It’s a tough start for MJC’s new president. Board meeting proposed to ‘clear the air’
Santanu Bandyopadhyay is off to a rocky start as president of Modesto Junior College — his new job that took effect Tuesday.
It appears he is headed for a meeting with Yosemite Community College District trustees that might “clear the air” or let him know where he stands with his overseers.
The new president was approved for the position May 12 on a 4-2 vote by the Yosemite Community College District board, which is not a ringing endorsement for a college administrator.
Bandyopadhyay was also a finalist for the top job at El Camino College in Southern California while seeking the MJC position, and the board members who cast dissenting votes said they wanted to see a stronger commitment to Modesto.
Bandyopadhyay came under sharper criticism when it was revealed he participated in a public forum May 25 as one of three finalists for superintendent and president of Citrus College near Los Angeles, two weeks after getting the MJC position paying $240,548 a year.
It raises questions about his commitment to the Modesto college and whether he will keep seeking jobs elsewhere.
Bandyopadhyay said Wednesday he withdrew from consideration for the Citrus job Saturday. He shared the email to prove it and a principal involved with the Citrus recruitment confirmed he had communicated his decision.
The new president said he wants to have a meeting with the YCCD board to see where he stands.
YCCD Chancellor Henry Yong said a talk with the board, probably behind closed doors, could happen at YCCD’s next regular board meeting June 9.
“It will be helpful for him to clear the air with the board and for the board to hear him out,” Yong said.
The chancellor referred to the email withdrawing from the Citrus search and said he believes Bandyopadhyay is still the best choice for MJC.
Yong said the new president has offered to commit two years to Modesto, which combined with his three years as president of Columbia College near Sonora and interim president of MJC, would make five years of local service. Columbia and MJC are both administered by the YCCD.
YCCD trustee Milton Richards, who cast one of the “no” votes, said Wednesday his position has not changed.
“I am very disappointed he took our job and two weeks later he interviewed for another one,” Richards said. “To me, a two-year commitment is nothing.”
Two other board members did not return messages from The Bee.
The tenure of MJC presidents in the past 20 years is a concern. Since 2000, no less than 14 presidents or interim presidents have occupied the office compared to a statewide average of four in that time period. The average tenure of MJC presidents has been 17 months; the state average is 72 months.
Some college supporters like Richards would like to see a new president with longevity.
New president says there is more to the story
Bandyopadhyay, who has a home in Southern California, said his relationship with the YCCD board has been more complex than what’s been portrayed in news coverage.
Bandyopadhyay was hired as president of Columbia College in 2018 and he became MJC’s interim president in January after former top executive Jim Houpis resigned, citing medical issues, ending 22 months on the job.
Bandyopadhyay said he was not given extensions on his employment contract following an excellent performance review in July 2020 or after being assigned to manage both MJC and Columbia in December. He said contract extensions are customary for college executives when their reviews are excellent.
Bandyopadhyay was hired last month as MJC’s official president under an existing contract that expires June 30, 2022, which is not a contract reflecting desire for a long tenure.
The new president said the lack of contract extensions and the 4-2 vote played a role in his decision to seek the Citrus position after winning the MJC job.
“Everything is excellent about my performance,” Bandyopadhyay said. “After all this, I have a one-year contract. I feel I have given my commitment to Modesto.”
Bandyopadhyay added that his wife joined the administrative staff at Merced College after he took over as Columbia’s president three years ago. She successfully competed for a job as dean of planning and research at MJC, starting the new role May 2.
Bandyopadhyay said it shows the couple has made commitments and contributions to education in the Northern San Joaquin Valley.
Yong said he believes the new president has a good vision for the college. “I believe we just need to get past this misunderstanding,” Yong said.
MJC has short-term needs
While some make a case for a president with longevity, there’s a need for working short-term on getting the campuses ready for the fall semester after more than a year of COVID interruptions.
Owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, student enrollment is down 20 percent at MJC, and Columbia has lost 30 percent of its students, the chancellor said.
Yong said the new president is on board with a goal of greater collaboration with K-12 school districts as a way of boosting enrollment at MJC.
He explained that high school students could have broader access to higher education through “dual enrollment”, which means taking college courses while in high school.
Yong said Bandyopadhyay has already met with the presidents of Stanislaus State University and UC Merced regarding a program in which MJC students could transfer and get a four-year degree at an affordable cost.
On Tuesday, Bandyopadhyay sent an update to students urging them to enroll for fall classes. The junior college is working with the county and state health officials to offer 268 course sections on campus in the fall, especially labs and career technical education, about one fourth of what’s offered during a typical semester.
It’s a starting point as administrative staff look at offering additional classes for in-person instruction, while many students remain on remote learning. Bandyopadhyay said there has been no decision on whether COVID-19 vaccinations will be a requirement for students returning to classrooms on campus.
As for an upcoming meeting with the board, he said, “I will just tell the board I need to know where I stand, if they have trust in my abilities. I need to know that. I have that right as an employee.”
This story was originally published June 3, 2021 at 8:28 AM.
