Letter from the Chair
June 5, 2020
Dear Members of the Durham Tech Family:
I am very pleased to report that this afternoon the State Board of Community Colleges approved the appointment of John (J.B.) Buxton as Durham Technical Community College’s fifth president. J.B.’s election follows a national search involving more than 140 candidates by a diverse 16-member Presidential Search Committee consisting of Durham Tech Trustees and leading members of the faculty, staff, students and alumni as well as leaders of the Durham and Orange County communities. His election by the State Board followed the unanimous recommendation of the Board of Trustees.
Both the Trustees and the Presidential Search Committee believe J.B. possesses the qualities of leadership, intellect, integrity, compassion and values appropriate to this remarkable and challenging moment in Durham Tech’s and, indeed, our nation’s history. J.B. cares deeply about people and educational excellence. We were impressed by his creative and collaborative approach to leadership, his record of commitment to social justice and appreciation of the unique role Durham Tech must play in helping ensure all Durham and Orange County residents can access an educational and workforce training ecosystem that enables them to maximize their human potential and quality of life. He also understands the importance of partnerships and the need for Durham Tech to aggressively seek resources to support achievement of our goals both for the College and for the people of Orange and Durham counties whom we serve.
When we started this search, we were mindful that our community has a number of outstanding educational institutions that have benefitted mightily from unconventional higher education leaders - Bill Friday, Terry Sanford and Julius Chambers come immediately to mind. We think J.B. can join that distinguished group given his passion for the work of community colleges, his commitment to advance equity and inclusion, and his understanding of the unique opportunities presented by advances in technology in a rapidly changing economy. J.B. also embraces change and the use of data not because regulation requires it, but because it can help us know how we can do what we do better to serve our students.
One of the things that will make J.B.’s job easier (to the extent one can think of being president of an institution of higher education as easy) is that Bill Ingram has led this institution with distinction in a variety of leadership roles, including 12 years as our president. As many of the candidates told us, one of the attractions of Durham Tech was how well managed this institution has been under Bill’s steady hand.
Finally, I want to extend a special word of thanks to the members of our Presidential Search Committee who devoted many days, weekends and evenings to this search, and especially to Program Director Cathy-Collie Robinson, Dr. Micara Lewis-Sessoms and SGA President Justin Hall who helped us and our candidates appreciate the perspective and lived experiences of faculty, staff and students and the challenges and genuine opportunities facing Durham Tech. That they did this while dealing with the unexpected challenges of teaching and learning in a COVID environment is a testament to their commitment to Durham Tech. I also want to acknowledge the extraordinary work of Tina Ruff, who with good humor, organization and remarkable skill and devotion to Durham Tech, worked tirelessly to help manage a search process complicated considerably by the realities of the COVID environment.
The accompanying materials provide considerable detail about our next president and should help you appreciate the special qualities that make J.B. Buxton the right leader at this moment in time to build on Durham Tech’s 59-year record of accomplishment.
I invite you to join me and the Board of Trustees in welcoming J.B. to Durham Tech when he assumes the presidency next month.
John F. Burness