When asking students around campus, “Do you know who the current President of Green River College is?,” most respond with a confused, “Uhh, no.” For many students, this reflects the legacy of Dr. Suzanne Johnson’s, decade-long career at the college.
Once a familiar face in the halls, “Dr. J” was known for events llike “pizza with the president” and “Dialogue with Dr. J,” where she would talk to students in attendance and ask them a specific question, like “how’s the quarter going for you?,” or other questions that showed she cared about Green River Students, recalled Dean of Campus Life, Dani Crivello Chang. However, the broader campus community, had noticed a change in public appearance since the budgeting crisis.
On February 2, 2026, in the Zgolinski Center Board Room, only a handful gathered after the previous Board of Trustees meeting ended abruptly, the room left nearly empty with Trustee Navas and a few attendees remaining. A last-minute notice with little explanation hung over the room, curiosity building about the purpose of the meeting as Board memebers entered one by one. Then, Chair Navas, announced the session would move into an executive meeting, signaling certain discussions would continue behind closed doors.
After twenty minutes of tense silence, the board members returned, and the energy in the atmosphere shifted dramatically. Fighting back tears, Mrs. Navas announced that Suzanne Johnson would be removed from her position as Green River College President, effective immediately. Stepping in as Interim President is George Frasier, who had been serving as the college’s Vice President for College Advancement and Executive Director of the Green River College Foundation.
The room was filled with tears and words of praise for Dr. Johnson’s contributions— many saying she did an “amazing job” and that she would be missed. However, some critics say that her lack of transparency and engagement left most students unaware of who she was, unless their professors had mentioned her. What’s more puzzling was the abruptness of her removal, especially considering she had signed a two-year contract recently. Furthermore, her sudden departure fell on her 65th birthday, when she also becomes fully able to retire, the timing is questionable as it fell shortly before the college‘s accreditation review. Dr. Johnson’s sudden departure raises questions about what underlying issues might be happening behind the scenes– which seems to be a pattern of history repeating itself at Green River College.
So, who will become the next President of Green River College, and what direction will Interim President George Frasier set in the meantime? As the campus community begins to engage with its new leadership, attention turns to how upcoming challenges will be addressed and what the transition may signal for the college’s future.
