Mayor London Breed on Friday appointed educator Murrell D. Green to the vacant seat on the City College Board of Trustees. She swore him in during a ceremony at City Hall.
Green, who has a doctorate in education and is a straight ally, replaces Tom Temprano, a gay man, on the community college's governing board. Temprano stepped down in February after becoming political director for Equality California, the statewide LGBTQ rights organization. Green previously worked at City College as a financial and academic counselor.
According to a news release from the mayor's office, Green, who is African American, was born and raised in San Francisco's Western Addition neighborhood. He has extensive experience in higher education, working within the California community college system.
Green will face myriad issues at City College. Earlier this month, the board approved layoffs for 38 faculty amid its ongoing budget crisis. Enrollment has declined ever since the school's accreditation crisis in 2013, as KQED reported. That's despite the Free City program that pays for tuition for San Francisco residents. The San Francisco Standard reported the school now faces a $5.8 million budget deficit in the 2025-26 fiscal year.
Nonetheless, Green stated that he's up to the challenge.
"Higher education is a passion of mine," he stated, "and I am looking forward to getting to work with my fellow trustees, the staff, and students at City College to ensure this institution remains a strong cornerstone of the city."
City College trustee Alan Wong stated that he was "ecstatic" about Green's selection.
"I'm ecstatic to have Trustee Murrell Green joining me on the City College Board of Trustees and thank Mayor London Breed for making this excellent appointment," Wong stated in a release he issued shortly after the swearing in.
"City College has enormous challenges ahead and we need leadership to help City College increase enrollment, balance the budget, and serve our students," Wong added. "Trustee Green was born and raised in the city just like me and he will bring his lived experience and dedication to the young people of San Francisco to the college."
Temprano commended the appointment in a tweet.
"Dr. Green's extensive experience in higher education and his lived experience as a native San Franciscan and father will make him a strong advocate for City College students," Temprano wrote.
I commend @LondonBreed on her selection of Dr. Murrell Green to fill my seat on the City College Board. Dr. Green's extensive experience in higher education and his lived experience as a native San Franciscan and father will make him a strong advocate for @OfficialCCSF students. pic.twitter.com/AffLUa31sR— Tom Temprano (@tomtemprano) May 20, 2022
Breed stated that Green has spent his career serving the students of the state's community colleges "and understands the many difficulties they face navigating the complex system. His experience, expertise, and roots in the community will bring a valued perspective to this board."
Green began his career as an adjunct counseling faculty at Skyline College in San Bruno in 2006. After his stint at City College, he moved to Southern California where he became a tenured faculty member and department chair at West Los Angles College before moving back to San Francisco where he served as an administrator at Merced College, the release stated.
Since 2021, Green has served as the dean of academic counseling and student services for West Valley College in Saratoga, where he coordinates various student services programs with a focus on individual educational goal completion for transfer, degree attainment, or certification, according to the release.
A former City College student praised Green.
"Dr. Murrell Green continues to make my heart smile," Malorie Branch, MSW and former City College student, stated in the mayor's release. "This is because he continues to raise the bar for all of us that he has mentored and shows his students that their sky is the limit not only through words, but also by his example."
In addition to his work as a college administrator, Green serves on a variety of higher education boards, including the African American Male Education Network & Development Program (A2MEND), Black/African American Advisory Panel of the California Community Colleges, and is also an active member in the San Francisco community serving on the board of directors of the Alive and Free/Omega Boys Club and the Bayview YMCA.
Green holds a bachelor's degree in psychology from Clark Atlanta University, a master's in counseling from San Francisco State University, and a doctorate in educational leadership from Drexel University. He currently lives in the Portola neighborhood with his wife, Dr. Janelle Green, a podiatrist, and two children, Corinthian and Providence.
Green must run for election in November to complete Temprano's term, which runs through 2024. Including Green, there will be four seats on the college board that will appear on the ballot.
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