Mayor Lee appoints well-known community leader to City College Board

 

Berg resigned after 18 years of service for personal reasons.

Randolph believes his past as a community college student and wealth of public service experience will help him on the job, as he tackles disaccreditation and low enrollment problems.

“Being on the board of directors for the LGBT center where you actually are in a judicial role where you have to pass the budget and make sure that the leadership complies with the policy and regulations,” Randolph said. “Being a trustee of this board is a similar role where you make sure this college operates on a certain level.”

Born in Germany from a black father and white mother (neither attended college) Randolph moved to San Diego to live with a host family when he was 16.

As an English as a second language student, Randolph said his SAT scores were terrible, so he turned to community college as a viable option to continue his education.

After attending Grossmont Community College in San Diego for three years, Randolph transferred to University of California, Berkeley where he studied political science and public policy.

In 2006, then-mayor Gavin Newsom hired Randolph to be LGBT liaison and community representative for districts 7 and 8.

Randolph was then hired in 2011 as deputy director of community and government affairs for the parks and recreation department.

By 2014, Randolph was appointed by President Barack Obama to become the presidential appointee of his administration in San Francisco.

Randolph now adds trustee for City College to his lengthy resume as public servant.

Besides keeping the school accredited, Randolph said his other main priority is providing students with accessible student services.

“As a former community college student, and bi-racial trustee, access to student services, counseling and overall support for students,  thats what im going to be focused on.”  Randolph said.

If Randolph wins his seat as trustee in November to complete the four-year term, he plans to run again in 2016 and see the college through 2021.

“This is my passion, I don’t see this as a stepping stone or short term responsibility,” Randolph said. “One of the reasons I took on the position is because I have a long term interest in making sure we get past accreditation and run a college that people are happy with.”