Jack Bermingham has announced his retirement as president of Highline College, effective next week.

The college’s board of trustees accepted Bermingham’s letter Thursday during a special meeting on campus.

For the past several months, Bermingham, 68, has been on leave from the college, recuperating from December open-heart surgery.

“My recovery has taken longer than anticipated,” Bermingham said in an email to campus faculty and staff. “Returning to my responsibilities as president of the college would necessarily be gradual, and I am already nearing the end of my career. Under these circumstances and after a great deal of reflection, I am announcing my retirement from Highline College.”

Jeff Wagnitz, Highline’s vice president for Academic Affairs, who has been acting in Bermingham’s absence, will continue as acting president.

Bermingham was only the sixth president in the college’s 55-year history.

His passion for promoting access, diversity, social justice and student achievement brought him to the community college system. He came to Highline in 1994 as academic vice president, a post he would hold until being appointed president in 2006.

Bermingham’s academic career began in 1979 when he received his Ph.D. in history from the University of California at Santa Barbara. He went on to a faculty appointment at the University of the West Indies in Jamaica. He came to Washington as a faculty member at Pacific Lutheran University, where he earned tenure and later became dean of social sciences.

His has earned national and regional recognition for his work in a number of areas, including diversity, inclusion, basic skills and international education.

Since taking over leadership at Highline more than a decade ago, Bermingham strengthened collaborations with business, industry, K–12 and baccalaureate institutions and community-based organizations, resulting in partnerships and expanded economic development efforts.

He served on several regional and national boards and committees where he was especially active in advancing international initiatives and education, believing in the importance of preparing students to live in a multicultural world and global economy.

In the near future, the college will provide details on opportunities for celebrating Bermingham’s achievements.