Tuesday, December 3, 2013

The Veterans Center fubar, part 6: the "other side" re Mark Minkler

     I have entitled this series “The Veterans Center Fubar.” I still believe that there is a Veterans Center Fubar, but it is no longer clear to me that this fubar is the fubar I originally described.
     I have made an effort to “get the other side” of the alarming story, reported here, about the new veterans counselor, Mark Minkler. The essence of that story, I suppose, is that Minkler is a disastrous hire.* Obviously, there are some who suppose, on the contrary, that he is a good hire, that something else entirely is going on here.
     So what would that be?
     At this point, I have spoken with a number of sources, and I do believe that I am able to answer that question on behalf of Mr. Minkler.
     Here then is the other side, near as I can tell:
     Mark Minkler arrived at IVC (in September) under difficult circumstances. First, there was the hiring process. The search committee had to go out twice to find candidates acceptable to the President. An internal candidate sought the job but did not get it. Instead, Minkler did. 
     Let’s just say that, when Minkler arrived at IVC, some people and their associates were disgruntled and directed their negatory passions at Mark Minkler. 
     Second, for years, young military veterans have had a presence at IVC, but a small core of active and like-minded vets have stood out. Owing to their admirable service and various other merits, this core group, with its charismatic de facto leader—a “big fish in a small pond,” some say—were given a wide berth. 
     —Too wide a berth. Essentially, they’ve been left unsupervised, an unhealthy situation. They’ve pretty much had the run of the place, doing as they please, and Minkler’s arrival yielded, among other things, some long overdue push back. 
     At the vet center, this core group have at times created a coarse macho atmosphere that is unattractive, even obnoxious, to some vets, including female vets. Naturally, addressing this matter is a delicate business. None of us should be surprised that it hasn’t been adequately addressed and that Minkler’s arrival pushed the issue to the fore. 
     When Minkler arrived, some of these vets who worked at the Center had grown accustomed to using the office that had now been assigned to Minkler. Naturally, Minkler asked to use that office. In response, the vets became belligerent. There commenced weeks of hazing—objects removed, curious messages left on the whiteboard, locked doors mysteriously unlocked and opened, etc. They started mispronouncing Minkler’s name or calling him “Stinkler.” 
     Meanwhile, within two weeks of Minkler’s arrival, a faculty member—a certain disgruntled personage—filed a complaint against him. (HR investigated the matter and eventually cleared him.) That was followed by a series of student complaints—all filed by the disgruntled crowd. 
     Contrary to reports, Minkler has not sought to be protected from the vets or to be moved out of the Center away from them. The campus police, concerned about email threats to Minkler, moved him upstairs with the other counselors. In fact, Mark Minkler is well liked by the veterans he has counseled (none of the complainers are in that category). The core group has tried to poison the vet community against him, but it has not succeeded. 
     In truth, Minkler is not the sort to treat faculty and students badly. He has no history of such behavior. 
     The long and short of it is this: Minkler is being “Swiftboated.” He is not obnoxious; nor is he incompetent. He has run afoul of a disgruntled faculty member and some young men who have grown accustomed to unaccountability and who have now encountered someone who is holding them to account. 
     And that’s what this is all about. [END]
     We welcome your (thoughtful) comments.
     We'll sort this out eventually.

   *Readers are encouraged to remember that not all issues regarding the vet center concern the new veterans counselor.

   †Some of these young men had work-study jobs. Then, somehow, they wrangled part-time project specialist gigs that tripled their pay. Some, no doubt, are hard workers; but it is not clear that all of them are.

21 comments:

Anonymous said...

I forgot about "swiftboating"! And now he is Secy. of State - how can that happen? Good post. Everything is more complicated than appears. Always.

Anonymous said...

Terrible Post! The veterans went to your blog for help on the situation they are in and you somehow agree that Linda and Glenn hired the right guy and did nothing wrong? I'm sure Glenn is smiling reading this right now. Great job Roy

Roy Bauer said...

We need to hear from the other side.
Now we have.
Is there an element of this account that you question?
Specify.
The initial complaint filed against Minkler was investigated. I am told that he was cleared. Either that is true or it is not.
Is it true that some veterans created a coarse atmosphere at the vet center? Is it true that some made rude remarks about the anatomy of passing females?
Is it true that Minker did not request being moved upstairs? Is it true that that action was instigated, not by Minkler, but by campus police?
Etc. Much of this concerns matters of fact. One side says one thing; the other side says something else. It is not impossible to determine where the truth lies.
We will pursue these matters; we will seek to arrive at the truth.

Anonymous said...

I don't know if it is good or terrible but it's sure is strange. A more complex picture is emerging. I would still like to know what happened with Darryl Cox. I would still like to know about the transition period and systematic disenfranchisement of people who started the place. What happened to the Wells Fargo money? What about the secret filming? How come counslors and administrators get to talk to students the way they do? While I don't quite believe all of the above I think some core issues have not been addressed. I think it has been good to air these issues no matter what so I will not criticize the blog. The blog has been a big help bringing attention to this. Thank you.

