The Board of Trustees for the Rancho Santiago Community College District placed Chancellor Marvin Martinez on administrative leave Tuesday night. The decision was made “pending completion of an investigation” into Martinez’s conduct, though the specific reasons for the leave have not been publicly disclosed.
This action follows months of closed-door board meetings where trustees reportedly discussed the possibility of firing the Chancellor. Earlier this year, board members were unable to reach a consensus on his removal. Martinez was unreachable for comment regarding his leave, and district staff declined to provide further details.
Former board President Phil Yarbrough, who remains a trustee, stated Wednesday that he was not aware of the specific reasons for Martinez’s administrative leave. Yarbrough reported that he had been improperly excluded from closed session meetings related to the matter. Yarbrough had frequently raised questions about Martinez's continued leadership, and Martinez had previously claimed that Yarbrough was harassing him.
Yarbrough had also previously brought up concerns regarding Martinez's handling of an $8 million fund. This fund, consisting of rebates from the district’s health insurance provider, the Alliance of Schools for Cooperative Insurance Programs (ASCIP), was reportedly held in accounts hidden from trustees for decades. Yarbrough stated that he asked the Rancho Santiago board to hold individuals accountable for this situation, but no other trustees joined him in that request.
ASCIP has faced scrutiny over the years concerning potential conflicts of interest and costs. A 2023 investigation found that multiple former district executives began working for the insurance company after their retirement. Despite these ongoing questions, the Rancho Santiago district renewed its contract with ASCIP for its healthcare program on September 1. This renewal took place even though the district could have saved over $1.7 million by switching to a different provider offering a nearly identical program. Barry Resnick, a former district employee who has questioned the district's connections with ASCIP, noted that while the Alliance’s bids were historically the cheapest, “this year, it wasn't too expensive” to consider other options.
Martinez's suspension also follows a complaint filed in April by Jeannie Kim, President of Santiago Canyon College. Kim’s complaint raised questions about the conduct of both Martinez and Vice Chancellor Enrique Perez. This complaint has not been released publicly and was only briefly mentioned on the board’s closed session agenda.
Kim, who was hired in 2023, is currently on leave from her position. Last November, the Santiago Canyon College Academic Senate issued a vote of no confidence in her leadership, with 24 votes in favor, one against, and one abstention. The statement of no confidence criticized Kim for a series of ethics and management violations, including issues with transparent, ethical, and equitable processes for hiring, budgeting, and planning, and a “persistent disregard for professional, ethical, and participatory standards of conduct.”
In the interim, Iris Ingram, the district’s Vice Chancellor of Business Services, is serving as acting Chancellor for the Rancho Santiago Community College District. Enrique Perez is filling in as president of Santiago Canyon College during Kim’s absence.