Mission College Fills Academic Affairs Post

Thomas Oliver, a veteran computer science teacher who has served for almost two years as interim vice president of academic affairs at Mission College, has been named to the post on a permanent basis, school officials said.

In a written announcement, Mission President William Norlund credited Oliver with playing an integral role in the development of the community college’s $12-million Library and Learning Resources Center, which opened in April.

The facility contains more than 30 computers with Internet access, video labs and other high-tech learning tools.

“Because technology changes so fast, between the time construction on the building was begun and the time the building opened, we were able to use the same dollars to get 21st century technology,” Oliver said.

After working for Xerox Corp., Oliver, who lives in Chatsworth, began his career in higher education as a computer science professor at Pierce College. He also taught at Valley College, where he went on to serve as that school’s vice president of academic affairs before accepting the interim job at Mission in October 1995, school officials said.

Oliver holds a doctorate degree in education from Pepperdine University, a master’s degree in business administration from Cal State Dominguez Hills and a bachelor’s degree in computer technology from Cal State Long Beach.