New L.A. community college Chancellor Alberto J. Román pledges ‘culture of accountability'
Alberto J. Román, the interim chancellor of the Los Angeles Community College District who assumed the post amid the system's yearslong reckoning with legal troubles, was appointed to the permanent role Wednesday by the district's Board of Trustees.
Román, who pledged a 'culture of accountability,' had been named interim chancellor after Francisco C. Rodriguez abruptly resigned last year, shocking critics and champions alike.
During Rodriguez's decade at the helm, the nine-college district faced lawsuits alleging gender discrimination, sexual harassment and whistleblower retaliation, among other claims. He and the trustees endured a vote of no confidence from the district's Academic Senate in 2024 that centered on what it described as a failure to sufficiently address sexual harassment and discrimination claims, among other concerns.
Román, 47, who has worked for the nation's largest two-year college system in various roles spanning more than 11 years, was given a roughly three-year contract, which takes effect immediately and pays $440,000 annually. A former president of East L.A. College, he also previously served as the vice chancellor of human resources for the community college district.
'We pride ourselves on being leaders and identifying and combating any type of discrimination,' Román said in an interview with The Times. 'I've also emphasized the importance of transparency, of trust building, both internally and with the broader public.'
A Mexican immigrant who came to the U.S. as a child, Román oversaw the creation of East L.A. College's pioneering Central American studies program, which launched in 2023. It has been billed as the first such endeavor in California at the community college level and affords students the chance to earn an associate degree in the field.
'It was truly, for me, a very important program to have here in Los Angeles,' said Román, who has worked in education for more than two decades. He said a trip to El Salvador with faculty had inspired him to create the program. 'I really grew an interest in learning more about our Central American community here.'
Just a year ago, Román had praised Rodriguez in an open letter for his 'transformative decade of service, leadership, and vision.'
But the end of the former chancellor's tenure had been rocky.
In August, Rodriguez said that he would step down to help care for his ailing father. The move was a major surprise, in part because the district had given him a four-year contract extension a year earlier. Rodriguez departed Nov. 2, with Román subsequently assuming the interim position.
Rodriguez did not respond to interview requests.
Among the lawsuits Rodriguez and the district have faced is an ongoing one filed by former general counsel Maribel Medina over allegations of sexual harassment, whistleblower retaliation and other claims.
She alleged in a 2024 L.A. Superior Court suit brought against Rodriguez, the district and a trustee that she was placed on leave — and then fired — after complaining to the then-chancellor about disparities in her salary, and bringing to his attention the 'evident lack of compliance at the District with sexual harassment training.'
Medina, who is Mexican American, also alleged in the complaint that Rodriguez once said in her presence, 'Mexican women serve me and they like it.'
The defendants have denied the allegations, according to court filings. Their attorneys did not respond to interview requests. Medina's attorney declined to comment.
A trial in the case is set for January.
Asked about some of the controversies that the former chancellor weathered, Román said that in a system as large as the college district — it has a workforce of nearly 10,000 people — 'issues will invariably arise,' and that he could not discuss ongoing litigation.
He also stressed that the district was 'actively working' to make sure policies related to professional conduct are updated. He added employees would be trained on an ongoing basis so they understand the revised codes and guidelines.
Another area of scrutiny has been the district's multibillion-dollar construction bond program. Since the early 2010s, it has been dogged by allegations that it was poorly managed, wasted money and was subject to nepotism.
Román insisted that the program has been overhauled, touting 'more rigorous accountability measures,' and improved 'vendor selection processes,' while noting the hiring this year of an independent, third-party bond monitor, Affiliated Monitors.
'The issues that were identified about 10 years ago have been resolved,' he said. 'I think a program of this size will undoubtedly have flare-ups, but we have managed those.'
Román faces other challenges, among them the ongoing recovery from a massive drop in enrollment tirggered by the COVID-19 pandemic. The district said it had about 210,000 students for the 2019-2020 school year — but enrollment plunged to 158,000 for the 2021-2022 year. It picked up from there and stood at 194,000 students in 2023-2024.
He touted the upward trend and said the district, as a whole, hadn't seen a decline in enrollment over the last four years. He attributed the success, in part, to an emphasis on career technical education, which he said could be helpful as the region prepares to host both the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Summer Olympics.
Then, there's President Trump. His executive orders on higher education, the launching of investigations into antisemitism on university campuses and the deportation of college students have roiled academia at large.
So far, Román said, the president's various actions have not directly affected the college district. He said that, to his knowledge, no students in the district have been deported and none of its funding has been eliminated — though a roughly $500,000 arts-related grant has been 'placed on hold.'
'We will continue to monitor our funding and do everything we can to protect it,' he said. 'We will continue to monitor policies that could impact our students. We stand firm with them.'
Román also said that no programs had been altered to comply with Trump's directives aimed at rooting out diversity, equity and inclusion efforts on college campuses. 'Our programs ... [are] inclusive of all students,' he said. 'That's in essence how we are able to continue the work that we need to do.'
In a statement, Gabriel Buelna, a member of the Board of Trustees, noted that Román was taking over 'at a time of intense national pressure.'
He said the chancellor had 'exceptional credentials, proven talent, and the vision and integrity needed to lead LACCD through challenging times and strengthen our region.'
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