SIERRA VISTA — The Cochise College Governing Board selected ACCT during its Tuesday night board meeting to help in its search for a new college president.

The Association of Community College Trustees was chosen from five proposals submitted to the board by consultants. The search for a new president comes after President Karen Nicodemus and Executive Vice President Joanna Michelich announced in May their plans to retire in the summer of 2009.

“Yes, it will cost more … but overall I was pleased and impressed with the caliber of work they’ve provided for previous presidential searches,” said Board Chair Jan Guy.

ACCT, which is based in Washington D.C., has helped find executives for community colleges across the nation, including the Houston Community College System, Louisiana Community and Technical College System and San Mateo Community College in California, among others.

Guy said she liked that ACCT worked exclusively with community colleges and appreciated the level of help the board would get from ACCT “from writing the ad, to developing the interview questions, to the evaluations, to scoring.”

Board member Jane Strain said she has watched Narcisa Polonio, the company’s vice president for education, research and board services, at several workshops. Polonio’s performance helped Strain make her decision.

“I’ve always been pleased with Narcisa,” Strain said.

ACCT was chosen with a 4-0 vote, with board member John Eaton abstaining.

Also during Tuesday night’s board meeting, a presentation was given on the status of the Master Facilities Plan’s new construction projects at the Douglas and Sierra Vista campuses.

“We’re in a really good place for the start of classes,” Nicodemus said.

Classes start on Monday.

In addition, the board voted unanimously to approve the site preparation work for the new academic and student buildings on the Sierra Vista campus.