On the cusp of taking title to its future home in Curry County, Southwestern Oregon Community College has learned it is losing its Curry County dean.

Jason Wood is leaving the coast for Klamath Falls, where he will become Klamath Community College’s dean of student services, a press release said.

The college plans to appoint Curry Program Coordinator Janet Pretti as interim Curry County dean once Wood departs. School officials expect her to serve as interim dean for the entire 2008-09 school year.

Wood said he was encouraged to seek advancement opportunities by his academic adviser at Oregon State University, where he is in the second year of a PhD program.

He said he was the runner-up for a college presidency in Colorado over the summer and was offered a job at another school, but he held out until Klamath came calling.

“I’m a small-town guy and Klamath Falls fits that bill,” he said. “Everything fell into place rather quickly.”

The news comes only two weeks after the Brookings Planning Commission appr-oved a detailed development plan for the college’s new 10-acre campus, located on U.S. Highway 101 near Lone Ranch Beach.

The decision paves the way for the college to gain ownership of the property, which U.S. Borax has pledged to donate. The college expects to obtain a deed to the property later this week, when the planning commission’s decision is final, said President Judith Hansen.

Wood, who was hired by the college 15 months ago as dean, was praised for persuading Brookings officials to support the campus project. Following his own announcement, Wood heaped praise on his  successor.

“I believe strongly in Janet and the Curry instructors, staff and community,” he said in the press release. “She has been serving Curry County with Southwestern for a long time. She’s an outstanding leader and she’s the best person for the job.”

Pretti has worked at the college for 24 years, the past 13 in her current position.

She started at Southwestern by teaching community education drawing classes in Port Orford, before shifting into administrative work. She has worked mostly in the northern part of the county, though she did serve as the Curry representative in the master planning process for the new campus building before Wood’s arrival.

She understood Wood’s decision to leave, though she understands it will be a challenge in the coming year.

“He has a lot of capabilities,” she said. “I think it’s a good move for his family.”

Wood’s last day with SOCC will be Oct. 8. In her new role, Pretti expects to be in the Brookings offices a lot more, though she hopes to maintain a presence in Gold Beach and Port Orford.

“I’m going to be on the road a lot,” she said.

Wood said he is confident in Pretti’s abilities, especially given her knowledge of the area and Southwestern employees in Curry County.

“I just see it as a smooth transition,” he said.

Although Hansen has been the target of criticism from some faculty members in recent months, Wood said the turmoil at the Coos Bay campus did not factor into his departure.

“I have a strong working relationship with Judith Hansen,” he said. “She has helped me both professionally and academically.”

At last week’s board meeting, board member Marcia Jensen asked why there was no specific line-item account for the Curry Campus project and whether money set aside for the project had been used for other purposes.

After the meeting, Hansen said the funds were deposited in a local government investment pool before she arrived at the college. It is not an exclusive account, however, so the amount of money fluctuates as federal and state funding is received and spent. The arrangement provides the college flexibility, Hansen said.

In addition to the state funding and $1.8 million in taxes collected in Curry County, the college has applied for grants from the Meyer Memorial Trust and the Coquille Tribe. Hansen said she expects to hear back from the two groups later this fall.

The Curry County campus project is expected to cost between $6 million and $7 million, Hansen said.

Currently, the college only has three classrooms and a computer lab in its existing Curry County campus that once was the Brookings Public Library. It also rents six classes from Brookings-Harbor High School to accommodate its classes.

“That’s not very conducive to the college atmosphere,” Wood said before announcing his plans to leave.

Once completed, the new campus will feature 10 to 12 classrooms, as well as science labs, community meeting areas and a 6,000-square-foot multi-purpose room. These additions will allow for an increase in the number and diversity of course offerings, Wood said.

Having obtained the city’s approval, the college will seek building permits, said Wood.

Hansen said the college expects to break ground next spring and hopes to have classes in the new campus by 2010.