Riza to serve on national leadership commission

Dr. Robert Riza, president of Clarendon College, has been appointed to the Commission on Leadership and Professional Development at the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC).

“Obviously it is an honor to be chosen to serve on the commission,” Dr. Riza said. “I look forward to working with my colleagues from around the country.”

CC serves Donley, Gray, Childress, Armstrong, Briscoe, Hall, Collingsworth, and Wheeler counties in the eastern Texas Panhandle, and has dual credit partnerships with Miami ISD in Roberts County and Panhandle, White Deer, and Groom ISDs in Carson County. The college, which has four campuses (Clarendon, Pampa, Childress and Amarillo) has more than a $44.5 million impact on the region.

While Clarendon College is a small community college, its size is an advantage in terms of student success.

“Being one of the smallest schools in Texas isn’t an issue, we don’t use our size as an excuse but as motivation to achieve great things,” Dr. Riza said. “Some of the recent successes include being named the number 2 community college in Texas by Schools.com, our pilot program using Microsoft Surface tablets for our ADN and Ranch & Feedlot Operations programs, and our 94% pass rate by the initial class of ADN graduates.”

Another of those successes includes a math pilot program that has been the topic of discussions at conferences across the country. This new program has students enrolled directly into college level courses paired with a supplemental lab, rather than the typical one- to three-semester route of completing developmental studies. This shortened path has proven to increase success rates and has cut the time and cost to achieving college level math credit by up to three semesters.

“Clarendon College is extremely proud of Dr. Riza’s leadership that creates pathways of success for all students and faculty,” CC Board of Regents Chair Jerry Woodard said. “We are proud to see his appointment to this organization in order that he may share his success and ideas with other community colleges.”

Walter G. Bumphus, Ph.D., president and CEO of the AACC, wrote in a letter to Dr. Riza, “We are sure that your insights and leadership will significantly contribute to the Board’s decision-making process and its ability to serve the interests of all AACC member institutions.”