Effective February 1, Executive Vice President of Claremont University Center Mitch Dorger will be leaving his current job to assume the position of CEO for the Tournament of Roses in Pasadena. Until a permanent replacement can be found, Scripps Vice President for Planning and Research Brenda Barham Hill will serve as interim Executive Vice President.

Dorger, who has worked in his current job since July of 1994, made his formal announcement to leave in early November, much to the surprise of his colleagues. "It’s a great job here. The presidents and the City of Claremont have been great to me and there is no dissatisfaction on my part," Dorger said. "I was just ready for a change. I grew up in a family that moved every couple of years because my father was in the military. Some people like to stay in one place forever; I like to try new things out."

Barham Hill was recommended by Dorger, and later approved by the Council of Presidents to be his temporary successor through June 2000. Barham Hill’s first job at the colleges came in 1979 when she worked for the Provost’s office in the Central Programs Department.

"I asked myself who would I feel good about handing my job over to and the only name I could come up with was Brenda’s," Dorger said. "She knows this place better than anyone because she’s worked in this political environment for a long time."

Barham Hill will start her work on January 18, two weeks before Dorger leaves, in order to get herself familiar with the job. During the first week, she will be observing Dorger on the job, and during the second, Barham Hill will be taking over while Dorger observes her. The two have also been having regular weekly meetings in order to discuss some of the logistics of the switch in order to make the transition as smooth as possible.

"Everyone is really supportive of me. I look forward to being able to provide my services to all of the colleges," Barham Hill said. "My first working experience was at CUC, so it’s nice to go back there. I am a big believer in groups so I am really excited to be of service to the entire group of schools again."

Dorger’s announcement comes just months before major changes to CUC will be taking place. On July 1, 2000, CGU will become officially separated from CUC. Although Dorger will be gone when the official split happens, he has submitted some suggestions to facilitate the split, and members of his office, all of whom are staying, will continue to work on the finishing touches.

Because of the split, it is likely that Dorger’s current position, Executive Vice President of CUC, will be re-defined and possibly split up into two separate positions. After the start of the new year, outside experts will be coming in to evaluate any change in needs due to the separation. Once this is done, the Council of Presidents will decide exactly what changes will be made to the current position and then will begin a search for a replacement.

"I think when people look back at the situation in a few years they will say that it was a good thing that [I] left at this time," Dorger said. "It will give the colleges a good opportunity to think of what they really want in the new position with avoiding the awkwardness of having me around and having to either say that they want me or don’t want me for the new position."

According to both President Peter Stanley and Pitzer President Marilyn Chapin Massey, Dorger has made a profound impact on the college community in his short time here. "We never, at least in my time here, had such a combination of money management, people skills and political smarts," Stanley said.

Dorger came to the CUC after numerous jobs including a navigator in the Air Force. At the time, Dorger said that the CUC was experiencing various problems including low confidence, budgetary problems and a great deal of uncertainty about the future, all of which called for desperate reorganization. "I came here because it seemed like a good challenge to take the newly united group at CUC and form it into a organization with a sense of identity," Dorger said.

During his tenure here, Dorger made significant changes to the colleges, says Massey. She points out several of his accomplishments, including several upgrades to the colleges, services like its libraries and finding new homes for organizations such as Chicano Student Affairs and the Office of Black Student Affairs. She also notes his ability to serve so many people so well at once.

"All of the presidents appreciate Mitch’s ability to be loyal to all us and serve us all at once–a nearly impossible task, calling for a very honest and accomplished person," Massey said. "We all know that he has brought the Claremont College Consortium many miles from where it was six years ago. I guess you know by now that he will be greatly missed."