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Dr. Donald Guy Generals
On April 10, the CCP Board of Trustees voted to relieve Generals of his duties, placing him on paid administrative leave until his contract expires in June. The decision came just two weeks after the college announced a tentative agreement with the Faculty and Staff Federation, which represents college employees.
"I've asked, 'Give me an objective reason why you would not renew my contract,'" Generals said during a recent interview with WURD radio host Solomon Jones. "I think there's still a lot of work to be done. I've crafted a vision that I thought was the vision we should be heading towards. Having been in higher ed and community colleges for 40 years, I think I know the field quite well."
Generals' departure comes during a challenging period for higher education institutions nationwide. His tenure at CCP, which began in 2014, has been marked by several accomplishments, including the launch of programs for returning citizens, housing solutions for students, dual enrollment partnerships with high schools, and vocational training initiatives. Under his leadership, CCP also partnered with the city to create the City College for Municipal Employment last year, aimed at preparing students for careers in local government.
"We have a full complement of workforce development programs out in West Philly on Market and 48th streets. We just landed a $2.7 million agreement with the Navy pipeline project," Generals noted, defending his administration's performance. "All of the objective factors, as to what relates to a good college are there."
Board of Trustees chairman Harold Epps acknowledged some of these achievements in a statement, highlighting "five semifinalists for the Jack Kent Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship, the first cohort to graduate from the City College of Municipal Employment and three consecutive years of semester-over-semester enrollment growth."
One of the most notable milestones during Generals' presidency came in 2018 when Haziz Hardeman became the first CCP graduate to earn a prestigious Rhodes scholarship after transferring to Temple University.
Prior to his appointment at CCP, Generals served as vice president of academic affairs at Mercer County Community College in New Jersey. His hiring at CCP in 2014 was not without controversy, as some critics pointed to his previous leadership role as provost at the now-defunct Katharine Gibbs School of New York, which faced significant challenges before closing.
When asked about the future of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives at CCP following his departure, particularly programs like the Center for Male Engagement that supports Black male students, Generals expressed confidence that the college would maintain its commitment to these values.
"I think the college will continue to support the basic principles," he said. "Our efforts have never been exclusionary. They've been inclusionary and we've made the effort to ensure that when we talk about diversity, equity and inclusion, the focus is on including opportunity and access."
Despite his removal from day-to-day operations, Generals will continue to receive compensation through June but will not oversee any additional events, including the upcoming commencement ceremony in May. The board has indicated plans to appoint an interim president shortly, followed by "an extensive search for a permanent president."
As for his future plans, Generals made it clear he is "not retiring" and has already been contacted by other institutions about potential opportunities. He has committed to remaining in Philadelphia at least until his son, a high school junior, graduates.
The Faculty and Staff Federation did not respond to requests for comment.
