LÎHU'E, Kaua'i – Two finalists have been identified for chancellor of Kaua'i Community College and invited to participate in second-round interviews and open forums. The public is invited to meet the candidates at the open forum sessions scheduled for today at the Kaua'i CC Fine Dining Room.

The candidates are:

• Helen Cox – associate vice president ofi instruction at Salt Lake Community College since 2003. Cox received her doctoral degree in English-American Studies from the University of Utah, where she also did her master's degree work in English-American Literature. She obtained her bachelor's in English Literature at Harvard University. Cox has served in higher education for more than 25 years, primarily at Salt Lake Community College starting as a faculty member then progressing on to Division Chair, Executive Assistant to the President, and her current position as Associate Vice President of Instruction. An Open Forum with Cox will be held from 9 to 10 a.m. today in the Kaua'i CC Fine Dining Room.

• John Madden – dean of instruction at Pima Community College in Tucson, Arizona, since July 2000. Madden obtained his doctoral degree in Educational Philosophy from the University of Albany and his master's degree in Education from Western Michigan University, where he also received his bachelor's degree in History/Sociology. Madden has served in higher education for over 20 years—as a faculty member, a Director, a Department Chair, and now as Dean of Instruction—for various colleges and for the Private Industry Council. An Open Forum with John Madden will be held on Friday, May 9, from 1 to 2 p.m. in the Kaua'i CC Fine Dining Room.

Current Kaua'i CC Chancellor Peggy Cha will be retiring this fall after serving in various positions throughout the University of Hawai'i System for more than 30 years, with the last 10 as chancellor of the Kaua'i campus.