CCSF Chancellor Under Investigation Over Alleged Financial Misconduct

City College of San Francisco trustees launched an investigation into Chancellor Kimberlee Messina’s finances on September 11, 2025. The probe follows allegations that she collects more than her $350,000 board-approved salary and violates travel and vacation protocols.

Board President Aliya Chisti authorized an outside investigator to conduct a prompt, thorough, and impartial investigation. The board was alerted to the allegations in early September by Messina's executive assistant, Mary Grace Esteban. The allegations were summarized in a September 11 letter from Chisti to Esteban, who had previously raised concerns in a September 4 letter.

Allegations detail financial irregularities

Executive assistant Mary Grace Esteban alleged multiple financial misconduct issues. She claimed Messina receives an unauthorized monthly stipend without board approval. The chancellor's vacation balance reportedly remained at 25 days despite vacation taken in August and October of last year.

Esteban also alleged improper payments to a former interim vice chancellor of finance. Travel requests were allegedly sent to the vice chancellor of finance instead of the board for approval. The assistant claimed Messina directed her to use a City College credit card for a staff group lunch, which human resources said was not allowed. The chancellor also allegedly ordered the use of an attendance spreadsheet to review work hours, a method not previously used in other divisions.

Contract terms and employment context

Chancellor Messina's three-year contract was approved in June 2025. She is the 13th chancellor in 11 years at a college of nearly 43,000 students, reflecting long-term administrative turnover. Her contract terms include:

The college district also agreed to provide a yearly optional fringe benefit allowance equal to other full-time managers. Messina was hired after the initial preferred candidate, Carlos Cortez, was never hired due to an unresolved board vote and his prior arrest.

Wider governance questions

The investigation unfolds amid other administrative concerns. The college district's top lawyer, Amy McLellan, is registered as an in-house counsel in California without passing the California bar exam, though she is licensed in Massachusetts. Messina requested in August and September 2025 that the board amend McLellan’s contract to remove the bar exam requirement, which was removed without a vote.

The California state bar will propose rule changes that would disqualify McLellan from serving as an in-house counsel for CCSF upon the rule’s effective date. McLellan stated she was excused from the July bar exam due to her husband’s death and offered to take it in February 2026. Employees expressed concerns about McLellan’s legal authority but declined to go on the record due to fear of retaliation.

Chancellor Messina stated she was grateful the board took the allegations seriously. "I commend them for ensuring there is a thorough and confidential investigation in accordance with their fiduciary duty to the district," Messina said. Chisti declined to comment due to employee privacy concerns. Esteban did not respond to a request for comment.

The public community college has struggled with fiscal and accreditation crises due to declining enrollment and a 2017 decision to eliminate tuition for San Francisco residents. Messina previously served as president of Spokane Falls Community College and spent ten years as a tenured faculty member at Santa Rosa Junior College. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and a Master of Arts in Spanish from California State University, Sacramento and an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from the University of California, Davis.

The investigation's outcome will determine whether Messina faces disciplinary action or contract modifications.