Long Beach’s Community College District introduced the first ever Latino chancellor to the California community college system on Monday.
Elroy Ortiz Oakley will assume duties on Dec. 19 and is taking the place of Brice W. Harris, who announced his retirement in April after serving as chancellor for three years. He was then followed by interm chancellor Erik Skinner.
“You can’t turn on the TV right now without experiencing the turmoil that is going on in this country, and we have to take a moment to pause and understand what effect this is having on our students, what effect this is having on how they are being molded to become citizens of this great state and nation,” Oakley said on Monday morning during a webcast from Sacramento.
Oakley has been praised for the partnerships and programs he formed in Long Beach.
According to Long Beach City College, as a superintendent-president of the Long Beach Community College district, Oakley was best known throughout California for implementing innovative policies and groups that aid students in a higher education. Such programs included the Long Beach College Promise, a program that helps K-12 students prepare and transition into college.
The program focuses on schools within the Long Beach Unified District, providing an environment for students to receive academic support and early outreach. The Long Beach College Promise is partnered with LBCC and Cal State Long Beach, promising students who participate free tuition at LBCC and guaranteed admittance to CSULB.
The program ensured that students are able to select classes that would maximize their ability to keep up and succeed in institutions of higher education.
Oakley has also promoted local business growth throughout the city of Long Beach, partnering with Goldman-Sachs in order to help business owners expand their trade and provide more job opportunities, according to the Los Angeles Times.
The new chancellor will begin his term Dec. 19.