nothing is being cut completely, but we’ll have to deal with less,” he said.

The cuts, however, have been a hot topic since well before the start of the semester.

“One of the things McCaslin did before she became president was ask all the (service) managers to take a real critical look at their budgets and come up with worst case scenarios,” he said. “(We asked), ‘What are you going to do if you’re cut by 15 percent or 30 percent?’”

Despite all the cuts from various programs, Follosco’s main concern is still the students.

“It’s going to be a very tough year for students,” he said.

Once a new college president is chosen by the LACCD, Follosco will return to his previous position. Follosco has “absolutely no idea” who is planning on running for president. Follosco, who has two grown children, Daniel and David, and five grandchildren, likes to read, exercise and ski in his spare time.

“(I go to) mostly Big Bear, but I like Mammoth or Tahoe when I can get away,” he said. The hardest part of the job for Follosco?

“Long days,” he joked. “Weekends and nights and checking my e-mail whenever I get the chance. It’s part of the job. I knew what I was getting into.”