City College of San Francisco Investigates Chancellor

The City College of San Francisco is investigating Chancellor Kimberlee S. Messina for allegations that she collects more than her board-approved $350,000 salary and doesn’t follow travel or vacation protocol, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

The board was alerted to Messina’s actions in early September by her executive assistant, Mary Grace Esteban. In a letter to Esteban, Board President Aliya Chisti wrote that CCSF would hire an outside investigator to “conduct a prompt, thorough, and impartial investigation into the allegations,” the San Francisco Chronicle reported.

Chisti declined a request for comment from Inside Higher Ed, citing employee privacy concerns. Neither Esteban nor Messina responded to a request for comment. 

According to the Chronicle, Esteban alleged that Messina receives a monthly stipend without board approval, collects a salary that “appears to be in excess of the salary approved by the board,” has not properly accounted for her used vacation time, did not send travel requests to the board, mischaracterized payments she made to a former finance official and instructed Esteban to track attendance in an atypical way.

Esteban also alleged that she was told to use her CCSF credit card to pay for a group lunch for staff, the Chronicle reported. Esteban later relayed the incident to human resources and was told not to use her card for those purposes. Later, the original calendar invitation was changed and Messina reprimanded Esteban, according to the Chronicle. 

Messina’s three-year contract, which included a $350,000 annual salary and $25,000 for relocation, was approved in June 2025. Meeting minutes show that after her contract was approved, Messina “addressed the board, expressing gratitude and emphasizing shared goals of caring for students and the community, while acknowledging the importance of accountability in her new role.”