El Camino is about to go under a major change and most students aren’t even aware of it. A new president of the school is about to take the helm from retiring president Tom Fallo.

Dena Maloney, president of Taft College is five votes away from being the first female president in the college’s 68-year history. A female president is well welcomed after five male presidents since the college began.

New blood is needed on campus, not because the college is falling apart, but new ideas on how to run the campus are needed. During her public forum, Maloney put a strong emphasis on team work and student success.

The college right now is under going a major renovation with a new stadium, parking structure and Student Services Building being built. Slow Wi-Fi, student enrollment and faculty pay issues are a few issues facing the college right now.

The handing off of the Compton Center is also another major project that the district is working on that Maloney will have to take over.

Maloney who is currently the president of Taft College and formerly the dean of a satellite campus for College of The Canyons has the experience needed to continue to lead EC in the right direction.

While dean of the College of the Canyons satellite campus, she kept the newly opened campus successfully operating during its first few years.

Maloney put a strong word in for team work and student success, which is needed to overcome the obstacles that face the college.

Being the vice president of economic development at the Santa Clarita Community College District, and bringing Taft College out of hard finical times is a valuable background that will continually be needed at EC to carry on the college’s stability.

Her successful track is impressive while she implemented successful programs at College of the Canyons and Taft College.

She has local ties to the community as she grew up in the Inglewood area and graduated from Loyola Marymount University.

Maloney also holds a doctorate of education from the University of La Verne and a master’s in government from Georgetown University.

Since she comes from a small college of just over 5,000 students, we hope that she brings the small-college feeling to EC.

The Union staff and editorial board would like to welcome the first female president of EC, Dena Maloney. We look forward to working with you in the many years to come.

The board of trustees will be voting on the selection of Maloney at the Nov. 16 board meeting at 4 p.m. in the Administration Building Board Room.