It turns out a “nationwide search” for College of the Canyons’ newest superintendent wasn’t necessary. The board’s top choice was in COC’s backyard all along.
The Santa Clarita Community College District governing board announced out of a closed-session meeting Monday its choice for the next superintendent.
Jasmine Ruys, the college’s interim superintendent, was chosen to lead College of the Canyons’ Canyon Country and Valencia campuses by the governing board.
“It’s been a wild ride, you guys, and we got this,” Ruys said. “It’s going to be so amazing. This is going to be a great time for us.”
SCCCD governing board President Sharlene Johnson announced the board’s unanimous decision out of closed session a little over an hour after the meeting began.
She said it would be contingent upon negotiations with Ruys, which are expected to be completed by the governing board’s next regular meeting April 15.
She then congratulated Ruys and gave her a hug.
The governing board selected Ruys over three other finalists who had been identified: Marvin Martinez; Lataria Hall and Jeffrey Archibald.
The college had previously indicated the final selection from a national search would be made May 13, according to the college’s CEO search website. All four finalists ended up being from the Southern California area.
On Friday afternoon, a special meeting was called for 3 p.m. Monday.
The board began the meeting, moved to closed session, then reported out of closed session on its decision.
“I just want to thank the campus,” said governing board member Fred Arnold, after the announcement. “The four candidates that we got were outstanding individuals all in their own right, with their own skills and their own commitment to student success and their love for our community, all of them, all four, and so we were extremely happy to choose Dr. Ruys.”
On its CEO search website, the college credited Ruys for her work on Guided Pathways, which is students’ enrollment and registration process, creation of COC’s Multicultural Center and an expansion of dual enrollment, which allows high school students to earn credits at COC.
Previously, Ruys served as assistant superintendent/vice president of student services, overseeing more than $50 million in budgets and leading comprehensive student services programs that support over 30,000 students annually, according to the college.
Fiscal stewardship was cited as a strength for Ruys, which is something the college has come under great scrutiny for as of late.
A forensic audit looking into the possibility that at least $12 million was misused for hundreds of projects and personal gain over the course of two decades was turned over to the L.A. County District Attorney’s office, College of the Canyons’ legal counsel announced, after the COC board came out of another closed session meeting in September.
Since those concerns first came to light nearly two years ago, the college has seen two superintendents leave: Dianne Van Hook was placed on administrative leave in July 2024; the college formalized a “separation” with her replacement David Andrus, in September.
Andrus’ separation was announced two weeks after the board had voted to begin Andrus’ termination for cause. There was no public reason given by the college as to the cause.
That vote was announced shortly after Andrus’ administration handed over the audit.
