How the union operates (late ’97): Bauer once again pisses off Sherry Miller-White

From the ‘Vine, 11/8/97 [Then, a newsletter of the IVC School of Humanities]

Bauer pisses off Sherry Miller-White 

You will recall that I was chosen as “division rep” for our school in February (or March?). For a time, Steve R. (of Fine Arts) and I were recognized as division reps by Sherry M-W. Then, during the meeting of April 28, we were told that, since the union was now forced (by Steve and Roy, among others) to follow the bylaws, Steve and I could not be recognized as reps, for (said Sherry), according to the bylaws, elections are held in August, and we weren’t elected then. (In fact, the bylaws—or at least the bylaws identified by Sherry as current at that time—said no such thing; they said that elections are held in April.) 

When, however, August rolled around and we raised the question of rep elections again, we were told that division rep elections occur every two years, and so we would have to wait for another year to be elected. 

This, of course, means that, except for Ray “Die Hard” Chandos, no IVC faculty are in the union’s Representative Council—its decision-making body, which includes, among others, division reps. 

Just before October’s meeting, Julie had heard that two Saddleback faculty had recently been elected and recognized by Sherry as division reps. “Why then,” we asked, “aren’t Steve and Roy also recognized as duly elected division reps?” 

So some of us went to the meeting to ask that very question. 

When the meeting started, however, it was obvious that the small group in attendance could not possibly constitute a quorum. Sherry, of course, made no effort to determine whether a quorum had been achieved. Therefore, I asked: “Do you have a quorum?” Sherry responded by ignoring me. I decided to ask the same question every few seconds, with indifference to whatever else was going on. This eventually caused Sherry to say: “According to Roberts’ Rules of Order, I don’t have to recognize you, and I don’t.” (I wonder who she was talking to?) 

She proceeded to ignore me most furiously, but I kept asking about the quorum and about the unfairness of ignoring IVC “rep” elections while recognizing Saddleback “rep” elections, etc. Eventually, one of the Rep. Council members—a nubie—said, “Why doesn’t somebody answer this guy’s question?” 

Sherry wasn’t about to answer my questions. Instead, she announced that the “closed session” would now commence, and that, therefore, those who were not members of the Rep. Council should leave. I, however, was not inclined to leave, for, in my view, I’m on the Rep. Council. I kept asking my questions (calmly, as before), and Sherry grew angry and peevish. After a few seconds, Steve and Bob persuaded me to leave the room with them (and Julie, et al.), and so we left without incident. 

Harry Paramer

While we waited (for over an hour!) outside the meeting room, we learned that Sherry [or Ann Hagerty?] had called the cops! Big old Harry Parmer showed up with a bemused look on his face. He explained that, evidently, Sherry had called for cops, but, three minutes later, she called them off. Parmer decided to show up anyway, just for laughs I guess. 

Though we were told that the closed session would last only a few minutes, the door did not open for over an hour. When it did, the meeting was over. No apologies were offered. 

One person who emerged from the room (I forget his name) assured Steve, Julie, and I that a special election of FA members would be held to consider whether Steve and I should be allowed to be division reps, despite an alleged “technicality” that precluded that. Apparently, that is what they had been discussing during the lengthy closed session.