After taking a period of emergency family leave to care for his parents, Chancellor of the San Diego Community College District Carlos Cortez resigned effective immediately, according to a May 1 press release from the district.

District Vice Chancellor of People, Culture, and Technology Services Greg Smith will serve as acting chancellor until further notice.

“I am incredibly proud of the progress we have made together over the past two years on behalf of our students and community we serve. My time at the District, both as President of the College of Continuing Education and as District Chancellor, have been the highlight of my career thus far,” Cortez wrote in the press release.

The District Board of Trustees expressed their gratitude to Cortez in the press release for the progress he made at the district regarding enrollment, increasing financial stability and re-opening in-person instruction after the COVID-19 pandemic.

This is a developing story.