Claudia Lourido-Habib is leaving her post as president of Ventura College after holding the role just over a year.
Ventura County Community College District Chancellor Rick MacLennan announced the president’s departure in a Sept. 15 staff email reviewed by the Star.
Her last day in the role will be Oct. 10. MacLennan’s email did not give a reason for the move, but said the president informed the district of her decision late last week.
Lisa Putnam, an executive director in MacLennan’s office, said in an email that Lourido-Habib voluntarily resigned.
Lourido-Habib did not immediately return a request for comment.
Luca Lewis, the college’s vice president of student affairs, will take over immediately as acting president while the 11,500-student community college begins a search for an interim, according to the email.
District Trustee Joshua Chancer said in a text message that the leadership change brings a new opportunity. “This is a chance to strengthen our commitment to students, employees and the community we serve,” Chancer said.
Lourido-Habib arrived at Ventura College in the summer of 2024, selected by district trustees from a pool of candidates to replace retiring president Kim Hoffmans.
Lourido-Habib came to the college from a decade of community college administrative around California and was a 2023-24 Aspen Presidents Fellow, part of a national cohort tapped by the nonprofit Aspen Institute as some of the “nation’s most promising community college leaders.”
At the time of her hiring, she was set to make $288,660 in salary and $94,610 in benefits annually during a three-year contract.
Lourido-Habib’s tenure was not all smooth sailing. The district investigated an employee complaint earlier this year of alleged discrimination by Lourido-Habib. The district determined that the complaint’s allegations were not sustained, but the employee appealed.
District trustees reviewed the appeal during a Sept. 9 meeting and voted 4-0, with president Gabriela Torres absent, to deny the appeal and affirm the district’s finding that Lourido-Habib was not at fault.
Isaiah Murtaugh covers Oxnard, Port Hueneme and Camarillo for the Ventura County Star. Reach him at isaiah.murtaugh@vcstar.com or on Signal at 951-966-0914.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Ventura College president abruptly steps down after a year in the role
Reporting by Isaiah Murtaugh, Ventura County Star / Ventura County Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
