Rollin C. Richmond

Rollin C. Richmond has been president of Humboldt State University in Arcata, California, since 2002. Before taking that position he was provost and genetics professor at Iowa State University. He has also served various positions at the State University of New York at Stony Brook, the University of South Florida, and Indiana University.

Richmond is known for his support of research on the Humboldt State campus and for his own research contributions, having generated more than eighty publications on the genetic mechanisms of evolution and the genetic bases for the effects of psychoactive drugs in fruit flies.

Richmond has been involved with controversies during his three-year tenure. He has provided a strong dissenting voice in the recent debate over medicinal marijuana in Arcata. He is concerned that Humboldt County's liberal stance toward the use of marijuana may be driving away prospective students at a time when enrollment is falling short of campus goals.

One month after Richmond's investiture at Humboldt State, he successfully breached the wall against construction of a new behavioral and social sciences building on campus. Richmond worked with the city of Arcata to drop a major lawsuit regarding designs of the building.

The Associated Students of Humboldt State censured President Richmond on April 18, 2007 after he proposed a student fee increase against the recommendation of the Fee Advisory Committee and the Associated Students. They are currently working on a vote of no confidence.