Cabrillo College President Matt Wetstein announces retirement

After serving as Cabrillo College president for more than seven years, Matt Wetstein announced his retirement Monday night. His last day will be Dec. 31. 

“It’s an amazing place, I mean that,” he said about Cabrillo College during Monday’s meeting of the school’s governing board. “I’ve enjoyed every moment of it.” 

During the meeting, Wetstein said he’s staying on through December to give the board time to find a replacement and to ensure that major projects, such as the joint housing project with UC Santa Cruz, continue to run smoothly. 

The college president – who’s turning 62 in September – added that he and his wife are excited to enjoy their retirement. He told Lookout he feels “bittersweet but also very content with the decision.” 

“It’s time for me to move on,” he said during the meeting. “Cindy and I have some plans we’d like to do in retirement, which includes travel while we’re healthy, and this will give us an opportunity to do that. I think that’ll give adequate time for the board and the college to think about a replacement.” 

Wetstein joined Cabrillo College in February 2018 from San Joaquin Delta College in Stockton, where he was assistant superintendent and vice president of instruction and planning. He has over 29 years of experience in public higher education, ranging from his political science teaching to administrative leadership roles. He co-authored three books about the Canadian Supreme Court, one about U.S. abortion politics and more than a dozen articles covering judicial behavior, abortion politics and community college student success. 

He led the college through successes, tragedy and controversy over the years, including its joint housing project with UCSC, responding to the 2020 CZU Complex fire and the COVID-19 pandemic and navigating the college’s name-change exploration. The Aptos Chamber of Commerce named Wetstein its 2019 Man of the Year, and the Santa Cruz County Chamber of Commerce named him 2024 Person of the Year.   

“One of the hardest [moments] was the whole COVID shutdown, keeping the college safe, pivoting to online instruction,” Wetstein said. “There was a lot of disruptive change – it was difficult, but also learned a lot.” 

He added that the college’s name-change process was challenging. 

“It was both enjoyable but hard, going through the name-change process, community forums and trying to educate people about that whole conversation,” he said. “It was hard for the college, hard for the community, and I hope that there’s not a lasting negativity from that.” 

He said he feels that some of his favorite memories are of the students, of how they showed “grit and the drive and the smarts” and of how faculty and staff supported students. 

Wetstein recalled a “brilliant” student who lost her home in the CZU Complex fire. He said she nearly stopped her studies, but an emergency grant from the Cabrillo College Foundation helped her stay on track. With that grant, she was able to find another place to live. He wrote a recommendation letter for her application to a master’s degree program in astronomy at Wesleyan University in Connecticut – where she was accepted. 

“It was really gratifying to see how happy she was and where she was landing,” he said. “It was such a perfect fit for her.” 

Wetstein said memories like these are some of his fondest at Cabrillo College. And while he’s enjoyed working for the college, he said he feels it’s time for someone else to “take the reins.” 

Following his retirement, he’ll return to Stockton, where he and his wife have a home. Wetstein said they’re looking forward to bike rides to the area’s wineries, swimming and lots of travel. 

“Cindy really wants to go back to Greece. She went there as a kid at the age of 9,” he said. “And I really want to go to see the Australian Open in Australia and then to New Zealand. So what we have to figure out is which one goes first – Australia, New Zealand or Greece?” 

The Cabrillo College governing board will create a search committee to select a new president whom it plans to have take on the role in January 2026.

Additional items from the governing board meeting

Prior to Wetstein’s announcement, the governing board approved several items related to the joint affordable-housing project with UCSC. The trustees unanimously approved several agreements with the developer, Greystar Development LLC, that allow the college to continue advancing the project. 

The housing project will be located next to the softball fields at Cabrillo’s Aptos campus and will create 376 beds for Cabrillo students and 248 beds for UCSC students. The college hopes to break ground this fall and plans for students to move into the units in fall 2027.

The cost for a bed at the proposed housing project in 2024 was projected to be about $1,046 a month. 

Residents will have access to an on-site child care facility, a wellness and counseling center, a bike center, fitness area, study spaces and recreation rooms, and each building will have laundry.

While the housing portion of the project is funded through bonds, the child care facility isn’t fully funded by the bonds. The state’s Higher Education Student Housing Grant Program awarded the college bond funding for housing for the students for the project, so it can’t be used for a child care facility. 

Wetstein said the college is fundraising a total of $4 million for the fixtures, furnishing and infrastructure like bathrooms for children. Cabrillo has already raised about $2.5 million and is applying for additional grants from philanthropic organizations and agencies. 

The complex will have 101 four-bedroom units, 33 two-bedrooms for single occupancy, 31 two-bedrooms for double occupancy, 21 two-bedroom family units, three one-bedroom family units and six studios for resident assistants.

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