Outgoing SRJC President Frank Chong looks back on 11 years leading the ‘Camelot’ of community colleges

It is the eve of his retirement and the day before Frank Chong will lead his final commencement ceremony at Santa Rosa Junior College.

Sitting in his office in Bailey Hall, Chong paused with a Press Democrat reporter to reflect on his long tenure, both his successes and setbacks, as president of what he called the “Camelot” of community colleges.

Chong, 66, succeeded Robert Agrella in 2012 and became the first nonwhite president in the college’s 105-year history.

That alone was an accomplishment, but there were more.

One of his proudest was the passage of Measure H, an unprecedented $410 million bond that saw the construction of a new math, science and technology building, computer labs, an overhaul of the athletic fields, completion of an Olympic-size pool and a major renovation of the Burbank Auditorium.

He also pushed to create a more diverse and inclusive campus environment, particularly after the national reckoning that followed the 2020 murder of George Floyd at the hand of the Minneapolis police.

That work continues. Chong will be succeeded by incoming SRJC President Maria Angélica Garcia, the first Latina and first queer president in the school’s history.

“I'm really excited about her taking over and for me to sort of exit stage left and drop the mic,” Chong said.

When he was named SRJC’s fifth president, he said, the campus was already experiencing a significant transformation in its student body, which was becoming more ethnically diverse.

Three years after his arrival, in response to the college’s growing number of Latino students, SRJC launched a $2.6 million initiative. The aim was to boost the number of Latinos receiving associate’s degrees and transferring to a four-year university. The money came from a federal grant awarded to the school after it was designated a Hispanic Serving Institute by the U.S. Department of Education.

In 2019, Hispanic Outlook on Education magazine named SRJC one of the top 50 community colleges in the nation for Hispanics out of more than 1,100 institutions.

Chong said he adheres to the adage, “where there’s a hole, fill it.“ Other holes or gaps include growing food insecurity among students, and the need for more affordable housing, he said.

He called the Polly O’Meara Doyle Hall housing project a “labor of love.” The housing complex, scheduled to open in August, will provide more than 350 beds for students. Last year, the college’s scholarship committee approved the creation of a $400,000 annual Doyle Housing Scholarship for students housed in the dorms. The scholarship will give up to $1,200 per student per year.

“We were already talking about revisiting student housing, but when the fires happened, we said we got to make this happen,” Chong said.

Like many other leaders in local government, business and nonprofit organizations, Chong is particularly proud of his work in the years since the 2017 Tubbs Fire, subsequent North Coast fires and the three-year COVID-19 pandemic.

“My friends call me, jokingly, the master of disaster,” he said. “I had to help steer the college during the fires. … We were going through some pretty rough times there. I’m very proud of providing the guidance, leadership and working with the city and state and the federal people in making sure that we stuck together.”

Chong also was philosophical about his missteps during his tenure at what has become one of the 10 largest community colleges in California.

Chief among them was an administrative move that triggered a no-confidence vote by the Academic Senate in the spring of 2018. The vote followed an uproar among faculty, staff members and students after Chong unexpectedly canceled at least half of all summer classes before backing off on the proposal a day later.

“For me it was a teachable moment,” Chong said. “I heard the faculty and I have since tried to become a better president, a better listener. And I feel like I'm leaving on a really good positive note.”

Chong, the fifth SRJC president, has been a college administrator for 30 years, 17 of them as a president — he’d previously served in the top jobs at Laney College in Oakland and at Mission College in Santa Clara. Before coming to Santa Rosa, Chong said he got the chance to work with “some real giants.”

He served as deputy assistant secretary of community colleges at the U.S. Department of Education during President Obama’s administration and also served as a special assistant to former State Assembly Speaker Willie Brown.

Chong, whose post earned him $432,628 in 2021, according to Transparent California, will work his last day July 19. His tenure will overlap with that of the new president during the month of July, ensuring he’s available to help her transition into the leadership role.

After July, Chong said he plans to use the remainder of his vacation through Oct. 19, when he will be “completely off the payroll.” He said he plans to do some coaching and mentoring of new presidents through his participation with UC Davis Wheelhouse, a program that fosters community college leadership and research.

As he prepares to say goodbye to nearly 27,000 students and nearly 800 employees, Chong said he’s open to doing some consulting work, as well. But he makes clear he expects to enjoy his time away from the 24/7 grind of leading a college.

“I'll look at consulting opportunities, but I don't want to fail at retirement,” he said, adding that he plans on traveling more, visiting his family in New York City’s Chinatown.

“My wife flies for United, so I basically can get a free ticket whenever there’s an empty seat,” he said.

In parting, Chong said he hopes the local community and its leaders will continue supporting SRJC and its academic institutions, such as its nursing and dental program, its journalism and its public safety training center that hopes to double the number of trained firefighters.

“There’s not a person or occupation in this county that the JC hasn’t touched … where great careers began right here,” he said. “It’s a very important institution that’s only going to grow in importance, actually, especially for the new arrivals, particularly for immigrants. This is their ticket to a better life.”

You can reach Staff Writer Martin Espinoza at 707-521-5213 or martin.espinoza@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @pressreno.