By Lindsey Juarez

Collin College President Cary Israel announced his resignation Sept. 24 after 16 years as the community college district's leader.

He said he plans to remain in his position until the beginning of next year.

Israel said his main reason for stepping down is to spend more time with his family and take his first vacation in two years.

"The nature of a presidency is very complex; it's very time demanding; it's rewarding and exciting," he said. "But if you're doing the job right, you're spending 60 to 70 hours a week, and who suffers a little bit is your family. This is a particular time for me that I need to be a little more attentive to my family."

The Collin College Board of Trustees will conduct a national search for the next president, Board Chairman Mac Hendricks said. The Board has not yet named an interim president to take over after Israel leaves.

Israel is the second-longest serving president in the college's history.

During his tenure, enrollment has grown to about 52,000 students, and the facilities have expanded by nearly 1 million square feet.

Israel said he is not ready to make a farewell statement, but he knows he will miss Collin College students.

"I'm going to miss their energy, and I'm going to miss their profound thinking, their innovation," he said. "They make me laugh and keep me on my toes. So I am going to miss that. I'm going to miss the students and the involvement with the students."