Yesterday, the board held a special meeting and immediately went into executive, or closed-door, session for an hour.
When the meeting was opened to the public, Chair Juan T. Lizama said they will continue the meeting today at 11:30 a.m.
Adams has until today to accept or reject NMC’s contract offer that was sent to her last week.
While the board continued its “working session,” NMC interim President Lorraine T. Cabrera shared her views about the college.
“If I could turn back time knowing the challenges that I’ve been facing, I would still be willing to serve the college,” Cabrera told reporters.
Despite the heartaches and criticism, “I can’t say no to the institution.”
Once the college hires a new president, Cabrera said she will return back to her previous position as director of the Adult Basic Education program.
“Everything will go back to what it was, including the salary,” she said.
Cabrera said she would like to see the new president pursue the learning community and energy efficiency programs she has started.
Cabrera became interim president in Jan. 2010 after then-NMC President Carmen Fernandez had been suspended. Three months later, the regents fired Fernandez.
According to Cabrera, “When I accepted the position it was a great sacrifice. I am a single mother with two growing children. I keep late hours and I don’t devote so much time with my children. I like to have more quality time with them. It’s really hard.”
She said during the past few months, she would usually think of how much longer she could go and how much more she could take.
“But the thing that also keeps getting on my head is: ‘you don’t come here for yourself; you accepted it because of the institution.’ That’s still my motivation,” she added.
