Santa Barbara City College Superintendent-President Anthony Beebe announced on Friday that he will retire from the position this summer, due to ongoing health issues.

Beebe made the statement in an open note to the SBCC community. 

“After 31 years in education, I have decided to retire this summer, after serving SBCC for three years,” he wrote. “This was not planned, but as many of you know, I have been struggling with significant health-related issues, including cancer and heart problems.  

“Not addressing these issues has caught up with me, and I now need to focus on my health,” Beebe continued. “I want to express my sincere gratitude to the Santa Barbara City College community for permitting me the incredible experience, opportunity and honor to serve as your Superintendent/President.”

Beebe also thanked the college’s Board of Trustees for their “consistent and unwavering support,” adding that “while my time here has been challenging, we have had many memorable experiences and several accomplishments of which to be proud.”

He had previously told the Board of Trustees his decision, and SBCC has not yet announced a plan to find Beebe’s successor. 

“We recognize that the last three years have not always been easy,” Robert Miller, SBCC board president, said in a statement. “Our college has faced, and continues to face, very difficult conversations and challenging issues. 

“We have complete confidence that Dr. Beebe is moving the college in the right direction and putting into place positive change,” he continued.

The board plans to appoint an interim Superintendent-President, Miller said.

Beebe’s decision comes after conversations of race-related and discrimination issues have been at the forefront of recent SBCC board meetings and on campus, including the vice president of business services being placed on leave after publicly using a racial slur, as The Channels has reported. 

Beebe was hired in mid-2016 and previously worked as president of San Diego City College.

— Noozhawk staff writer Brooke Holland can be reached at bholland@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.