BCCC President Debra McCurdy to Resign This December

Baltimore City Community College president will depart her leadership role on December 31, 2026.

Updated on Oct. 30, 2026 in Financial Aid

Bold flat-color editorial illustration depicting a generic brick academic building facade, representing institutional leadership changes. — Baltimore City Community College President Debra McCurdy announced her resignation effective December 31, 2026, amid ongoing institutional administrative and financial challenges. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Debra McCurdy will resign from her position as president of Baltimore City Community College on December 31, 2026. The institution's board is preparing to share a transition plan with the campus community in the coming days.

Why it matters

The leadership change follows a recent legislative audit that identified over $250,000 in financial aid funds distributed to fictitious students at the college. This administrative turnover arrives as the institution navigates long-term enrollment declines and new labor agreements.

Founded in 1947, the college currently offers 30 associate degree programs and serves approximately 3,700 students. In 2026, the institution ratified its first union contract, which included a 9% pay raise for members.

The players

Debra McCurdy

She has served as the president of Baltimore City Community College since 2019.

Kurt Schmoke

He is a prominent academic administrator who plans to retire from the University of Baltimore in 2027.

The details

McCurdy communicated her resignation via email to faculty and staff following a tenure that began in 2019. The college, which counts 48% of its students as Pell Grant recipients and has a student body that is two-thirds Black, has seen a nearly 20-year trend of declining enrollment.

1947: Baltimore City Community College was established.
2019: Debra McCurdy began her term as president.
Summer 2026: A legislative audit uncovered financial aid issued to fictitious students.
December 31, 2026: Debra McCurdy will formally vacate her presidential office.
June 30, 2027: Kurt Schmoke is scheduled to retire from the University of Baltimore.

Culture Shift

The leadership change at Baltimore City Community College reflects the broader pressure on urban institutions to demonstrate fiscal accountability while addressing long-term demographic enrollment shifts. This transition signals an effort to stabilize operations amidst heightened scrutiny of public fund distribution.

Students and faculty can expect the board to release a transition plan regarding college leadership in the coming days. The administrative shift may influence how the college manages its ongoing 30 associate degree programs and future financial aid disbursements.

The takeaway

Maintaining strict oversight of student data is essential for institutions to preserve public trust and secure future federal funding. Stakeholders should monitor upcoming board communications to understand how the new leadership will address the identified audit deficiencies.