After 15 years at Clark College, 13 of them as its president, Bob Knight on Friday announced he’ll retire from the school in August.
Knight, 61, will leave his position on Aug. 31. The news comes a day after Knight gave his annual State of the College address, during which he touted the college’s recent accomplishments. Knight said he wanted to wait until after the annual speech to ensure its focus was on the college and its students, not on his tenure.
When reflecting on the timing, Knight said simply that he’s tired and looking toward spending more time with his wife and coming grandchild.
“It’s just a lot of stress,” he said of the position. “We just thought this was a good time.”
Knight’s time at the college has been marked by significant growth. Clark College opened its Columbia Tech Center location in east Vancouver in 2009, unveiled the new STEM Building in 2016, and launched three bachelor’s of applied science degree programs. The college also retooled its culinary arts curriculum, opening the Tod and Maxine McClaskey Culinary Institute in 2017.
But the years have also come with their challenges. Late 2017 and early 2018 were marked by racist threats on students at the college, including anti-Semitic and racist posters scattered throughout campus. A student at that time reported having a racist slur shouted at them while they crossed the street, and another student received a racist message on social media.
Knight canceled classes at Clark College in October when far-right activist group Patriot Prayer announced a pro-gun rally on campus, citing safety concerns.
While Knight said at Thursday’s State of the College that Clark has made gains on supporting students of color and promoting equity across campus, he acknowledged on Friday that his successor will have a great deal of work still left to do.
“Social equity is critical to anything they do,” he said.
Building partnerships
Ask educational leaders to list Knight’s accomplishments, and all turn to the relationships the college built under his tenure.
Royce Pollard, former Vancouver mayor and chair of the college board of trustees, called Knight’s long career as college president “unprecedented.”
“I think it’s a sad day, not just for the community college but for the city of Vancouver,” Pollard said.
Pollard said Knight has been an accessible and active community member, engaged not just in the college but the city at large. Knight is a member of the Greater Portland Inc., board and the WSU Vancouver Advisory Council.
He is also a retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel, last stationed as commander of the Vancouver Barracks. He is a member of the military academy selection committee for Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler’s office.
WSU Vancouver Chancellor Mel Netzhammer also noted that Knight has been a key player not just in Clark’s growth, but in the growth of all education in Southwest Washington.
“Part of the joy of my job is the close partnership that WSU Vancouver has with Clark College,” he said.
Netzhammer recalled how in 2005, when Knight was still the vice president of administrative services, WSU Vancouver began to consider accepting freshman and sophomores at the school. The only community college that supported the move was Clark College.
On the flip side, as Clark College has added four-year degrees, Netzhammer said WSU Vancouver has supported those efforts.
“We’ve never seen ourselves as competitors with each other,” Netzhammer said.
Clark College also works closely with area public schools, providing opportunities for students to earn college credit while still in high school. Evergreen Public Schools spokeswoman Gail Spolar noted the two systems share information about employers, developing programs that will prepare students for the workforce.
“I regret I only had a short time to personally work with Bob Knight, because I quickly grew to appreciate his wisdom and humor,” Superintendent John Steach said by email.
Pollard anticipates the college will pursue a nationwide search for Knight’s replacement and will begin by scheduling public meetings in the coming weeks to discuss the search process. Finding the right fit could take as long as a year, he said, so the board may have to consider an interim president in the meantime.
Knight, meanwhile, said he intends to stay in the community and help his successor.
“It’s time for new leadership,” he said. “I’ll be there to support them. I want this person to be successful. I want the college to be successful.”
