Brookdale President Looking for Greener Pastures

photo via brookdalecc.edu

Brookdale Community College President Maureen Murphy is one of four finalists for the position of president of Blinn College’s Bryan, Texas campus, according to a report on theEagle.com, a Byran-College Station, TX publication.

Murphy and her three competitors will be in Texas to meet members of the public, who will provide feedback on the selection, on May 4 and 5.

In an email to Brookdale’s faculty and staff on Friday, Murphy said, “I entered this search for personal and professional reasons. My commitment to Brookdale is steadfast, but I am exploring select opportunities,” according to a report on APP.com.

The former English professor has an interesting definition of steadfast.

It should come as no surprise that Murphy, who has not yet been president of Brookdale for three years, is looking for another job. In the 16 years since leaving teaching to become an administrator in 1999, she’s held five different positions at four different community colleges. In an interview with Living Media shortly after taking over the helm at Brookdale, Murphy said that one of her bosses at a previous job encouraged her to be always looking for the next career opportunity.

At one time, I worked for a woman, Elizabeth Crowther, who was very explicit that she wanted her vice presidents to be looking for presidencies. She wanted them to be developing their skills. She wanted them to be hungry, not to be career vice presidents, and wanted them to work hard and push things forward at the college level. She was very supportive of the idea that we would move on.

Murphy’s contract with Brookdale was extended last October.

Murphy’s tenure at Brookdale has been controversial as she implemented a reorganization including layoffs to meet fiscals challenges. She caused a stir within the Monmouth County governmental community last year when she inserted herself into county politics by meeting with Monmouth County Democratic Chairman Vin Gopal over the objections of some of the members of the Brookdale Board of Trustees.