DRUMMOND IS OUT AS HEAD OF LOS ANGELES COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT

Gale Holland in California Briefing | LA Times

July 3, 2009 -- LOS ANGELES -- Marshall E. Drummond is out as chancellor of the nine-campus Los Angeles Community College District.

On Thursday, the office of the acting chancellor, Adriana Barrera, issued a written statement to all employees saying that the longtime community college leader was stepping down, with two years left on his $300,000-a-year contract.

The announcement followed another release last week, after a closed-door meeting of the Board of Trustees, stating that Drummond was on a leave of absence. A spokesman for Barrera said a separation agreement was in its final stages but declined to say how much the chancellor would be paid.

Drummond could not be reached for comment. The district's statement last week said no details would be released "to respect Dr. Drummond's privacy."

Drummond, 67, who is known as Mark, headed the district, which includes Pierce, Los Angeles City, Mission and Harbor colleges, from 1999 to 2004 before leaving to become chancellor of the state's 110 community colleges. He returned in 2007 for a second stint as chancellor of the Los Angeles district.

The nine campuses, which enroll about 135,000 students, are facing massive state budget cutbacks at the same time that rising student fees and enrollment caps in California's university systems drive many students to the community colleges.