City College of San Francisco today announced that its new chancellor will be Arthur Q. Tyler, a former administrator at community colleges in Houston and Sacramento who also has a background in antiterrorism.
The announcement was made at a news conference at the school’s Ocean campus this morning.
Tyler is taking over for interim Chancellor Thelma Scott-Skillman as City College tries to maintain its accreditation after a regional panel revoked it, effective July 31, 2014.
The Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges announced in July that the school would lose its accreditation, pending appeal, for failing to address various recommendations made by the commission to change the school’s governance structure and finances.
To expedite the changes and maintain accreditation, California Community Colleges Chancellor Brice Harris appointed Robert Agrella as a special trustee to oversee the school.
Tyler will answer to Agrella, who has been given the power to make decisions for the school—power that was previously entrusted to its elected Board of Trustees.
Tyler has experience dealing with a school’s troubled accreditation status—he, too, has served as a special trustee, overseeing Compton Community College before it lost its accreditation.
He served as deputy chancellor and chief operating officer of the Houston Community College System from 2007 until this August, and previously has served as president of Sacramento City College and as vice president of administration and finance for Los Angeles City College.
According to a biographical summary provided by City College, Tyler served for more than 20 years in the military, including as the U.S. Air Force’s antiterrorism manager.
Dan McMenamin, Bay City News
