Jeff DeFranco reflects on LTCC successes before announcing his departure at the end of term

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – The Lake Tahoe Community College (LTCC) Superintendent/President Jeff DeFranco held a special community meeting on Tuesday evening, highlighting the college’s transformation over the last decade. As he wove the story of the college’s shift since his arrival in 2012 as a vice-president and then in 2017 as president, he spoke of the school’s successes and growth before wrapping up the evening that may have caught many by surprise – by announcing he was leaving the LTCC in June.

DeFranco said he decided at a young age that he wanted to be the president of a college, and spent the years working towards that goal. His next job will be that of a senior advisory role at Arizona State University as special advisor to the provost on Academic Alliance Strategy. DeFranco said he will still call South Lake Tahoe his home base with his family, but will travel in Arizona and California or wherever the job takes him.

Under his leadership, the college reached record enrollment of 2,431 full-time equivalent students in the 2024-25 academic year – a 40 percent increase. Degree completions have grown by 112 percent. Annual institutional revenue has climbed from approximately $20 million in 2016-17 to approximately $48 million today, a 140 percent increase reflecting the college’s expanded reach and entrepreneurial approach.

Thanks to the passage of Measure F, the physical campus grew as well with the addition of four new buildings and a modernization of a third of the existing campus spaces, including classrooms, instructional labs, and student support spaces.

LTCC Board Trustee Jeff Cowen said DeFranco has been laser-focused on improving the lives of students during his tenure.

“Tonight is looking back at progress, accomplishments of the last 10 years, and the future,” said Cowen. “The monteum of the organization is so thrilling,” 

The list of accomplishments of the LTCC team under DeFranco’s leadership is a long one, with some of the highlights listed here:

• The college is on track to break ground on the Tahoe Basin Public Safety Training Complex this May. The 100,000-square-foot public safety program training tarmac and associated assets reflect a project that DeFranco has been working toward throughout his tenure at LTCC.
• The Lake Tahoe College Promise program has provided up to three years of tuition-free education and textbook support for eligible residents on the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe and all of California.
• One of his first iconic shifts was the new coyote mascot after the kokanee salmon. An element of small but mighty – like the coyote, an idea the campus embraced in 2017.
• The creation of the Basic Needs Center to help students with food and other needs eight years ago. “It’s hard to have a full mind without a full belly,” said DeFranco.
• Seven years of off-campus housing, something he hopes to increase in the next two years.
• The graduation rate of those in the Promise Program is well above the national community college average of 30 percent. DeFranco commented, “The growth and the success of the Promise Program was made possible by the generous support of the LTCC Foundation and their donors, as well as the tireless work of staff and faculty in supporting these students on their educational journeys.” The Lake Tahoe Promise is one of the state’s flagship programs and supports the community on both the Nevada and California sides of the lake. There are 401 active promise students on campus now – 40-42 percent want to be out in three years, above the national average. The Lake Tahoe College Promise program has provided up to three years of tuition-free education and textbook support for eligible residents on the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe and all of California.
• The college’s first-ever on-campus student housing facility after a decade of planning and vision.
• The college is on track to break ground on the Tahoe Basin Public Safety Training Complex this May. The 100,000-square-foot public safety program training tarmac and associated assets reflect a project that DeFranco has been working toward throughout his tenure at LTCC.
• One of his first iconic shifts was the new coyote mascot after the kokanee salmon. An element of small but mighty – like the coyote, an idea the campus embraced in 2017.
• The creation of the Basic Needs Center to help students with food and other needs eight years ago. “It’s hard to have a full mind without a full belly,” said DeFranco.
• Seven years of off-campus housing, something he hopes to increase in the next two years.
• The Rising Scholars program educates imprisoned people, something DeFranco said is “life-changing” for those students.
• There has been a 112 percent increase in degrees awarded at LTCC, and a 656 percent increase in the number of certificates earned.

There has also been an expansion in the school’s career and technical programs, and the addition of the Tahoe Basin Public Safety Training Complex will be a game-changer. There will be a groundbreaking in May, with completion slated for 2027. DeFranco said they will be training people to respond to emergencies, protect the forests, and protect those in the backcountry.

“Our graduates are saving your lives,” said DeFranco.

DeFranco and his team have been looking for new four-year colleges to offer degrees at the Lisa Maloff Center. He said possible partners by 2027 are the University of Nevada, Reno, Chico State, and Arizona State.

A hallmark of DeFranco’s presidency was the ability to raise significant funds in support of students and facilities. In partnership with the LTCC Foundation, millions of new dollars were raised for student scholarships and the Lake Tahoe College Promise Program. Annual scholarships awarded to students increased 255 percent, from $104,000 (2017) to $369,000 (2025). There was a targeted effort to secure state and federal funds for LTCC, including securing $7M for the Tahoe Basin Public Safety Training Complex, $11M for the Remodel for Efficiency Classroom and Lab Modernization project, and $39M for the student housing project. Additionally, LTCC received multiple federal grants and earmarks to support its programs.

Tony Sears, Chair of the LTCC Board of Trustees, said: “Jeff DeFranco’s tenure represents one of the most consequential chapters in our institution’s 50-year history. He leaves the college with more students, more resources, and a stronger sense of mission than at any point in our past. We are deeply grateful for his leadership and equally committed to ensuring a smooth transition that honors everything that has been built.