In August, Santa Barbara lost one of its most dynamic community leaders: Dr. Peter MacDougall. Commentaries in the media paid tribute to Peter’s many achievements at Santa Barbara City College and the community at large.
I served with Peter as Vice President of Academic Affairs and Adult Education for 15 years, gaining a close understanding of what made him such an outstanding leader.
Peter came to Santa Barbara in 1981 to serve as superintendent/president of SBCC. He led the college for 21 years, which is itself an amazing achievement. The average tenure of a community college president in California is 3.5 years! People would sometimes ask Peter, “Twenty-one years. How did you do it?” Peter would reply with a smile, “I have a seven-member board, and I know how to count to four.”