When Dr. Jesus “Jess” Carreon, the first Hispanic to head the 84,000-student Dallas County Community College District, abruptly resigned last month, the board of trustees quickly turned to Dr. Wright Lassiter, who had been president of the district’s El Centro College since 1986.
Carreon’s tenure has been fraught with clashes over a governance style many said was autocratic, although some supporters say opposition to Carreon — the district’s first Hispanic chancellor — was raced-based.
Wright, who became the district’s first Black chancellor, spoke with Diverse about the healing touch he plans to bring to the embattled community college system.
DI: Why did you decide to take this job?
WL: Our district is at a pivotal time in its history. This is the first time that we’ve had a short-term chancellor and there were some relationship issues, I believe. So my task is to be a healer, a restorer and a leader. I was encouraged that [the board of trustees] thought that I was the person who had the background, who had the standing in the community, and who had the goodwill of the larger community in the district to do this, so I said yes, with one condition. The one condition was that I would not be a short-term interim, but I would be the interim chancellor for the duration of my contract (with the District through my position at El Centro College.) By doing this, you send a message to the larger community as well as the internal community that I’m not a placeholder. That you are giving me the full mantle of authority and leadership for this district which I accept and we’re going to go forward.
DI: Dr. Carreon was heavily criticized for having an autocratic governance style that demoralized the faculty. Was this the main reason Carreon was pressured to resign?
WL: I would not characterize the set of circumstances here as being totally one of governance. I believe it would be a more adequate description to say that it was the change process. Change agents have to be extremely sensitive to the culture and the setting when they come into an organization. Pace is extremely important. And I believe that was a foundation piece in the dilemma that occurred.
