SCCCD administrative offices are located at 1171 Fulton Street in downtown Fresno, California. Photographed Wednesday, June 10, 2026.
ERIC PAUL ZAMORA
ezamora@fresnobee.com
With Carole Goldsmith, embattled chancellor of the State Center Community College District, set to retire at the end of the month, the district’s new spokesperson is challenging the timeline of the retirement announcement—which came a few hours ahead of a faculty vote of no-confidence.
On Sept. 2, a day after the district’s regular board meeting, spokesperson Diana Ramirez emailed The Fresno Bee with a new timeline of when exactly Goldsmith announced her retirement. She also included Kirsten Corey, general counsel for the district, in the email.
“There is also some incorrect information in your reporting. Specifically, the vote of no confidence regarding Dr. Goldsmith was announced days later, not hours later. While that may seem like a minor detail, those distinctions can significantly influence how readers interpret a story. Accuracy matters, and it is important that reporting reflects the facts as they occurred,” Ramirez wrote.
Ramirez didn’t provide any reason or documentation to back up the claim, which contradicts reporting from numerous publications and existing public records. The Bee’s records, as well as documentation previously provided by the State Center Federation of Teachers and the district, show that Goldsmith’s retirement announcement came on the same day as the union’s no-confidence vote on Nov. 13, 2025.
In a press release posted last year, SCFT president Keith Ford confirmed that the union met on Nov. 13, and members present unanimously cast a vote of no confidence in Goldsmith.
In an announcement from the district, Goldsmith said she informed the board of her decision to retire on Nov. 13.
The Bee responded to Ramirez that it was standing by previous reporting of the timeline of events. Ramirez did not respond to a follow-up email from The Bee requesting further information to back up her assertion about the new timeline.
District records show Ramirez, listed as Diana Diaz, began her role as executive director of strategic communications for SCCCD on July 20. Her salary is listed at $13,856.83 a month, which works out to about $166,000 a year.
The Fresno Bee
Nick Fenley is a reporter covering education, lawsuits, breaking news and more for The Fresno Bee. He’s originally from the Imperial Valley and joined The Bee in 2025.