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Los Angeles Community College District chancellor Francisco Rodriguez is stepping down after a decade at the helm of the nation’s largest two-year system, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Rodriguez is set to officially vacate the top job in the LACCD system in November. The chancellor cited his aging father’s health issues and a desire to spend more time with family as the impetus for his departure, according to the newspaper, which noted Rodriguez is leaving at a tumultuous time for the nine-college system enrolling more than 170,000 students.
The LACCD Academic Senate voted no confidence in Rodriguez and the district’s Board of Trustees in May, alleging the system had failed to adequately address sexual harassment concerns and “apparent discrepancies” in procurement practices. The Senate also raised concerns about alleged retaliation against whistleblowers, witnesses and others and accused Rodriguez and the board of sidestepping transparency.
Despite the vote of no confidence, Rodriguez has also been credited with winning more state funding; driving academic success initiatives for students of color; hiring 900-plus faculty members to full-time, tenure-track jobs; and increasing employee diversity, the Times reported.
Rodriguez’s exit marks another major leadership change for higher education in the Golden State, which comes after University of California system president Dr. Michael Drake earlier this month announced his own plans to step down.
