Fernandez named LCSC president

LEWISTON - The Idaho State Board of Education has named Tony Fernandez the president of Lewis-Clark State College.

Fernandez was provost and has served as interim president of LCSC since July, after Dene Thomas left for the presidency of Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colo.

Cyndie Hammond, director of Lewis-Clark's Coeur d'Alene center, said she is looking forward to new opportunities for the college with Fernandez at the helm.

"I'm convinced that, as president, Tony will find opportunities to define and engage college strengths in order to serve students in Region I," Hammond said. "With his leadership, LCSC will continue to aspire to education excellence and, thereby, contribute to Idaho's economic future. I anticipate that his leadership team will look for innovative actions that result in greater collaboration with our sister institutions and with our local communities."

In a teleconference Wednesday, the Idaho Board of Education unanimously voted to give the job to Fernandez.

He was chosen over two other finalists: Stephen Condon, former president of Tennessee Wesleyan College in Athens, Tenn., and Lynn Gillette, provost and executive vice president of Sierra Nevada College in Lake Tahoe, Nev.

Shortly after Thomas announced she was leaving, several faculty members urged school officials to save the money that would be spent on a national search and give the job to Fernandez.