Rancho Santiago chancellor is put on leave amid investigation

Rancho Santiago Community College District trustees placed Chancellor Marvin Martinez on administrative leave pending an investigation after months of closed-session discussions about his conduct, Voice of OC reported.

The decision adds to leadership turmoil at a major Orange County community college district and comes amid questions about oversight, internal disputes and a health care contract with the Alliance of Schools for Cooperative Insurance Programs.

Voice of OC reported that trustees announced the leave Tuesday night but district staff did not explain what conduct was under investigation. The board had discussed dismissing Martinez in closed session earlier in the year but had not reached an agreement, according to Voice of OC.

Vice Chancellor of Business Services Iris Ingram was assigned to step in for Martinez, Voice of OC reported. Enrique Perez, vice chancellor, was assigned to cover for Jeannie Kim, the president of Santiago Canyon College, during her absence.

Phil Yarbrough, a former board president, said he did not know why Martinez was placed on leave and said he was wrongly kept out of closed session. "Something’s going on and I don’t know what it is," Yarbrough told Voice of OC. He added, "I have a right to know and my constituents have a right to know."

The leave follows earlier conflict involving Martinez, who said this year that Yarbrough had harassed him, Voice of OC reported. The article also said Santiago Canyon College’s Academic Senate voted no confidence in Kim, with 24 votes in favor, one against and one abstention.

Voice of OC also reported that the district renewed its health care program with the Alliance of Schools for Cooperative Insurance Programs at its Sept. 1 meeting, despite an estimate that switching providers could have saved $1.7 million. A 2023 Voice of OC investigation found that several former district executives later worked for the Alliance and that about $8 million in rebates had been kept in accounts not disclosed to trustees for decades.

Barry Resnick, a former district employee, questioned the comparison used in the insurance decision, telling Voice of OC, "They said Anthem was not competitive because it was 17% higher than their current rate," and adding, "Well, ASCIP this year was about that much higher too."