Community Corner
New President of West LA College Named
Nabil Abu-Ghazaleh, who comes from the Coast Community College District in Orange County, will start Aug. 1.
West Los Angeles College has announced the appointment of Nabil Abu-Ghazaleh as the school's new permanent president, effective Aug. 1.
Abu-Ghazaleh comes to the college from his current position as vice chancellor of educational services and technology for Orange County's Coast Community College District. Before that, he was the vice president of academic affairs at Pierce College in Woodland Hills.
Abu-Ghazaleh will take over from interim President Dr. Rose Marie Joyce.
Find out what's happening in Culver Citywith free, real-time updates from Patch.
"What is customary is to have an interim president," said Michelle Long-Coffee, director of public relations and advertising for the college, adding that interim presidents generally serve from six months to two years.
Long-Coffee acknowledged that previous President Dr. Mark Rocha, was not popular with the college's neighbors.
Find out what's happening in Culver Citywith free, real-time updates from Patch.
"He ruffled a few feathers in the community," she said. "But he did a tremendous amount of positive on the campus as well."
Rocha, who left in 2010, is now president of Pasadena City College.
