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(Hayward, Calif., February 7, 2023) - After a distinguished 36-year community college career, including 11 years as a college president, Chabot College (Chabot) President Dr. Susan Sperling is retiring on July 31, 2023.
Dr. Sperling is the ninth president in Chabot’s sixty-one-year history, the second female president and the second-longest-serving president following founding President Dr. Reed Buffington.
“In a society that continues to be challenged by inequity, the California Community Colleges represent the democratic vision of equal access to education and a better future for all Californians,” said Sperling. “It has been my great honor to lead Chabot College in bringing that vision to reality for our students and communities.”
Chabot saw tremendous growth and modernization under President Sperling’s tenure. During her 11 years as president, the college successfully passed two bond measures, securing funding for major infrastructure projects across the campus. Under her leadership, Chabot saw the establishment of the Dream Center for undocumented students, the Black Cultural Resource Center and more than a dozen agreements and partnerships with feeder K-12 school districts. Additionally, during her time at the helm, the college has helped secure Hayward Promise Neighborhood grants that bring federal resources to the most underserved communities of Hayward and deepen partnerships with local organizations and educational institutions.
Most recently, Dr. Sperling led the college through the unprecedented challenges brought on by the pandemic and the impacts this has had on students, faculty and staff.
“President Sperling’s dedication to Chabot College and its surrounding community will be felt for decades to come,” said Chabot-Las Positas Community College Board of Trustees President Tim Sbranti. “Her ability to advocate for funding and build critical partnerships will ensure that prospective students in our community have a path to higher education and a rewarding career.”
As a leader, she created a culture of equity, collaboration, innovation and transformation. Dr. Sperling’s leadership and contributions in these areas are evident in the programs and communities she lifts up. In 2022, during the college’s Earth Week celebrations, Chabot became the first public institution to raise and fly the Muwekma-Ohlone flag. As president, Dr. Sperling has been a strong voice for honoring the tribe’s land legacy.
Chabot is often a resource for marginalized communities seeking spaces to connect with job training and essential services.
“Dr. Sperling has been a passionate advocate for making Chabot College accessible to students from all walks of life and for ensuring that the college reflects the diversity of its community,” said Ronald Gerhard, chancellor of the Chabot-Las Positas Community College District (CLPCCD). “She leaves an enduring legacy as a compassionate educator and leader.”
Dr. Sperling’s service to Chabot goes back thirty-six years. She first served as an anthropology instructor and, in that role, developed a new program curriculum. She served in a series of faculty leadership roles, including faculty union president, college curriculum chair and dean of social sciences, before she was appointed as president. An anthropologist by training, she received her doctorate at the University of California, Berkeley, and later completed postdoctoral research at the University of California, San Francisco. This led to early career academic posts at UC Berkeley, San Jose State and several community colleges.
President Sperling resides in San Leandro with her husband. She looks forward to focusing more of her time on anthropology, serving her community and spending quality time with family.
CLPCCD will immediately begin a nationwide search for her successor.
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