LEADERSHIP TEAM REPORT (CTA, 1997).
(From The Dissenter’s Dictionary, 1999)
In December, 1996, 109 “concerned” full-time faculty sent a letter to CTA officials expressing consternation--and requesting intervention--regarding the conduct of its local chapter, the SOCCCD Faculty Association. (See “CONCERNED FACULTY” LETTER.) That letter and others eventually prompted CTA to send a “leadership team,” headed by David Lebow, in May. On June 23, the team issued its report, which, in muted fashion, essentially validated the original December concerns, among others.
In an effort at damage control, the chapter’s president, Sherry Miller-White, immediately issued a press release which proclaimed that the report “clears the...Faculty Association...of the charges of wrongdoing....”
Whether or not the report cleared the union leadership of “wrongdoing,” it in no sense cleared it of the many accusations and objections that had been expressed in December and during subsequent months by reform-minded members.
For instance, the December letter strongly objected to the union leadership’s decision to distribute a homophobic flier (see SAME SEX FLIER). Upon noting Miller-White’s motives in using the flier, the team wrote: “CTA reaffirms its belief that discrimination is not acceptable in any form or forum. Therefore, in the future, the chapter must work to make sure that campaign strategy decisions do not cause more problems than the election victory intends to solve.”
The December letter also objected to the chapter leadership’s conduct with regard to its bylaws. Members had complained that, despite repeated efforts, for months, they could not secure copies from the leadership and that the copies that were eventually provided were not current or valid or had undergone mysterious changes. Said the report: “The team believes that the Faculty Association must take immediate action to bring the current bylaws into compliance with CTA and NEA policies and standards...Copies of bylaws should be made readily available upon member request...In the future, all changes to bylaws should be referenced by date at the end of each paragraph.”
Many who had lodged complaints against the Faculty Association leadership noted that it failed to keep adequate records of its meetings, its political activities, or its finances. Concerning those matters, the leadership team wrote: “The FA does appear to take and approve minutes, but not always on a regular basis. The FA does not archive minutes of regular...meetings...The FA regards the PAC meetings as strategic discussions that do not require minutes....” The report therefore advised that the “chapter should establish a secure repository for archives of minutes and financial records...Minutes should be kept of all meetings. Matters of strategic concern can be discussed in executive session. Financial reports should be made monthly and published.”
Some members had complained that there were irregularities or a lack of clear procedures regarding elections, including the election of division reps. The leadership team seemed to agree, for they wrote that the chapter “should adopt election procedures in standing rules with specifics about timeline and the balloting process.” They also reported that “even some long-term members expressed little knowledge of the election procedures and regular balloting for FA officers over the years.” For that reason, the leadership team recommended that the FA leadership “avail itself of training provided by CTA about election procedures....“
Further, the leadership team was clearly concerned about the chapter’s finances and dues collection, for it recommended that the chapter leadership “receive training from CTA” and that it “work directly with CTA” in order to insure conformity with the law.
In truth, the report, though muted in its criticisms, painted a picture of a union local whose leadership lacked any sense of process of professionalism and that had made morally unacceptable and counter-productive tactical decisions.
(From The Dissenter’s Dictionary, 1999)
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| Then IVC President Mathur presented before the team |
In an effort at damage control, the chapter’s president, Sherry Miller-White, immediately issued a press release which proclaimed that the report “clears the...Faculty Association...of the charges of wrongdoing....”
Whether or not the report cleared the union leadership of “wrongdoing,” it in no sense cleared it of the many accusations and objections that had been expressed in December and during subsequent months by reform-minded members.
For instance, the December letter strongly objected to the union leadership’s decision to distribute a homophobic flier (see SAME SEX FLIER). Upon noting Miller-White’s motives in using the flier, the team wrote: “CTA reaffirms its belief that discrimination is not acceptable in any form or forum. Therefore, in the future, the chapter must work to make sure that campaign strategy decisions do not cause more problems than the election victory intends to solve.”
The December letter also objected to the chapter leadership’s conduct with regard to its bylaws. Members had complained that, despite repeated efforts, for months, they could not secure copies from the leadership and that the copies that were eventually provided were not current or valid or had undergone mysterious changes. Said the report: “The team believes that the Faculty Association must take immediate action to bring the current bylaws into compliance with CTA and NEA policies and standards...Copies of bylaws should be made readily available upon member request...In the future, all changes to bylaws should be referenced by date at the end of each paragraph.”
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| Some say the CTA was desperate to protect Sherry M-W |
Some members had complained that there were irregularities or a lack of clear procedures regarding elections, including the election of division reps. The leadership team seemed to agree, for they wrote that the chapter “should adopt election procedures in standing rules with specifics about timeline and the balloting process.” They also reported that “even some long-term members expressed little knowledge of the election procedures and regular balloting for FA officers over the years.” For that reason, the leadership team recommended that the FA leadership “avail itself of training provided by CTA about election procedures....“
Further, the leadership team was clearly concerned about the chapter’s finances and dues collection, for it recommended that the chapter leadership “receive training from CTA” and that it “work directly with CTA” in order to insure conformity with the law.
In truth, the report, though muted in its criticisms, painted a picture of a union local whose leadership lacked any sense of process of professionalism and that had made morally unacceptable and counter-productive tactical decisions.
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