(Des Moines) After an extended search for its new permanent leader, Des Moines Area Community College announced Friday it will bring four finalists to campus next week to speak with stakeholders and the board of directors.
DMACC will host four finalists for its presidency March 2-5, according to a news release from the community college, with each candidate scheduled for open forums, tours of the Ankeny and Urban DMACC campuses, and closed-session meetings with the board of directors.
Finalist names and curriculum vitae will be released 24 hours ahead of their campus visit, the release stated. Separate forums will be held for DMACC students, leadership, and faculty and staff, per the visit schedule, and each will meet with interim DMACC President Liang Chee Wee.
Rob Denson, the community college’s longest-serving president, retired at the end of 2025 after 22 years in the role. The search for his replacement began in the summer of 2025, aided by search consultant Larry Ebbers, and yielded three candidates — two of whom removed themselves from consideration before their scheduled campus visits.
The board of directors voted to extend the search after candidates dropped out, pushing back the start date for a new president until summer 2026. Wee, a former leader of Northeast Iowa Community College and Eastern Iowa Community Colleges, was selected by the board to act as interim president until June 30.
