Turmoil in Riverside Community College District: Presidential Departures and Allegations of Misconduct
The Riverside Community College District (RCCD) has been the site of significant administrative upheaval in recent years, marked by the removal of presidents from Riverside City College (RCC) and controversies surrounding the district's leadership. These events have sparked concerns about stability, transparency, and the overall direction of the college district.
Gregory Anderson's Departure
In June, Gregory Anderson was removed as president of Riverside City College. While Anderson stated in an interview that he chose to depart, the circumstances surrounding his exit remain unclear. The Riverside Community College District board voted unanimously to remove Anderson from his post in late June. Board President Bill Hedrick stated that Anderson was “dismissed without cause” following a closed session meeting of the Riverside Community College District Board of Trustees on June 21.
Anderson, who began his tenure as the college’s 12th president in January 2019, previously served as interim vice president of instruction at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut. He expressed his commitment to the mission of community colleges, stating, “I remain committed to the mission of community colleges. I will work in some capacity to serve students, committees and to close equity gaps.”
Faculty Association President Rhonda Taube, who teaches at Riverside City College, indicated that the union had unsuccessfully tried to address issues and protect a collective bargaining agreement. “My position was becoming a distraction to the good work at (Riverside) City College,” Anderson said.
Allegations Against Chancellor Wolde-Ab Isaac
The RCCD has also faced scrutiny due to allegations against Chancellor Wolde-Ab Isaac. A lawsuit filed in February named the district and Chancellor Isaac, alleging misconduct. The lawsuit states, “Her job duties became impossible to discharge when in January 2018 Wolde-Ab Isaac became Chancellor of the Riverside Community College District and began directing plaintiff to engage in illegal activities and harassing Plaintiff and other female employees.”
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The lawsuit further alleges that Isaac eliminated the associate vice chancellor of strategic communication post, replacing Peggy Cartwright Lomas with an employee at a lower-level position, because he allegedly didn’t like Cartwright in the role, in violation of California Education Code. “During one of the weekly one-on-one meetings between the plaintiff and the chancellor, in March 2019, the chancellor threatened plaintiff multiple times,” the lawsuit alleges. “Since 2018, plaintiff has repeatedly been placed in the position of choosing to either comply with the chancellor’s directives or risk his wrath.”
Riverside Community College District officials declined to comment on the lawsuit.
These allegations have fueled criticism of the board of trustees. According to Wagner, “In my opinion, the board of trustees has been covering for this guy for many years. The board has allowed the chancellor to promote up for the ranks. Over the years, they’ve paid off people the chancellor decided they can’t work with.”
Bryan Reece's Termination
Adding to the turmoil, former Norco College President Bryan Reece was fired last June without cause, according to Meza. These abrupt departures raise questions about the stability and decision-making processes within the RCCD.
Chancellor's Statement and Future Plans
According to Isaac, an interim president will be named in the coming weeks. “The future trajectory of the College is upward (and) onward,” Isaac said in his statement. “This change in leadership will provide opportunities for both stability and expansion. “My decision to resign comes after a great deal of thought and real commitment to the future of the college,” Anderson said. “I have nothing but love for the students of Riverside City College who always demonstrate courage, who always approach their studies with intellectual ability, with a big heart,” he said.
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Claire Oliveros' Termination
More recently, the Riverside Community College District Board of Trustees voted unanimously to terminate Dr. Claire Oliveros' employment agreement as president of Riverside City College, effective at the close of business the day of the decision. The decision was made during a closed session portion of the board's regular meeting. The reason for the termination of former president Oliveros from her position is unclear. The RCCD Board of Trustees unanimously voted to end Oliveros’ term as president during a closed session on June 17.
After an extensive search, Oliveros was among three finalists chosen to present why they would be the best candidate in a three-day forum in May 2023.“I’ll just say that I’ve had the pleasure of working with Dr. Oliveros over the past year and she’s shown decisive and thoughtful leadership,” said RCCD Student Trustee Gabriel Graves.
“We will need somebody who is willing and able to fully understand and support our students, who may be in their most vulnerable. My mind is with our students and how this affects us when we need someone."
Appointment at Moreno Valley College
In the same meeting where Oliveros was terminated, trustees approved Rudy Besikoff as the new president of Moreno Valley College, with a contract beginning July 1 at an annual salary of $294,813. The appointment drew criticism during public comment from community member Irma Flores, who questioned why interim president Dr. FeRita Carter was not interviewed for the position. According to Flores, Carter was not among those interviewed despite being one of 40 candidates and having served as interim president for two campuses. Trustee Mary Figueroa acknowledged Carter's contributions to the district. "You brought life back to the Moreno Valley community," Figueroa said. "They adore you."
Concerns About Government Overreach in Higher Education
These events at RCCD occur amidst broader concerns about government overreach and political interference in higher education. Hundreds of college presidents and other officials have signed a letter protesting the “unprecedented government overreach and political interference” that higher education is facing. Leaders of some elite private institutions that have been repeatedly targeted by President Donald Trump were among the signers.
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“We are open to constructive reform and do not oppose legitimate government oversight. However, we must oppose undue government intrusion in the lives of those who learn, live, and work on our campuses,” the letter, released by the American Association of Colleges and Universities, stated.
Since Tuesday, the list of schools supporting the letter has more than doubled. In his second term, Trump has worked to crack down on any aspect of college life that could be perceived as “DEI,” launched investigations into antisemitism and transgender student athletics on campuses and threatened universities’ federal funding and nonprofit statuses. He has also pledged to dismantle the Department of Education, which historically managed federal funding and student loans, civil rights enforcement and accreditation oversight.
On Monday, Harvard University, a co-signer of Tuesday’s letter, sued the Trump administration for freezing $2.2 billion in grants. The government also demanded a number of reforms and concessions from the Ivy League school, which Harvard rebuffed. Claire Shipman, the acting president of Columbia University, also signed the letter. Columbia last month agreed to the Trump administration’s demands to change many of its policies and admission practices.
As leaders of America’s colleges, universities, and scholarly societies, we speak with one voice against the unprecedented government overreach and political interference now endangering American higher education. We are open to constructive reform and do not oppose legitimate government oversight. However, we must oppose undue government intrusion in the lives of those who learn, live, and work on our campuses.
America’s system of higher learning is as varied as the goals and dreams of the students it serves. It includes research universities and community colleges; comprehensive universities and liberal arts colleges; public institutions and private ones; freestanding and multi-site campuses. Some institutions are designed for all students, and others are dedicated to serving particular groups. Yet, American institutions of higher learning have in common the essential freedom to determine, on academic grounds, whom to admit and what is taught, how, and by whom. Because of these freedoms, American institutions of higher learning are essential to American prosperity and serve as productive partners with government in promoting the common good.
Colleges and universities are engines of opportunity and mobility, anchor institutions that contribute to economic and cultural vitality regionally and in our local communities. They foster creativity and innovation, provide human resources to meet the fast-changing demands of our dynamic workforce, and are themselves major employers. They nurture the scholarly pursuits that ensure America’s leadership in research, and many provide healthcare and other essential services. The price of abridging the defining freedoms of American higher education will be paid by our students and our society.
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