Retiring
Paul J. McNulty – Grove City College (Penn.)
This upcoming academic year will serve as Paul McNulty’s last as president of Grove City College, his alma mater. He will have served for 11 years by the time he steps down.
Under McNulty’s tenure, the Christian liberal arts college saw applications hit a two-decade high, and endowment and fundraising levels doubled, TribLIVE reports. It also launched schools of nursing and business, among other new programs.
John Sygielski – Harrisburg Area Community College (Penn.)
Harrisburg Area Community College’s longest-serving president plans to retire from Pennsylvania’s largest community college at the end of the academic year. John Sygielski, president since 2011, is credited for increasing student retention rates by 6% and graduation rates by 11%, per WITF.
“I am grateful for my time at the college and for those who have supported my student-first efforts,” he said. “I will continue to remain HACC-proud in my next chapter.”
Linda C. Young – Wallace Community College-Dothan (Ala.)
Our longest-tenured president in this edition, Linda Young, began leading Sparks State Technical College in 1988 before it merged with Wallace Community College in 1999. In her cumulative 36 years of service, Wallace Community College has gained national recognition for its instructional programs and initiatives, and Young has been credited for developing career-oriented programs for adult women.
In 2017, the American Association of Community Colleges recognized Wallace as the top community college in the nation, per a school statement.
Stepping down
Michael V. Drake – University of California
Michael Drake, current president of the University of California system, announced he will be stepping down at the conclusion of the academic year. While the five-year president will be credited for helping grow student enrollment across its robust campus network, the end of Drake’s tenure was mired by some of the most dangerous protests regarding the Israel-Hamas war and labor union walkouts, Politico reports.
He will return to the system as a faculty member after a sabbatical.
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Drake was the first Black president of the California system boasting nearly 300,000 students.
A giant in higher education, Drake has previously served other large public universities, including The Ohio State University and UC Irvine.
Francisco Rodriguez – Los Angeles Community College District
Conflicting narratives have emerged since Chancellor Francisco Rodriguez announced his departure from the Los Angeles Community College District. While Rodriguez mentioned he was retiring early to take care of his ailing father, Faculty Senate President Angela Echeverri believes it’s most likely due to a district-wide “no confidence” vote, LAist reports.
“For months, the Board of Trustees and Chancellor Rodriguez have circumvented calls for transparency, sidestepped meaningful reforms, and failed to adequately address concerns about sexual harassment, retaliation and the use of public funds, particularly in the case of large public contracts,” Echeverri said in a statement.
