Last updated on November 4, 2022
Cabrillo College has dismissed its newly hired vice president of instruction, who has been charged with felony embezzlement from the college he previously worked for.
Cabrillo’s Governing Board approved the termination of Paul De La Cerda, 47, who was hired last summer. He is accused by the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office of over-billing roughly $1,575 for trip-related expenses from 2017 to 2019 from East Los Angeles College.
De La Cerda’s dismissal was recommended by Cabrillo President Matt Wetstein and approved by college trustees Feb. 7. On that day, De La Cerda pleaded not guilty in Los Angeles Superior Court.
He is due back in court on Feb.17.
De La Cerda will continue to be paid the remainder of his $203,000 annual salary through June 30 said Kristin Fabos, the campus public relations official.
He was issued a “notice of non-reemployment,” after initially being placed on administrative leave in December.
Wetstein said in an October interview with The Voice that De La Cerda resigned from the East Los Angeles College in June to join Cabrillo. He declined to comment further but said that the circumstances of De La Cerda’s departure from Los Angeles were known to him and Cabrillo trustees at the time of hiring.
“We made a decision to hire Dr. Paul De La Cerda that followed our normal hiring process for vice-president-level positions, and that included input from a broad representation of our college community,” he said.
De La Cerda has been temporarily replaced by Kathleen Welch, former vice-president of instruction. She will serve until April, by which time Cabrillo hopes to have found a replacement.
De La Cerda has not responded to a request for comment.
