Francisco Rodriguez
Chancellor, Los Angeles Community College District
Dr. Francisco Rodriguez began his tenure as chancellor of the Los Angeles Community College District on June 1, 2014. Prior to his appointment as head of the nation’s largest community college district, Dr. Rodriguez served as superintendent/president at MiraCosta Community College District (Oceanside, Calif.) for five years and president at Cosumnes River College (Sacramento, Calif.) for six years.
Dr. Rodriguez is recognized as a collaborator who instinctively knows how to bring people together, whether from business, civic or education communities, with the purpose of opening channels of communication and furthering the interests of students. With 30 years of experience as an educator, faculty member and administrator within California public higher education, Dr. Rodriguez is a noted scholar and speaker on topics ranging from higher education, student access and success, governance and governing boards, to workforce development, fundraising and philanthropy. Dr. Rodriguez has dedicated his career to diversity, equity and inclusion issues and to outreach to under-served communities, particularly the development of young Latino and African American males. He serves as a lecturer in the doctoral education programs at Sacramento State University and at San Diego State University.
Wherever Dr. Rodriguez has resided, he has been an active member of both service and community organizations, including the local Rotary Clubs, chambers of commerce, the Small Business Development Centers, and regional economic development councils. His call to service is demonstrated in the numerous organizations for which he volunteers and contributes. Dr. Rodriguez serves on national panels, including the board of directors for the National Science Foundation’s Advisory Committee for the Directorate of Education and Human Resources and the National Endowment for Financial Education. Statewide, Dr. Rodriguez serves as chair of the Community College League of California’s Advisory Committee on Legislation; the executive board of the California Association of Latino Community College Trustees and Administrators Association; as a mentor for the Association of California Community College Administrators Mentor Program; and the advisory board for the School of Education for the University of California, Davis. Dr. Rodriguez also served on the UC Davis Foundation Board and is the past president of the Cal Aggie Alumni Association, UC Davis.
While at the MiraCosta Community College District, Dr. Rodriguez is credited with navigating the district through the devastating economic downturn that required deep budget cuts. Nonetheless, during his tenure there, student enrollment grew by 27 percent and student success improved, the number of student-veterans served doubled, and the college foundation raised over $5 million in private dollars and over $15 million in public grants. At the Los Angeles Community College District, Dr. Rodriguez has set as his primary goal the building of the District’s profile and reputation as the best urban community college district to study and work. To accomplish this goal, Dr. Rodriguez is stressing an approach that includes a well-prepared and innovative faculty and responsive curriculum, excellent educational administrators, state-of-the-art buildings and equipment, superbly trained and professional support staff, and business and community engagement.
Dr. Rodriguez earned a bachelor of arts in Chicano Studies with an emphasis in education and a master of science in Community Development, both from the University of California, Davis. He also earned a Doctor of Philosophy in Education from Oregon State University.
