Former Los Rios Community College District Chancellor Dr. Brice Harris was named the 15th California Community Colleges Chancellor on Sept. 26 by the California Community Colleges Board of Governors.

He will be responsible for leading the 72 districts in California and representing the 112 community colleges, the largest system of higher education in the country.

“Harris is absolutely the right leader for the position,” said Cosumnes River College President Debbie Travis.

“He embodies the historic knowledge about the community college and he understands the principles upon which community college education was built in California. He has the connections, the relationship and the belief that our mission needs to be part of the recovery and the continuing vitality of California.”

Harris was the longest serving chancellor for 16 years as the Los Rios Community College Chancellor, according to an article in the Sacramento Business Journal and Sacramento Metro Chamber named him Sacramentan of the Year in 2011.

The ability to make access for more students was one of his accomplishments. Other program accomplishments, like the Task Force Program and many of the Work Force Programs, were the result of his partnering with community members and business industry.

Travis described him as an individual who believes in education for all students and is committed to making sure that students have access to higher education.

Campus facilities like the Winn Center and expansion on the cafeteria and bookstore resulted from his leadership with the Board of Trustees to get bond measures passed.

Harris will replace Jack Scott, who retired earlier this month.

“I am sad that he is no longer with Los Rios, but I think the statewide community college system picked a great leader,” said computer information science professor Markus Geissler.

According to press release California Community College Chancellor’s Office, Harris has served on a host of local, state and national boards and commissions. He was the first educator to serve as president of the Sacramento Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and also served as president of the Sacramento Area Commerce and Trade Organization.

Harris served on the American Council on Education board and was a member of the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office Student Success Task Force.

“As he always said for us, we go out and we work at a state level that were representing Los Rios and now that he’s the state chancellor he’s still representing Los Rios and makes us all very proud,” said President of the Academic Senate Dr. Charles “Kale” Braden.