Wednesday, January 23, 2013

SOCCCD CHRONICLES: Trustee Jemal takes the tour

     Earlier today, new trustee Tim Jemal was spotted touring Irvine Valley College, speaking with various personnel. I gather that IVC Prez Glenn Roquemore was showing him around.
     We at DtB have always valued and encouraged that sort of thing. We've advocated more and regular visits to the campuses by the governing board. Based on the reports I received (I did not encounter Jemal myself), it sounds as though he was asking good questions, trying to learn the lay of the land. Great!
     Last night, Jemal stirred things up a bit at the monthly Board of Trustees meeting, for he boldly requested three reports: concerning (1) the adequacy of mental health services and facilities for students, (2) the kind and degree of business partnerships at the colleges/campuses, and (3) the effectiveness of CTE programs (Career Technical Education) across the district. Nancy—who, as I recall, endorsed Jemal's trustee candidacy (as did Marcia Milchiker and the likes of Carolyn Inmon)—seemed miffed and sought to have Jemal simply meet with staff and get up to speed. But, largely, Jemal prevailed, and the reports will be generated, though the request for the last and the largest report hasn't yet received a green light. (It seemed to receive Chancellor Gary Poertner's support.) It awaits some estimation of how long producing the thing will take.
     It's kinda nice to see somebody showing up and stirring things up—likely in a very positive way. We'll see, I guess.
     Today, Rebel Girl reminded me how different things are now compared to the days of Tom Fuentes and John Williams. The board is free of such retrograde characters now. It will be interesting to see what kind of trustee Mr. Jemal will turn out to be.
     I have high hopes.

EXACTLY, THREE YEARS AGO:
Mathur canned, Communications Padberged

Related:

• 96 Tears in the Closet - Nancy can't deal with a documentary about an elderly lesbian
• Tomorrow's board meeting, part 3: Saddleback College to be rated "PG" - Gutting a program at SC
• The Student Film/Channel 39 issue (tonight's hot issue)
• Mathur's out - The night they fired his ass
• Chancellor Mathur makes an announcement - Yeah, you decided to retire

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

It's nice to have a trustee show a direct and real interest in the working and learning conditions at IVC.

Anonymous said...

I love the shot of Mathur's white face. He obviously wasn't a happy camper that night. Six months later, he was gone, gone, gone.

Anonymous said...

I wish the trustees visited more regularly to see our classrooms and facilities. That might help them understand us better. I am glad Trustee Jemal seems to understand that - it's one thing to sit in the board room and read the reports people give you - it's another to see it for yourself. Sometimes there is a difference. Perhaps someone can study why IVC's A-100 gets a facelift every two-three years and what that has cost.

Anonymous said...

I remember when Nancy Padberg came to visit and stood int eh A-200 "faculty lounge" expressing her measured shock and dismay about, uh, the size and conditions of the so-called "lounge" and offices. That was years ago. I don't know if she visited classrooms. She should have. That's what the students see. And not the brand new ones either.

Anonymous said...

I have a good feeling about this one.

Roy's obituary in LA Times and Register: "we were lucky to have you while we did"

  This ran in the Sunday December 24, 2023 edition of the Los Angeles Times and the Orange County Register : July 14, 1955 - November 20, 2...