January 30, 2026
Statement from SBCC Board of Trustees President, Jonathan Abboud, on Unauthorized Use of MacKenzie Scott Gift
SANTA BARBARA, Calif., January 30, 2026 - The Santa Barbara City College (SBCC) Board of Trustees is concerned by the unauthorized
use of the 2021 MacKenzie Scott gift funds disclosed by the SBCC Foundation.
While we were disappointed to learn that the MacKenzie Scott funds were used without explicit authorization by either the SBCC Foundation board or the College, SBCC is nevertheless grateful to the SBCC Foundation’s current leadership and staff for identifying the past unauthorized activity and initiating a comprehensive review of the SBCC Foundation's past accounting practices and swiftly improving internal controls. SBCC works closely with the SBCC Foundation, which is a separate legal entity, to support student success and further the institution’s educational mission.
The Board of Trustees has initiated its own investigation into what occurred, consistent with its commitment to sound governance and public trust. The use of the MacKenzie Scott gift will be on the February 19, 2026 Board of Trustees agenda for an initial discussion and to hear public comment.
The SBCC Board will continue to work collaboratively with the SBCC Foundation to address
this matter appropriately and ensure full transparency and accountability for the
use of the gift funds.