Cosumnes River College issued the following announcement on Dec 24.
Colleagues and Friends,
It is with great sadness and a heavy heart that we share that Dean Murakami, longtime American River College Psychology professor and President of the Los Rios College Federation of Teachers (LRCFT), has passed away after a long battle with cancer. Dean was a kind and brilliant man who dedicated his life and career in service of our students.
Whether in front of a classroom or in the halls of the State Capitol, Dean was held in the highest of regards by everyone who had the pleasure of knowing him. He believed deeply in the mission of Los Rios and community colleges around the state, and in our role in serving the historically underserved and lifting up those less fortunate. In his 30+ years at ARC, Dean didn’t just talk about social justice issues, but rather made addressing them his life’s work.
As a labor leader, Dean was a tireless advocate for faculty and a leader among his peers. He constantly challenged Los Rios and its leaders to be better and to do better by our people. Through countless challenges, financial and otherwise, he never sacrificed our future for easy political wins. He was level-headed, but resolute nevertheless. The fact that our district is so well regarded around the state is in large part due to Dean and the culture of collaboration and collegiality that he helped to build.
In so many ways, Dean embodied precisely what makes our district and our colleges so great. Like many of you, we will miss him dearly both personally and professionally. During the upcoming holidays, we will all be thinking about Dean’s wife, Patricia, and all of his family and sending love their way.
We will share information about any planned services and ways to honor Dean’s life and legacy after the holidays.
Sincerely,
Brian King
Chancellor
Los Rios Community College District
Jason Newman
President
Los Rios Colleges Federation of Teachers
Original source can be found here.
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