By Khalida Sarwari
Citing a debilitating health issue, De Anza College’s president of 14 years announced today he is planning to retire at the end of the current school year.
“For the past two years, I have been grappling with an autoimmune inflammatory disorder, polymyalgia rheumatica,” Brian Murphy, 73, said in his announcement to the campus. “While not life-threatening, it nevertheless affects my quality of life, and I cannot any longer balance the demands of my treatment and the commitments of our work.”
Prior to taking the helm at the Cupertino community college in 2004 as its third president, Murphy was executive director of the San Francisco Urban Institute at San Francisco State University, a senior adviser to the California State University chancellor, and chief consultant to a state legislative Joint Committee for Review of the Master Plan for Higher Education, according to an announcement on De Anza’s website.
“Our students are remarkable,” Murphy said in his announcement. “It has been a joy to watch them develop and grow, thanks to the faculty and staff whose skill and care have mattered so much. It has been particularly gratifying to see so many students become active in their communities, and in the social issues that define our time.”
During his tenure, Murphy promoted initiatives to recruit students from historically underserved populations and led De Anza through a period of expansion that brought new buildings, renovations and updated educational technology to the campus.
“Over many years of working with Brian, I have come to appreciate that his superb eloquence is matched only by his dedication to social justice,” Foothill-De Anza Chancellor Judy Miner said in a statement. “He has placed De Anza on the map with his commitment to civic engagement, leading to the establishment of many exemplary programs.”
Murphy indicated that in his last few months before retirement, he will continue to work with the community to meet budget goals and intends to celebrate the June 29 commencement as well as other end-of-year events.
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