{"id":164,"date":"2014-10-15T14:51:30","date_gmt":"2014-10-15T21:51:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.palomar.edu\/news\/?p=164"},"modified":"2025-07-29T14:08:00","modified_gmt":"2025-07-29T21:08:00","slug":"palomar-college-president-announces-retirement-plans","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.palomar.edu\/news\/palomar-college-president-announces-retirement-plans\/","title":{"rendered":"Palomar College President Announces Retirement Plans"},"content":{"rendered":"

SAN MARCOS, CA \u2013\u00a0 Robert P. Deegan, Superintendent\/President of Palomar College, announced today in an all-campus forum that he will retire in June 2015.\u00a0 He indicated that his decision \u2013 which he has been contemplating for some months \u2013 was made with strategic consideration for the college.<\/p>\n

In his announcement to the campus, Deegan expressed great pride in the college, noting particular achievements in student success during his tenure. He shared, \u201cWe have all worked hard together on behalf of our students and I am particularly proud that we have experienced record numbers of graduates these past few years.\u00a0 We have succeeded in helping thousands of students transfer to four-year colleges.\u00a0 In addition, countless students have obtained career and technical certificates designed to provide the skills necessary to obtain meaningful employment in specific fields.\u00a0 Together, we have been able to transform the facilities at the college, making it one of the best in California.\u00a0 I will be able to leave my post knowing that in spite of the tough economic challenges facing our state, we\u2019ve been able to help record numbers of students obtain record numbers of degrees.\u00a0 I am confident that in the years to come, Palomar College will continue to be one of the top comprehensive community colleges in the country.\u201d<\/p>\n

Under Deegan\u2019s leadership, Palomar College passed Proposition M in November 2006; the $694 million general obligation bond was the largest passed by a single college district in the history of the California Community Colleges.\u00a0With the support of the Governing Board and the college community, he began the process of transforming the district\u2019s facilities.\u00a0 Starting with construction of the Natural Sciences building during the early years of his tenure (the first building constructed on campus in 25 years), more than 10 projects have been completed, including:\u00a0 the Health Sciences Building; Multidisciplinary Building; Palomar Planetarium; Industrial Technology Center; Performing Arts Complex; Escondido Center remodel; T-Building remodel; the Teaching and Learning Center (San Marcos) and the Humanities Building.\u00a0 Additionally, there are approximately three projects underway including the Baseball Field relocation; the Child Development Center; and the Library.<\/p>\n

By June 2015, Deegan will have served Palomar College for more than 10 years. In addition to the Proposition M projects, among particularly notable accomplishments during his administration are the addition of a Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Center; new Teaching and Learning Centers (in San Marcos and the Escondido Center); a Veterans Lounge; a Pride Center (to support the college\u2019s LGBTQ community); a new Career Center; and the college\u2019s distinction of being identified as a Hispanic Serving Institution.<\/p>\n

Deegan is particularly proud of the Hispanic Serving Institution designation; however, he indicated that he is even more proud that the college is a Hispanic graduating institution.\u00a0 \u201cWe have been notified that we rank in the top three percent of the nearly 1,200 community colleges nationwide in the number of Latino graduates.\u00a0 We are number one in San Diego County among all community colleges,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

In spite of one of the state\u2019s worst economic crises, Deegan has provided strong leadership to Palomar College, avoiding employee layoffs, salary cuts, or losses in benefits.\u00a0 According to Governing Board President Paul McNamara, \u201cUnder President Deegan, the college has been able to accomplish great things, including a strong building program.\u00a0 His commitment to the students, faculty and staff has been obvious throughout his tenure and he will be greatly missed.\u00a0 We look forward to having him with us through June 30, 2015.\u201d<\/p>\n

# # #<\/p>\n

Media contact:\u00a0 Laura Gropen, Director, Public Affairs<\/p>\n

lgropen@palomar.edu<\/a>, 760-744-1150 x2152<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

SAN MARCOS, CA \u2013\u00a0 Robert P. Deegan, Superintendent\/President of Palomar College, announced today in an all-campus forum that he will retire in June 2015.\u00a0 He indicated that his decision \u2013 which he has been contemplating for some months \u2013 was made with strategic consideration for the college. In his announcement to the campus, Deegan expressed… \u00a0Continue Reading: Palomar College President Announces Retirement Plans<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":480,"featured_media":165,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-164","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nPalomar College President Announces Retirement Plans - Palomar News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.palomar.edu\/news\/palomar-college-president-announces-retirement-plans\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Palomar College President Announces Retirement Plans - Palomar News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"SAN MARCOS, CA \u2013\u00a0 Robert P. Deegan, Superintendent\/President of Palomar College, announced today in an all-campus forum that he will retire in June 2015.\u00a0 He indicated that his decision \u2013 which he has been contemplating for some months \u2013 was made with strategic consideration for the college. 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