The Maricopa County Community College District has announced four finalists for its vacant Rio Salado College president position. Three of the candidates are from out of state, two are women and one is Latino.

They include: 

• Kate Smith, Rio's interim president since August 2018.
• Carlos R. Morales, president of TCC Connect Campus, the largest and fastest growing of the six campuses that are part of Tarrant County College District.
• Landon K. Pirius, vice chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs for the Colorado Community College System (CCCS), which serves 125,000 students statewide.
• Jean M. Runyon, campus vice president at Front Range Community College in Fort Collins, Colorado.

The position became vacant after former Rio President Chris Bustamante retired amid a workplace investigation. 

The four finalists will be on campus on April 20 for a virtual forum open to students, staff and the public. The chancellor is expected to announce the new president in May, according to the district’s timeline.

EDITOR'S NOTE: KJZZ is licensed to the Maricopa County Community College District.