Anonymous said...

What a mess. I feel for all sides.

Anonymous said...

This school has committed more resources and done more for veterans than most other schools in California. The ungrateful malcontents keep saying "the vets" like they represent every military related student on campus. There are over 250 veteran, active duty, and spouses/dependents on campus, and the Vet Center was built for all of them, and all the vets to come in the future. The complainers don't care about anyone else but themselves, and they are a tiny minority of the veteran population. It's time for them to grow up and get over themselves. It's "Duty, Honor, Country", not "me, me, me".

Anonymous said...

If this core group of veterans were so inappropriate, why did Glen, Linda, and Morley use them like pawns at previously specified dog and pony shows since 2010?

Why was this core group of "macho, unattractive, even obnoxious" veterans asked to rally up vets to go to events that showcase how much IVC cares about veterans, give speeches at these events, go to dinners and talk to donors for Morley and tell them how helpful IVC had been to them and their academic careers? Why was a center built if this core group was encouraging such a disgusting environment in the previous centers in the Library and upstairs in the current EOPS spaces?

Anonymous said...

"This school has committed more resources and done more for veterans than most other schools in California." Really? Where is that breakdown?

Anonymous said...

All good questions. I think the truth must be somewhere that no one wants to look.

Anonymous said...

10:16, my thoughts exactly. The "core" group has never been disrespectful to me or anyone in my presence. And, I'm around them often. GR and crowd got what they want out of them, so subdue them and castrate the operation. I'm sorry, I've met Minkler and interacted with him more than once. Less than stellar impression was made. He seems confused a large amount of the time. Sorry Mark. Maybe he just is not a good fit? Time for someone to step up and do the right thing, Mark.

Anonymous said...

Exactly

Anonymous said...

Thank you Roy for taking the time to listen to both sides, I greatly apprreciate it. Seems that there was a lack of supervision for a few unruly students and hopefully a code of conduct will be reviewed by all who participate in using the Vet Center. I am dissapointed that a handful of students think it is ok to conduct themselves in an unprofessional manner with innappropriate behavior and cat calling towards our female students and staff. I do hope in the future that in the future if students who do not conduct themselves in a negative way are punished like any other student.
I would like to commend Mr. Minkler for setting professional standards to the veteran students. This is a College of Higher Learning not a barn. I would also like to commend the veteran students who are working hard in class for their educational goals.
In the future I believe there needs to be much more thought put into place when selecting students as Project Specialists to work in the Veterans Center.

Merry Christmas.

Anonymous said...

Hi Mark, Merry Christmas to you too

Anonymous said...

If you think this is about 4 or 5 vets being unhappy you are totally wrong. Some of you are to quick to condemn the vet's without experiencing what some of them have gone through. Do you really think adjusting to civilian life is always smooth. If we are as an institution really concerned about vet's we need to treat them with respect. You can't come in shouting orders to combat veterans. Just mt thoughts.

Anonymous said...

Everyone involved need to step back and take a deep breath before this situation get's too out of hand. I'm getting phone calls from other vet's wondering what in the hell is going on at IVC and the vet program. Folks this is getting embarrassing.

Anonymous said...

This has been embarrassing for a long time - it's just that people are finally noticing it. It's funny what embarrasses you. The marginalization of students that the college has depended on and used for fundraising and PR is embarrassing. The manner in which administrators and faculty are allowed to speak to students (and the vets are students you know) is embarrassing. The process which created, sustained and now is trying to cover up this is embarrassing.

Besides, there are worse things than being embarrassed - though I don't know how someone can be embarrassed by the fact people are expressing themselves. Free speech. Robust speech. We're taught that this is a good thing.

Failing to serve the real needs of students in effective ways at the expense of a self-serving agenda is much more embarrassing. That is what has happened.

Anonymous said...

I saw this coming. RB was initially wrong, then he was doing some backpedalage, and finally the truth came out, only it doesn't fit his little narritive anymore. Thanks for finally doing some research and setting the record straight, although we all know you had your heart set on a FUBAR so you could make admin look bad, because that's what you do. Anyway, it looks like Minkler has been vindicated! Merry Christmas Mr. Minkler and keep up the good work!

Those snot-nosed core of vets should be expelled, and that faculty member who went along with their little scam should be diciplined.

Roy Bauer said...

This is part 6. There's a part 7. And 8. Can't read that fast, eh? Let us know what you reach the present day.

Anonymous said...

Hahaha Minkler has been vindicated? What kind of stuff are you smoking? Everyone still hates Minkler's guts, including 99% of the veteran population. So by "core group of vets" you mean most of them. Nice try Minkler, you are pathetic just like this comment that you left.

Anonymous said...

Mark Minkler does great work no matter what those yahoos' say, plus he's got all the experience to boot!

Anonymous said...

Minkler has never been a counselor before in his life. This is his first counseling job ever. I am confused about what experience you speak of because it surely isn't in counseling or helping students.

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...