Modesto Junior College president gone after a year and a half on the job
Modesto Junior College has seen more CEO turnover than any other community college in the state. The trend continued Thursday with the announcement that MJC President Santanu Bandyopadhyay is on his way out after 18 months.
“The Board voted to not renew and to terminate his contract,” said Yosemite Community College District Chancellor Henry C.V. Yong, adding that Bandyopadhyay currently is on leave. Yong said he will serve as acting president of MJC. The chancellor provided no reason for Bandyopadhyay’s termination.
Since 2000, MJC has seen 16 presidents. The average tenure for an MJC president, including interim roles, is 1.7 years, according to the Community College League of California. The average tenure for a community college president in California is 3.2 years.
A 2022 report from the same organization said that CEO retention leads to organizational and financial stability, citing numerous research studies.
The news comes after The Modesto Bee editorial board reported Thursday that Bandyopadhyay had interviewed for a position at the three-campus San Mateo Community College District.
It’s not the first time Bandyopadhyay was found to be looking for a job. Shortly after officially accepting the job as president at MJC, he interviewed at Citrus College in Southern California.
More recently, college administrators and the Stanislaus Community Foundation pointed to the high turnover rate as a leading cause of the school’s struggle to enroll and support high school students who aspire to take college classes. Yong reiterated that the community college district has hired a consulting firm to support dual enrollment and that the board expects a presentation on the matter in February.
The Bee reported that Bandyopadhyay was hired as president of Columbia College in 2018 and became MJC’s interim president in January 2021 after Jim Houpis resigned, citing medical issues. Houpis was in the office for 22 months.
Yong emphasized that he will provide “continued support for our faculty, professional support staff, leadership team and students“ and said “the District is reviewing various options, and will assess each carefully.”
This story was originally published December 15, 2022 at 4:33 PM.
