Vice President of Academic Affairs Finalists & Open Forums
by on May 10, 2023Following a national search, the candidates below have been selected as finalists for the position of Vice President of Academic Affairs at Gavilan College. The finalists will participate in open forums at the Gavilan College campus Business (BU) Room 120 according to the following schedule.
Dr. Stacy Gleixner
Wednesday, May 17, 2023
1:15 pm - 2:00 pm
Dr. Moaty Fayek
Wednesday, May 17, 2023
2:15 pm - 3:00 pm
The Candidate Forums will be live-streamed and recorded. You can watch the live stream webinar by using the following link: https://gavilan-edu.zoom.us/j/89065946453.
Opportunity to Submit Finalist Feedback Following Community Forums
Following the open forums, community members will have an opportunity to submit feedback about the finalists that will be shared with the final interview committee. You may submit your feedback on each candidate after the community forums by using the following link: VPAA Candidate Feedback Survey
The deadline to submit feedback is Monday, May 22nd at 9 am. Feedback submitted after the deadline will not be taken into consideration by the final interview committee.
The interview process will conclude on Monday, May 22nd. The Superintendent / President and final interview committee will make a final decision shortly thereafter.
About the Finalists
Dr. Moaty Fayek
Moaty is an experienced higher education visionary leader with a keen sense for strategy and forward thinking. He brings a unique set of experience gained through working for over three decades as an educator, administrator, and entrepreneur. Working in both private and public sectors has allowed him to be an effective leader, think strategically and creatively, and be articulate, concise, and compelling with a strong commitment to ethics and professionalism.
His work in the higher education and business sectors has given him the ability to build consensus, rally support around common goals, motivate groups and individuals, and foster positive employee relationships. With a proven track record for establishing strong teams and supervising with a collegial and participatory style, his goal has been to promote a positive work environment for staff, faculty, and students, while building strong relationships with both internal and external constituencies.
As the current Dean of the Business, Computer Science, and Applied Technologies Division at De Anza College, Moaty supervises six academic departments including two of De Anza College’s most recognized and successful CTE programs, Automotive and Design and Manufacturing Technologies. He previously served a faculty of computer science, department chair, and graduate advisor at California State University, Chico. Additionally, he served as the Interim Vice President of Workforce Development and Institutional Advancement at Foothill College. Moaty has extensive experience in enrollment management, curriculum development, and accreditation.
For his dedication to serving students and closing the equity gap, Moaty received the 2021 De Anza College’s Equity Champion Award. This year, he received the League of Innovation in the Community College’s Excellence Award in recognition of his service to the college and its students and successfully winning the state approval for the new bachelor’s degree in automotive management and helping lead other successful initiatives at the college.
Moaty was born in Tanta, Egypt where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Cairo University. He studied in Germany, Belgium, The Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. He also received a Master of Science in Computer Science from California State University, Chico and a a Doctorate in Community College Leadership program at Ferris State University. His dissertation was on barriers And influencers for African American and Latinx students in STEM education.
Moaty is the father of two young adults. He lives in Santa Clara with his wife, who was born in Malaysia and is also a graduate of Chico State. Keeping their company, is the family dog Roscoe.
Dr. Stacy Gleixner
Dr. Gleixner was the Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs at West Valley College. She led the academic side of the college through the pandemic, working collaboratively with colleagues across the college to solve day to day problems and strategically plan to ensure faculty and students had the resources and support needed to thrive. She directed the re-vitalization of Guided Pathways and managed the components of the educational master plan focused on creating a culture of data driven decision making, enhancing institutional effectiveness through sustainable assessment and action, increasing enrollment, and eliminating the equity gap. As part of that work, she implemented the Institute for Evidenced-Based Change’s Caring Campus faculty initiative and facilitated the implementation of faculty specific resources and trainings to engage faculty in their own course retention, success, and equity gap data. She also led the campus’ participation in the Strategic Enrollment Management Academy and the creation of a holistic strategic enrollment management plan focused on growing enrollment through increasing student retention and persistence and ensuring high quality, high impact educational experiences in and outside the classroom.
Prior to her role at West Valley, Dr. Gleixner spent over two decades at San Jose State University (SJSU). She served as the Associate Vice President for Student and Faculty Success, leading a team of over 60 staff and faculty in Academic Affairs to support students and develop faculty. She led university wide initiatives to increase SJSU’s retention and graduation rates and eliminate the equity gap. She also served as the Chief of Staff to the President. As Chief of Staff she created and maintained strong relationships between the campus, the community, and the Office of the President through multiple leadership transitions. In addition, she served on the President’s cabinet and worked with the vice presidents on numerous cross divisional projects including serving as project manager on the campus wide diversity and inclusion initiative.
Dr. Gleixner started her faculty career as a lecturer in Materials Engineering at SJSU in 1998 and moved to a tenure track position in 1999. She was promoted to full professor in 2011.
Dr. Gleixner led research related to the fabrication and reliability of solar cells, MEMS, and microelectronics. She has served as the Associate Chair of the Chemical and Materials Engineering Department and director of SJSU’s Microscale Process Engineering Lab. She has also served on the Executive Committee of the university’s Academic Senate.
Dr. Gleixner received her B.S. from M.I.T. and M.S. and Ph.D. from Stanford University. She was the first in her family to graduate from college. The impact of student support programs and interactions with faculty mentors gave her the confidence to thrive as an undergrad and motivated her to attend graduate school. It has been her central goal throughout her career to build the type of institution that can have a similar impact on the lives of other students.
In 2016, she was named a Silicon Valley Business Journal Woman of Influence. Dr. Gleixner earned SJSU’s College of Engineering’s Award for Outstanding Service in 2010. She was awarded the 2008 Dean Newnan Excellence in Teaching Award and the 2002 Applied Materials’ College of Engineering Excellence in Teaching Award. She co-advised SJSU’s 2002 Outstanding Master’s Thesis award winner.
Opportunity to Submit Finalist Feedback Following Community Forums
Following the open forums, community members will have an opportunity to submit feedback about the finalists that will be shared with the final interview committee. The deadline to submit feedback is Monday, May 22nd at 9 am. Feedback submitted after the deadline will not be taken into consideration by the final interview committee.
The interview process will conclude on Monday, May 22nd. The Superintendent / President and final interview committee will make a final decision shortly thereafter.