Getting the Job Done for San Francisco City College

A Proven Record of Good Governance

John Rizzo has a proven record of getting things done for San Francisco City College.

Leadership in Covid Safety

In 2021, John coauthored the College's COVID vaccine requirement for students and staff and helped implement a mask mandate and other COVID safety measures. These policies helped ensure that reopening after the COVID shutdowns occurred safely and without major outbreaks. Read More

Ensuring Financial Stability

Eliminated structural deficits and balanced the budget during the COVID crisis, when California's community colleges lost 20% of their students and City College lost vital revenue. The result is that all state and accreditation financial requirements were met. Read more

Building for the Future

As Facilities Chair, John helped secure 100 units of new teacher housing to be built next to the campus. John is working to replace dilapidated old classroom buildings with state-of-the-art classroom facilities that also are low carbon footprint, with construction to start later this year. Read more

About John Rizzo

John Rizzo was first elected to the San Francisco City College Board of Trustees in November 2006. He is currently the Vice President of the Board of Trustees and chairs the Board's Facilities Committee. He also serves on the Board's Budget Committee.

As Facilities Chair, John Rizzo works to ensure that new building projects meet the needs of current and future students, and are completed on time and on budget. He is currently working several projects that will replace dilapidated old buildings with state-of-the-art teaching facilities that are clean, green buildings with a low carbon footprint. He worked on an agreement with a developer to provide teacher housing at Ocean Campus and is now working to provide much-needed student housing.

On the Budget Committee, John has pursued responsible budget solutions in a time of COVID-induced nationwide enrollment decline.

John is also a member of the Standards Review Team of the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC). The task of the team is to review draft revisions to Leadership and Governance accreditation standards and to recommend edits.

John is also a long-time environmental activist with the Sierra Club who received a commendation from the San Francisco Board of Supervisors for his work promoting green energy and fighting new fossil fuel facilities. At City College, he pushed to create the first Sustainability Plan, pushed for LEED Gold and Platinum standards in new buildings, and championed the use of renewable geothermal power at the Ocean Campus.

John Rizzo also served the city as a Commissioner on the Golden Gate Park Concourse Authority, where he worked for improvements to public safety, the lowering of speed limits in the park, and the creation of crosswalks and bicycle lanes.

John previously worked as a technical journalist, and is the author of 14 books about computer technology. He was the publisher and editor of the MacWindows web site. He has also taught adult education and has written educational materials. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering from Rutgers University.

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