Chattanooga State President James Catanzaro Announces His Retirement

Catanzaro released the following statement: “I love this college and our community. We’ve made extraordinary strides over the past 24 years so that Chattanooga State stands out as one of the very best community colleges in the nation. We have heard this from the national community college leaders who visited us: John Roueche, Terry O’Banion, and the American Association of Community Colleges CEO Walter Bumphus. Certainly these men know community colleges. The THEC outcomes Report positioned us as the highest achieving public college or university in the state. It has been a college-wide effort with strong System support. We can all be proud to be ‘Chattanooga Staters’. I’m immensely proud to have been part of such a distinguished campus community. Hopefully, new leadership will take Chattanooga State even further. I am announcing my retirement effective December 31. Rhonda and I wish you all the very best.”

Catanzaro came under fire recently when a majority of faculty members voted they had no confidence in him.  That vote came after questions surrounding the hiring of Lisa Haynes from Barbados, as the Chief Innovations Officer.  She makes a six-figure salary, but doesn’t have a college degree as the position and her work visa require. 

Faculty members said the no confidence vote was about more than just Haynes.  They said Catanzaro’s leadership style was vindictive.  They were also weary of his handling of the college’s money, in addition to his hiring practices.