After 38 years of service at Los Medanos College, Richard Livingston is leaving LMC as senior dean of instruction to serve at the Contra Costa College District office.
Livingston started his ca- reer at LMC in Sept. 1978 as a teacher, establishing the journalism program, and the LMC student-run newspaper, the Experience.
“I just love teaching,” said Livingston with a thoughtful nod. “It was a real privilege to establish the journalism depar tment.”
Over his tenure, Livingston has served as the interim dean of humanistic studies, dean of social and economic sciences, dean of liberal arts and science, interim president, and finally senior dean of instruction for LMC. It’s the experience and knowledge that Livingston has gained over his career in higher education that caused Chan- cellor Helen Benjamin of the CCCD to request him to fill the position of senior dean of instr uction for the district.
“Richard is the most experi- enced person in the district,” said Benjamin. “That’s what we needed. Someone that has the knowledge and exper tise to communicate with people across the colleges.”
As senior dean of instruc- tion to the CCCD, Livingston will be responsible for edu- cational services across the district, develop policy updates and assist with planning ac- tivities while serving district wide as an accreditation liaison officer.
“We need to improve com- munication and cooperation among the colleges,” Living- ston said. “It’s important for the colleges to work together. We have been working more independently rather than as a district as a whole.”
President Bob Krachtovil,mirrors Benjamin’s con- fidence in Livingston having the ability to bring the district to a unified vision. Although Livingston’s preference would be to continue to serve LMC until retirement, his dedication to the students, faculty, and staff of the CCCD has lead him to the district office.
“His considerable expertise, broad experience, and deep history within the District will guide the important work on the initiatives that Benjamin has outlined to enhance stu- dent success,” said Krachtovil.
While Livingston will be working at the district office in Martinez, his influence will continue to be felt among the faculty and staff that have worked with him through out the years at LMC. At the College Assembly meeting on Sept 10, Livingston was greeted with a thunderous standing ovation from his colleagues as he took the podium to say goodbye.
“It’s been a wonderful 38 years,” said Livingston. “This has been my life. Thank you.”
Senior academic manager, Tawney Beale, who has been with the district for 10 years, 4 of which have been spent working for Livingston, says that saying goodbye is difficult, and that working for him has been an honor.
“I’m really sad to see him go,” said Beale. “It’s been such an honor to work with him. He has honesty and integrity. He’s amazing.”
“Richard has always been for me, a source of wisdom,” explained Chair of Arts and Humanities Ken Alexander. Alexander has been at LMC since 1979, and has worked along side Livingston for over three decades. “He’s got a strong core set of values that I could always rely on.”
Livingston will begin his new position at the district office in Mar tinez Sept. 17. There will be no students or faculty there but Livingston says that although his new work place is administration only, he will continue to keep the students and teachers of the CCCD his main focus.
“I will continue to support the fine teachers that we have, and that we have continued student success at LMC,” Livingston said.
