Trustees Stall 35 Demotions on College Staff

Los Angeles Community College District trustees Wednesday defeated a motion that could have led to the demotion of 35 administrators, including the presidents of all nine campuses.

But, officials said, several of those administrators may be reassigned at the end of the school year as part of a reorganization.

The proposal was defeated by a 5-2 vote after the trustees held an hour-long public debate and then a four-hour closed session. Trustees did not say whether any letters of reassignment are being prepared, citing the legal notification process.

None Will Be Fired

Under state law, the district must inform employees by March 15 if they face a change in job status in July. Officials stressed that no administrators would be fired but that some might interpret a letter of reassignment as an invitation to quit.

The district is looking for a new chancellor after the forced retirement in October of Leslie Koltai, who held the post for 15 years.

The trustees said they want further changes and some decentralization of power from system headquarters to the campuses. But they disagreed on the timing and scope of the changes.

Trustee David Lopez-Lee, who sponsored the motion, said any reassignments should take place before a new chancellor arrives, which is expected sometime this summer. Only Lopez-Lee and the motion’s co-sponsor, Julia Wu, voted for it.

The other five trustees said the proposal was too broad, would demoralize the staff and would make changes that should wait until a new chancellor is hired.