Butte College
News Announcement

Butte College Superintendent/President Announces Retirement Next Year

Dr. Samia Yaqub will retire as superintendent/president of Butte College effective June 30, 2022, after serving the college for over 37 years. Dr. Yaqub wanted to make the announcement early to ensure there is ample time to hire her replacement. Dr. Yaqub has served as superintendent/president for six years, and served as interim president for one year prior to being hired permanently. During her presidency, she provided pivotal leadership to help pass Measure J, a $190 million bond measure in 2016. Her leadership during challenging years was unprecedented as she led the college during the Oroville Dam Incident, the Camp Fire, multiple Public Safety Power Shut offs, and the coronavirus pandemic. Additionally, Dr. Yaqub assisted in fundraising for the launch of the college’s unique Promise Scholarship which now offers free tuition and fees for two years to first-time, full-time students in the state.

Under Dr. Yaqub’s leadership, the college has grown its footprint and broke ground on a new Glenn Center facility that will open in Fall 2022. Dr. Yaqub has also been instrumental in leading diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, hiring the college’s first inclusion, diversity, equity and anti-racism officer in January 2021.

“This announcement is bittersweet. I have truly loved working at Butte College for the last 37 years,” said Dr. Yaqub, Butte College president. “This is a remarkable college with a faculty and staff second to none. I believe the work we are doing to help our students will continue to be impactful and visionary.”

Dr. Yaqub served as the vice president for student learning and economic development prior to accepting the interim president position. She taught English as a second language and developmental reading and writing for 15 years. Dr. Yaqub received her doctorate in education with an emphasis on community college leadership from Oregon State University. Her dissertation, Latina Student Perceptions of Learning Communities, won the RP Group Excellence in Dissertation award in 2011. She also holds a master's degree in English from CSU, Chico and a bachelor's degree in English from UC Davis.  Dr. Yaqub serves as an advisory board member of the California Writing Project and is on the Association for California Community Colleges Administrators (ACCCA) board of directors.  She represents the far north community colleges on the statewide Racial Equity and Inclusive Excellence Task Force. She is currently on the board of directors for the Boys and Girls Club of the North Valley and a board member of the Chico Chamber of Commerce.  Dr. Yaqub’s professional interests include leadership development, student equity, and faculty/staff diversity.

“We are so thankful for Dr. Yaqub’s many years of service and commitment to Butte College. She has been an exceptional leader during challenging times,” said John Dahlmeier, president of the Butte College Board of Trustees. “She leaves Butte College with a large legacy and strong commitment to our students, faculty, and staff. Student success has always been a top priority along with her vision of making Butte College a leader among other community colleges in the state.”

Butte College’s Board of Trustees will begin a formal and comprehensive search process for the college’s new president in the coming months. The Board plans to announce the next president by the Summer of 2022.

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