Former Santiago Canyon College president files lawsuit against district over allegations of enrollment fraud.
Former Santiago Canyon College President Jeannie Kim has initiated legal proceedings against the Rancho Santiago Community College District, claiming that she was subjected to retaliation for whistleblowing after raising alarms regarding suspected fraudulent student enrollments at the district’s two colleges. The lawsuit was filed on September 16 in the Orange County Superior Court.
The complaint details that Kim, who garnered a reputation for addressing alleged enrollment fraud at Santiago Canyon and Santa Ana colleges, began to experience increasing scrutiny and negative treatment from district administrators after voicing her concerns. In November 2025, she faced a vote of no confidence from the faculty group at Santiago Canyon College.
Following a medical leave taken in May 2026, Kim was informed by the district of the Board of Trustees’ decision to remove her from her presidential position. Subsequently, she was placed on paid administrative leave. Currently, Enrique Perez, the college’s Vice Chancellor, is serving as the acting president.
Kim’s lawsuit encompasses allegations of whistleblower retaliation, as well as gender and racial discrimination. She maintains that her professional standing was undermined due to her advocacy against fraudulent enrollments, coupled with other factors related to her medical leave. As remedies, Kim is seeking financial compensation, including damages for lost wages and benefits, as well as attorney fees, and she is also pursuing reinstatement to her role as president.
The lawsuit outlines Kim’s concerns that arose in 2023 regarding fraudulent enrollments at Santiago Canyon College and Santa Ana College. She suspected that automated systems or “bots” were being used for deceptive enrollments, leading to potential financial discrepancies with state funding tied to these enrollments. Kim communicated her apprehensions to Chancellor Marvin Martinez and Vice Chancellor Perez, emphasizing the differing approaches each college adopted in tackling this issue.
At Santiago Canyon, steps were taken to mitigate enrollment fraud through the implementation of artificial intelligence technology beginning in Fall 2024. This initiative reportedly reduced fraudulent enrollments but coincided with a notable 14% drop in overall credit enrollment figures. Conversely, Santa Ana College allegedly continued allowing questionable enrollments.
As her concerns evolved, Kim questioned the financial implications that decreasing enrollment would have on the district’s budget, particularly considering union contracts being negotiated by the chancellor. She asserts that her warnings about future financial shortfalls led to heightened scrutiny and retaliatory actions against her.
The tensions continued to escalate, leading to Kim formally warning district officials about the legal risks associated with accepting state funds linked to fraudulent enrollments. This prompted a defensive reaction from her colleagues, who suggested legal counsel might need to address her whistleblower allegations. Increased hostilities from district officials followed, further complicating Kim’s professional environment.
In December 2025, amidst growing scrutiny over fraudulent enrollments, state auditors began their investigation into Santiago Canyon College, where they interviewed Kim regarding the college’s efforts to address these issues. The findings from this audit remain pending.
After undergoing a medical leave in early 2026 due to personal health challenges, Kim returned to find significant changes and a strained work atmosphere, culminating in her removal from the presidency and subsequent administrative leave.
The Rancho Santiago Community College District has acknowledged challenges regarding fraudulent enrollment attempts but has vehemently disputed Kim’s allegations of knowingly accepting fraudulent funding. The ongoing legal proceedings come at a time when the college district is already facing additional leadership controversies, including the recent administrative leave of Chancellor Martinez amid undisclosed allegations.
This multifaceted dispute not only sheds light on internal governance issues within the Rancho Santiago Community College District but also underscores the broader implications of accountability and transparency in educational administration.
