Santa Barbara City College trustees are winnowing down their list of final candidates to fill the vacancy to be left in June by retiring President John Romo.

On Friday, the board announced the elimination of one of its four top candidates for the position, Jack Bermingham, Ph.D., interim president of Highline Community College in Des Moines, Wash.

The decision was made after the four finalists participated in a campus-wide forum Wednesday and conducted private interviews with the trustees Thursday.

Still under consideration for the position are SBCC Executive Vice President Jack Friedlander, Ph.D.; Blaine Nisson, Ed.D., president of Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Ore.; and Andreea Serban, Ph.D., vice chancellor of technology and learning services in the South Orange County Community College District in Mission Viejo.

As part of the decision-making process, SBCC officials will make site visits to Nisson’s and Serban’s campuses within the next several weeks.  Visits will be conducted by teams that will include a board member and SBCC faculty and staff members.

The trustees have not yet determined a specific date for a final decision.