From the 'Vine, 6/30/98
UNTITLED; [by Chunk Wheeler, aka Roy Bauer]
Last week,
I had a conversation with the VP of Instruction, Glenn “Roquee” Roquemore. I
had dropped in to speak to him about persistent rumors to the effect that Raghu
and the Goo Squad were pursuing student complaints about me. The rumors were
perplexing since, first, I could think of nothing that might occasion a
significant student complaint and, second, the student complaint/grievance
process is such that complaints or grievances must always start with a
conference between the student and the instructor and then, if necessary, a
conference between the student and the instructor’s dean. A month had passed
since the close of the spring semester, and neither I nor my dean had heard or
read anything about a complaint.
Well, Glenn and I talked about that. We talked about other
things, too.
It had been a while since Glenn and I had spoken, and so I
took the opportunity to raise some issues that had developed in the meantime.
For instance, I asked him why he had dropped the ball one year ago, when,
during a meeting with Pam Deegan, I urged him to spend a day with me in order
to help overcome the unhealthy atmosphere of distrust and mutual hostility that
had developed between faculty of his area of the campus and mine. At the time,
he and I had just begun our ill-fated tenures as chairs of our respective schools.
During the meeting, Glenn seemed to acknowledge the
felicitousness of my suggestion, but he never again contacted me about it. (I
believe that, after a few weeks, I voice-mailed him to follow-up, but he didn’t
return my message. Serious ball-droppage, that.)
Glenn
readily acknowledged that he had indeed dropped the ball. “But,” he added, “you
have burned bridges with me.” “How so?” I asked. “The KKK cartoon,” he said.
In Glenn’s mind, the
KKK cartoon—which did not appear until the spring of 1998--had offensively
associated him with the KKK.
Again,
I was perplexed, for, in my mind, the cartoon’s “joke” concerned, not the idea
that Glenn (and Sherry) are closet white supremacists--which, somehow, I
doubt--but, rather, the idea that either (i) Glenn and Sherry are liable to
make spectacularly bad judgments or (ii) they are willing, for whatever reason,
to go along with virtually any board innovation or decision, no matter how
idiotic or irresponsible. (“Yeah, sure,
I’ll accept this appointment without the required ratification from the
Academic Senate!” “Engage in a massive reorganization without significant
discussion or input from faculty? Sounds good to me!” Etc.)
After my conversation with Glenn, I talked with two or three
friends about the matter, and they agreed that Glenn’s interpretation of the
cartoon was odd at best. “Perhaps he is incapable of objectivity when he is the
butt of a joke,” offered one friend. “Maybe so,” I said.
I mentioned to Glenn that I had heard about two alleged
complaint episodes. One concerned a remark I allegedly made to a student in
class in the spring; the other concerned my being late for a final exam, again
in the spring. Concerning the first, Glenn claimed to have no knowledge
whatsoever. “Oh,” I said. I told him that I would take him at his word about
that. (Bad move. Later, it became very clear that Glenn had discussed the
matter long before my conversation with him.)
I pressed Glenn concerning the remaining “complaint.” I
noted that, if there were a complaint against me, then the student in question
should contact me or at least my dean. Neither I nor my dean had been
contacted, I said. When I persisted
concerning this so-called complaint and its status, he stated that nothing
was happening and that the matter was finished. “Good,” I said.
There’s more to this complaint business, but I can’t talk
about it right now.
Obviously, a new era of harassment has begun, just as many
of us predicted.
Bob Deegan is among those instructors identified by Mathur,
et alia, as a key trouble-maker. In May, you will recall, Raghu identified
Bob—along with Kate C. and me--as a member of the “core group” of persons who
have fomented discontent concerning his regime. Raghu said that he was
“confident” that these core groupers were involved in sending him “mail
threats.”
Guess what? It looks like Bob, too, has now been targeted by
the Goo Squad. Reliable persons have informed me that a plan is afoot to
transfer Bob to Saddleback. (The transfer of someone named Armando Ruiz [?]to
IVC is a part of the deal, reportedly.)
Can they do that? According to one of my sources, in a
sense, yes. Over the years, various bodies have sought to define a faculty
transfer policy and corresponding faculty transfer (or non-transfer) rights,
but, I’m told, none of these efforts bore fruit. (Another source, also reliable, insists that
there is language in our contract that forbids involuntary transfers.)
Of course, that they can transfer Bob does not mean that, in
trying to do so, they aren’t harassing him—which is illegal, unethical, and
pisses me off. I shall assume that it pisses you off too.
I hope that the rumors are false. Just to be on the safe
side, start making your “Love that Bob!” and “Give me Bob or give me death!”
signs. While you’re at it, make a sign or two for me. Rough seas ahead.
As I write, I am aware of a certain suit—one unrelated to
the above--that shall be filed against the district (or a particular president
of the district) on Tuesday, the 30th. Look for an article in the
Register on Wednesday. It seems our president just can’t help violating
people’s rights, the poor thing.
A coupla weeks ago, Jeff K and Rich Z spoke with Raghu on
behalf of the Academic Senate. (Such meetings are routine.) I am told that, in
the course of the conversation, Raghu briefly raised his hands to the heavens
and declared that he believes in God and that (therefore?) the latter entity is
on his side. He went on to refer to a coming era of justice or retribution,
evidently of the divinely instigated variety.
Jeff and Rich insist that glossolalia was not involved,
though Jeff thought he saw stigmata form on Raghu’s right cheek. (Hey,
everybody in A100: hide all the dictionaries! While you’re at it, hide the
Captain’s palm tree.)
GRAPHICS:
“Morale at IVC” Graphic
“State Enters Fray Between Faculty, Administrators,” Robert
Ourlian. 6/20/98 GRAPHIC
“Former college administrator wants to dump the whole
board,” Everett Brewer. 6/20/98 GRAPHIC
“College Trustees Spreading Ruin,” Everett Brewer. 6/21/98;
Times. GRAPHIC
“Another embarrassing incident,” IWN editorial, 6/25/98
GRAPHIC
[“Mr. Toady” page.]
[cartoons pages-2]
[“The Birdbrains” Hitchcock spoof]
“Strangers in the Night: exchanging glances and vitriol with
Steven Frogue,” by Matt Coker (OC Weekly, 6/26/98) [GRAPHIC]
---CHUNK WHEELER
