A South Coast college has unexpectedly lost its leader, only a year and a half after he took the job. Dr. Utpal Goswami resigned as Superintendent/President of the College effective Monday.
In a deal approved by college trustees during a special meeting Monday, he will be available as a consultant for the next month. The agreement calls for him to be paid for part of the remaining time on his contract.
Dr. Goswami joined SBCC in January of 2020. Before that, he was President of Metropolitan Community College in Kansas City, Missouri. Due to the pandemic, he never had a chance to work in person with many of the college’s staff members.
Dr. Kathleen Scott will serve as Superintendent/President until trustees appoints an interim person for the post.
A statement released by the college failed to talk about what led to the departure, and the board’s posted agenda for special meetings last Thursday and this Monday gave no indication the action might be coming.
The move comes just weeks after the college received the biggest gift in its history, a $20 million dollar donation from billionaire MacKenzie Scott.
