SANTA ANA : Rancho Santiago Chancellor Leaving

Robert D. Jensen, chancellor of the Rancho Santiago Community College District, announced Tuesday that he has accepted a job in Contra Costa County and will be leaving the district in June.

Jensen, 50, had been offered chancellor positions by the Contra Costa and Ventura County community college districts. He said the deciding factor in accepting the $120,000-a-year job in the east San Francisco Bay Area was the opportunity to move back to the area where he grew up.

“I’m a product of the area,” Jensen said at a press conference. “I’m kind of, in essence, going home. It was a difficult decision because I’ve enjoyed immensely my seven years here.”

Last December, the district’s Board of Trustees approved an extension of Jensen’s four-year contract, which pays $102,000 annually.

Trustee Charles W. (Pete) Maddox, who voted against the pay raise and contract extension, criticized Jensen on Tuesday for accepting another job. He said the search for a new chancellor will be costly, especially at a time when the college district is planning financial cuts.

“I’m not happy with it,” Maddox said. “First of all, we have a four-year contract with him. Where are his priorities? I want a chancellor whose priority is Rancho Santiago Community College District. I don’t want a chancellor who is up for bid.”

Board President Shirley Ralston said she had no problems with Jensen looking for other work.

“For the last two years, he has said that eventually he wanted to go north, so this is a big opportunity for him,” Ralston said. “I’m sad for us, but I’m very happy for him.”

Jensen has been chancellor of the 25,000-student Rancho Santiago district, which has campuses in Santa Ana, Orange and Garden Grove, since 1984.

Before coming to the Rancho Santiago district, Jensen was president of American River College in the Los Rios Community College District in Sacramento, where he also served as a deputy chancellor.

Jensen said his new job will give him the opportunity to head a culturally diverse, multi-college district. He replaces retiring Chancellor John Cahart, and will begin his new position July 1.

“I am looking forward to the challenge of leading another district, which enjoys a strong statewide reputation, to develop educational programs that meet changing student needs,” he said.

Rancho Santiago district board members will hold a special meeting next week to discuss the procedure to be used in hiring a new chancellor, Ralston said.