Peter R. MacDougall, EdD served as president of Santa Barbara City College form 1981 to 2002. During his 21 years at the helm, the college grew in both size and prestige. The number of students increased from 9,700 to more than 15,000, and the college was continually ranked among the top three in transfers to the University of California. The West Campus was developed, and two Adult Education centers were established.
Peter was also a powerful and effective leader in higher education at the state and national levels. He served as president of the Community College League of California, California Community College Chief Executive Officers, California Association of Community Colleges, and Californians for Community Colleges. He was also chairman and a member of numerous statewide task forces and professional committees. He was a seven year member, three as chairman, of the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges.
Peter has served as president of the boards of Cottage Hospital, Santa Barbara County’s United Way, Santa Barbara Partners in Education, and Fighting Back. He was also on the boards of The Channel City Club, The Santa Barbara Coalition for Children, Beyond Tolerance, and the Santa Barbara Chamber of Commerce.
The recipient of numerous awards, Peter was named One of the Twelve Most Influential People in Santa Barbara by the Chamber of Commerce in 1991. He received the News-Press Lifetime Achievement Award in 1992, and was selected as KEYT-Santa Barbara Foundation’s Man of the Year in 2000. In 1989, he was selected as one of the Top 50 Community Leaders in the Nation by the University of Texas Community College Leadership Program. And, in 1992 he received the Harry Buttimer Distinguished Administrator Award by the Assoc. of Cal. CC Ad.
Honors he received during his final year at SBCC included the Vision & Task Community Service Award, the CARE-ing Award, the Westmont Medal, the Robert J. Lagomarsino Award from CSU at Channel Islands, the Chamber of Commerce Volunteer of the Year Award, and the Excellence in Education Award from the College of Education at The Pennsylvania State University.
Following his retirement from SBCC, Peter is enjoying spending time with his family, traveling, hiking, and continuing his volunteer work in the community. He and his wife Leslie have three children and ten grandchildren.
