President's Updates: December 1, 2025

Dear Shasta College community,

As we head into the break, I want to wish our instructors the very best with final grading and a smooth close to the term. As a reminder, campus is open next Monday and Tuesday, and then it will be closed until January 2. The Spring Welcome Back Day is scheduled for January 20, so look for a program to come out most likely the week before that.

It’s been an amazing year. Right about this time last year, we had a visit from the Governor – first time ever. In January we learned we were re-accredited for another 7 years – the max possible for us. We spent the whole year continuing to celebrate our 75-year anniversary, and the Commencement ceremony put on by Student Life was amazing. The newly remodeled Library/TLC opened in August and has been rocking ever since. In the fall we had many off-campus visitors who wanted to learn about our good work – from the Governor’s office, the Department of Finance, Board of Governors, Chancellor’s Office, state Student Senate . . . And of course, we have numerous new colleagues or newly promoted colleagues, new grants, new courses . . . despite the many challenges, it’s truly been a wonderful year in so many ways.

Many thanks again to retiring Associate VP of Human Resources Marrianne Williams for her service to the District. Dr. Williams is well liked and respected by all who have worked with her. I look forward to working with Amy Westlund, who was approved at last week’s Board meeting as our new AVP of HR. Again, Amy assumes her new role with the new year, and we will welcome her onto Cabinet.

We have another big change on Cabinet to announce: Mike Mari, who has led the DAPS (formerly PEAT) division since 2014, has been selected as our next Vice President of Instruction. For those of you who don’t know Mike, he comes to us with a great background and an amazing track record of excellence at every level. Before becoming an administrator in 2011, he taught, he coached at the high school, university, and college level, and he even had a stint playing in the Arena Football League (go Wranglers!). Mike served as Outreach Director, Athletic Director, and football Head Coach at Mendocino College, then as Director of Student Life & Athletics at Mendo, where he worked under former VPI Meridith Randall and also Virginia Guleff, now president of Butte College. Mike joined Shasta College in 2014 as the Dean of the DAPS (Development, Athletics, and Public Safety – formerly PEAT). The division includes all our athletics, but also CTE programs like Fire, and a mix of general education courses and programs; this is a perfect combination for someone going into the VPI role. Mike attended high school in Eureka and began his educational career with a bachelor’s in kinesiology at Humboldt State, eventually earning an MA in Education. I worked side-by-side with Mike very closely for 9 years, including during the Carr Fire of 2018 when he provided stellar leadership as part of the Emergency Operations Center. He has developed a reputation for competence, efficiency, and a student-centered approach to all he does. He’s more than up for this latest task. Pending approval by the Board at our January 21 Board meeting, Mike will begin his new role on January 22. We will be doing a short internal search for an Interim Dean of DAPS in the next month. Please help me to congratulate Mike on his new role. 

Thank you also once more to current VP Yanna Iatridis for stepping into the interim VPI role in 2024. We are grateful for her good work with Shasta and proud of her new role at the Chancellor's Office. Yanna is already working on transition materials to help Mike before she leaves us the end of week of January 12. 

Finally, thank you all for the excellent work you’ve done throughout 2025 and for your continued dedication to supporting our students. I hope the holiday season brings you peace, joy, and some well-earned time to rest and recharge for the year ahead. If you’re on the road, safe travels! And I look forward to seeing you in January.

Happy Holidays and see you in January!