City College of San Francisco Taps Mitchell Bailey As Interim Chancellor

City College of San Francisco has tapped an ex-San Mateo community college exec to lead the school once Chancellor David Martin leaves in June.

“After multiple applicants for the position of interim chancellor were considered, the board gave me direction to negotiate a contract with Mitch Bailey for the position of interim chancellor and wanted to share the good news before our graduation commencement ceremony and the semester ends,” Board of Trustees President Alan Wong said.

The trustees will vote on a contract at their May 30 meeting. If approved, Bailey will work with Martin starting May 31 until June 30. Martin announced last year that he would not seek a contract extension for the 2024-2025 academic year and his contract will conclude at the end of June.

Bailey told the Bay Area Reporter he is happy to serve "if I can do something to help the college be the institution I felt it should be, I obviously should do that."

Bailey, who is originally from Kentucky and currently lives in San Francisco with his partner, has been involved in the San Mateo community as a member of Chamber San Mateo County’s board and as president of the board of directors of Ombudsman Services of San Mateo County. He has served as the vice chancellor and chief of staff at San Mateo Community College and is a graduate of the Leadership of San Mateo County program. Bailey also worked to pass California Senate Bill 893, which made community college free for residents in San Mateo.

He has also served as chief of staff and assistant to the president at Sinclair Community College in Ohio, where he also received his associate degree in communications. While in Ohio, he earned a bachelor’s degree in public administration from Capital University and a master’s degree in public administration from Wright State University.

“Bailey came to our San Francisco community because of our city's values of diversity and acceptance of the LGBTQ community and I am proud that he will be the first gay man to serve as chancellor,” Wong said.

Bailey will serve as interim chancellor for the next academic year while the college searches for a permanent chancellor.