Raúl Rodríguez, Ph.D. is the chancellor of the California’s third largest community college district, a position to which he was appointed on August 9, 2010. Rancho Santiago Community College District (RSCCD) includes Santa Ana College and Santiago Canyon College as well as other education sites throughout Central Orange County. He provides leadership to more than 3,000 employees and serves more than 58,000 students.

Dr. Rodríguez most recently served as the superintendent of the San Joaquin Delta Community College District (SJDCCD) and president of San Joaquin Delta College (SJDCC) in Stockton, CA.

At SJDCCD, Dr. Rodríguez initiated new strategic planning methods that resulted in the adoption of strategies to better address the learning needs of underserved student populations.  He also implemented new processes to bolster employee engagement and participation, and created a new collaborative budget process to open communication among all constituency groups. In the area of instruction, Dr. Rodríguez increased the college district’s online course offerings, increased student enrollment, and developed programs to support the success and transfer rates of students enrolled in science and mathematics courses. 

He also directed an extensive capital improvement program which included the construction of a new Math/Science Learning Center, library, student services building, athletic facilities and new athletic fields, as well as successfully completed renovation and modernization projects totaling $300 million. He pioneered many “go green” initiatives to reduce the college’s carbon footprint. His commitment to environmental responsibility and sustainability complements a priority of the RSCCD Board of Trustees.

While at SJDCCD, Dr. Rodríguez served as a civic and community leader, representing the district and college on various national, statewide, regional and local Board of Directors.  Recent leadership positions included service on the Board of Directors for the National Community College Hispanic Council, St. Joseph Medical Center and Goodwill Industries of the San Joaquin Valley.

Dr. Rodríguez holds a doctorate in Psychology from the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC), a master’s in School and Applied Psychology from Fairfield University (Fairfield, CT) and a bachelor’s in Liberal Studies from Bowling Green State University (Bowling Green, OH).  He is also a graduate of the Harvard Institute for Educational Management.