MONDAY'S BOARD MEETING by Chunk

Last night, at an unusually well-attended SOCCCD board meeting, more than seventy members or supporters of the classified employee union (CSEA) showed up in red to try to persuade the board to offer a “fair and decent contract.” Speakers noted that the district’s ratio of classified employee per student is unusually low compared to other systems and districts, and that the classified employees “make this college run.” Faculty members and representatives of the faculty union offered their whole-hearted support. Some who spoke noted that, recently, the Chancellor got a raise—he now makes a quarter million dollars—and that some managers were raised by as much as $40,000. What about classified employees?

The board acted—unanimously—to cure and correct its Brown Act violations of Sept. 13, a victory for open government. IVC Academic Senate Prez Wendy G noted that she as a private citizen, and not as the Senate Prez, asked for the correction, so the senate was not involved. “It could be, but it is not at this point,” she noted ominously.

Evidently, Trustee Padberg won a “5K” race recently, and so there was much blather about that. Marcia Milchiker talked about “Wing Lam Day” at IVC. Evidently, Wing is pleased, for he has never had a “day” before. Wing is a co-founder of something called "Wahoo’s Fish Taco." Go figure.

The trustees yammered a bit about the full-time “Teachers of the Year”: Bob Parsons and Dottie Sherling. Good for them.

Paul Ho described the recent basketball benefit, where he “got to see faculty fall.” Evidently, later, he saw them dance, too. “They are better teachers than dancers,” noted the acutely observant student trustee. Ho explained that he would get a free lunch if he mentioned some of the recent winners of the Model UN competition “on TV.” Congrats to those students.

Ho seems like a breath of fresh air. Have you ever noticed how humorless our board is? The closest thing to laughs with this crew is when Fuentes pulls out one of his harpoons and throws it at an apparent liberal or unionist or Commie or Spaniard. Somebody oughta teach Bill Jay to duck.

Some guy came to discuss the problems with BGS, the building at Saddleback College that has been invaded by “spores.” Apparently, the place is not good for your health. Maybe Dennis White just came from there, cuz he was sporting a patch over his left eye and he sneezed maybe twenty times.

I remember one time goin’ to the bathroom in the IVC administration building. I went in there and did my business with Dennis by my side. “Hi Dennis,” I said. I left him there, and as I exited the bathroom, I saw Dennis walkin’ toward me and then into the bathroom!

“My God,” I thought, “there’s two of ‘em!”

As it turns out, there were three of them, but one died. I.e., Dennis has a twin (a “triplet”?) brother. Whew!

Back to BGS: recently, the Saddleback Valley News (Oct. 21) reported that the "District spent $300,000 to temporarily fix the [mold] problem" since April and that "more than $4 million has been spent to abate and determine the cause of the mold" in the last 19 years. According to the News, the ultimate pricetag for permanently ridding BGS of mold: "an estimated $8.3 million."

Talk about your money pit! BGS is even worse than Raghu! (But not as hard to get rid of.)


Some guy from “GKK”, who is concerned with master planning, came to tell us that our district—especially instruction—is terrific, but our buildings are old and falling apart. He didn’t say anything about the plaques. He also noted an anomaly re Weekly Student Contact Hours. For the first time, the two colleges don’t mirror each other. IVC’s side of the mirror is goin’ down. How come? (See Maas/gkk slide above.)

Another study abroad program in Spain was briefly considered. There was no discussion, and it was quickly approved, but Fuentes and Wagner voted against it. As you know, those pesky Spaniards betrayed our fighting men and women when they pulled out of Iraq. Or so said Mr. Fuentes nearly a year ago.

Suddenly, there were some “Chancellor’s goals,” but we had not seen them. Wagner stated that the public had an opportunity to give the board input about the Chancellor’s goals, since it said right there on the agenda that there was discussion of those goals, but Wendy pointed out that we’ve not seen these goals, so how can the public comment on ‘em? Wagner looked miffed, but he didn’t say anything.

Tracy D came by and asked for $229,850 additional funding for marketing and outreach. As near as I can tell, all the trustees were pleased as punch about our district’s recent marketing efforts. As you know, during the summer, our district ran a 60 second radio commercial (on KROQ-FM) in which a moron represents students, and the announcer, who represents our district, urges the moron to go to college “for hotties.”

Gwen Vendley came by to point out that, at local High Schools, “They do not know in Irvine who we are.” Others nodded gravely.

There were lots of trustee comments, but, for a while, Bill Jay seemed unable to get a word in edgewise. His pressing his button got him nowhere, and so he declared: “my light’s not working!”

Mr Fuentes then quipped: “lights on, nobody home.”

For all I know, lots of important things happened after that, but I wouldn’t know, cuz I left. --CW