With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
California Community Colleges Names New Chancellor To Lead Its 116-Campus System
Chancellor-select Sonya Christian speaking to the California Community Colleges Board of Governors on Feb. 23, 2023.
(
Jackie Orchard
/
LAist
)
Sonya Christian, current chancellor at Kern Community College District, has been named the next chancellor for the California Community Colleges.
Why it matters
With 116 campuses serving about 1.8 million students, the chancellor leads one of the largest higher education systems in the nation. More than half of enrollment is “non-traditional” students — that is, students aged 25 and older. Nearly two-thirds are classified as economically disadvantaged, and community colleges are a lower-cost alternative to traditional four-year schools.
What does Christian want to address as chancellor?
“The emergence of potential game changers, like virtual reality and generative AI, a pressing need for climate action, redefining of jobs and therefore the workforce, uncertainties in college enrollment … a legacy of student debt, social and political unrest, and the persistence of inequity,” she said.
Sponsored message
Why now, and the backstory
The nationwide search began in July 2022 and the system's Board of Governors appointed the new chancellor today.
Christian is the first woman to be permanently appointed to the post. She takes the helm from interim Chancellor Daisy Gonzales. Christian began her education career in 1991 at Kern Community College District as a mathematics professor and returned to Kern CCD in 2013 after being selected as president of Bakersfield College.
Go deeper
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
