Pierce College President Will Not Be Retained

Unhappy with persistent budget deficits and declining enrollment at Pierce College, the trustees of the Los Angeles Community College District have voted not to reappoint President E. Bing Inocencio to another three-year term when his first one expires in June.

“Last year Pierce had the largest deficit of any college in this system and the year before it was one of two colleges with the largest deficits,” said Elizabeth Garfield, president of the board of trustees. Although the other school, Mission College in Sylmar, managed to attract more students and balance its budget, Pierce continued to founder, she said.

The 5-1 vote not to retain Inocencio, taken in closed session last week, reopens a revolving door at Pierce through which three other college presidents have passed since David Wolf stepped down a decade ago.