SEASIDE — Several Clatsop Community College faculty and staff on Thursday advocated for interim president Teena Toyas to continue to serve in the leadership role.

The rush of support for Toyas comes as the college is moving toward the final stages of hiring a new president.

Following an executive session on Thursday at a college board meeting in Seaside, the board voted to interview five candidates next week. From that pool, the board will decide on finalists to bring to campus this summer.

The college has received criticism at various stages of the presidential search, which it launched in February. The board hired Gold Hill Associates as a consultant for the process, but received pushback when it came to light that college board member Jody Stahancyk, who served as the chair of the search committee, had contributed funds for Gold Hill. In March, the board voted to change the composition of the search committee in response to concerns about a lack of staff representation.

Now, many college employees are looking to put a halt to the search.

The college’s full-time faculty association wrote a letter in support of Toyas, who took over the interim role following Kevin LaCoste’s resignation in January. The letter, dated June 5, was signed by the majority of the faculty association and also calls for Toyas to receive a “fair and just contract” through June 2025.

Julie Brown, an English instructor who signed the letter, said Toyas was the best college president she had ever worked with.

“Keeping her on for another couple of years will help smooth things over, give us some stability, give us some confidence, and then open the way for a future president down the road to come in,” Brown said during the public comment portion of the college board meeting Thursday. “And I hope you won’t just roll your eyes at what we’re saying and move on. I hope you listen to us.”

Rinda Johansen, the president of the college’s Oregon School Employees Association chapter, also read a letter of support for Toyas from the union.

“Our members stand with the full-time faculty and agree that Teena Toyas will provide our faculty and staff with the stability, leadership and continuity that we need to move forward and rebuild,” Johansen said.

Several speakers also argued the need for an increase in pay for Toyas to better align her salary with previous college presidents. Toyas has continued to act in the role of provost in addition to her presidential duties.

Toyas described the show of support for her as “very touching.”

“I couldn’t have done it without their support,” Toyas said of the staff and faculty. “And, no matter what the board does, we will continue to move forward, because they’re all great and wonderful to work with.”