When Del M. Anderson accepted the position as chancellor of the City College of San Francisco (CCSF), she knew she wasn't walking into the ideal situation. There had been relatively few applicants for the job, the pay was lower than she expected for such a large urban institution, and there was much work to be done in building community support.
She took the job anyway. It was a step up from her position as president of the San Jose City College, and it was an opportunity to prove what she could do under challenging circumstances.
"The salary was lower than average for chancellor of a district this size," she said. "But the board seemed like a good one to work with, so I decided to take it and maybe if I did a terrific job they would raise it."
So in August 1995, Anderson became the first woman president of the 77,000-student college. After setting priorities and addressing all the goals she outlined to the board in the last eighteen months, Anderson asked for that raise -- and got it.
She now has the highest base salary among her colleagues in the state's 106-college system, and is among the highest in the nation. Her salary even eclipses that of her boss, chancellor of the state community college system, by more than $20,000.
"I've done a very good job in a very short period of time," Anderson said.
In December, the CCSF board voted to raise Anderson's compensation -- through cost-of-living, step and merit increases -- from $144,000 to more than $156,000. In a commendation of her management, the board cited her exemplary accomplishments.
During her tenure, she outlined and met twenty-five specific goals, Anderson said. Among them were her efforts in getting the college's first bond referendum, which voters will decide in June.
Not everyone praised Anderson's leadership and subsequent reward, however. Faculty have protested the raise and questioned her performance. Noting that Anderson secured a substantial increase in pay over her previous post, history instructor Austin White said the faculty questions the board's judgment in awarding the latest increase.
