Biden Appoints SDCCD's Constance Carroll, Starry Group To President's Committee On Arts, Humanities

By Editor, Times of San Diego

April 14, 2023

San Diego Community College District Chancellor Emerita Constance Carroll is among a star-studded group of appointees to the President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities.

President Joe Biden named 24 new members to the panel, which plays a role in the advancement of arts and humanities education along with cultural diplomacy.

Other appointees include musicians Lady Gaga and Jon Batiste, actors George Clooney, Jennifer Garner and Kerry Washington, and film and television producers Bruce Cohen and Shonda Rhimes.

Carroll served as the district’s chancellor from 2004 to 2021. Once she retired, she became president of the California Community College Baccalaureate Association, a nonprofit organization that supports programs offering four-year degrees at the state’s community colleges.

The President’s Committee was founded in 1982 to advise the executive branch on cultural policy. The First Lady serves as honorary chair, and its membership includes prominent artists, scholars and philanthropists who have demonstrated a serious commitment to the arts and humanities.

Designated agency heads such as the chairs of the National Endowments for the Humanities and the Arts and the Librarian of Congress, among others, also hold committee spots.

The committee facilitates public-private partnerships, promotes interagency cooperation, and proposes programs that enhance arts, humanities, museums and library services across the country.

“The arts and humanities are central to our understanding of history, cultures, expression, and the myriad issues associated with the quality of life, both in America and around the world, Carroll said. “I look forward to this opportunity for national service and to contributing to the work of the committee in shaping policy, addressing issues and identifying opportunities in these fields.”

Before becoming chancellor of the San Diego Community College District, Carroll served as president of three community colleges, San Diego Mesa, Saddleback and Indian Valley.

Carroll received her bachelor’s degree in humanities from Duquesne University, and a master’s degree and Ph.D. in classics from the University of Pittsburgh.

This is not her first presidential appointment. Carroll was nominated in 2011 by President Barack Obama and confirmed by the U.S. Senate to serve on the National Humanities Council, an affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, a position she still holds.

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