Haywood Community College is still deep in the search for its next president, but the governing board has decided who will hold down the fort in the meantime. Pending approval from the state, Dr. William Aiken will be the interim president starting Nov. 1, one day after current president Dr. Rose Johnson's last day on the job.

Aiken comes to Haywood after recently retiring from Sampson Community College in Clinton, where he spent the last 12 years. During his tenure, he was selected as President of the Year for the North Carolina Community College System. Prior to Sampson, he was a familiar face at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, where he taught and served various administrative roles. Over a number of years, he was chancellor for administration and finance, associate provost ...