Monday, May 22, 2006

Mathur runs for ACCCA chief

1. MATHUR RUNS FOR ACCCA CEO. Check out the website of the Association of California Community College Administrators (ACCCA): Annual Election of the Board.

There, ACCCA members are informed:
Following are the brief biographical summaries and campaign statements of your peers who have chosen to run for the open positions on the ACCCA Board of Directors. If successful, these individuals will represent you on the ACCCA Board for a term of three years.

One then finds summaries and campaign statements for four candidates for CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER,” including—you guessed it!—Raghu P. Mathur:

Dr. Raghu Mathur, Chancellor
South Orange County CCD


Candidate’s Statement

"I am interested in serving on the ACCCA Board in order to better serve all students through empowerment and collective wisdom and contributions of administrators and managers. I would like us to continue to effectively address challenging issues such as adequate funding for credit and non credit courses/programs, including equalization; construction and renovation of much needed facilities; enhanced learning opportunities for students through distance education; state-of-the-art technology; instructional equipment; enhanced student services through categorical programs; professional development; increased opportunities for students to either secure employment or transfer to 4-year college/university after community college education; promotion of greater partnerships with businesses; and increased focus on student success in a diverse environment."

Does anyone know if this is a full-time gig?

2. ANOTHER FUENTES CRONY IN ETHICS TROUBLE. In this morning’s LA Times (Controversy Colors Race for Treasurer), Jean O. Pasco and David Reyes report on the candidacy of Fuentes crony Chriss Street for County Treasurer:

What otherwise promised to be a low-key race for Orange County treasurer/tax collector has been anything but, with one candidate stung by allegations that he mismanaged the assets of a bankrupt trailer company, resulting in a district attorney's investigation.

At a time when first-time candidate Chriss W. Street should have been introducing himself to voters and building support, he has lost three key endorsements — including one from Dist. Atty. Tony Rackauckas — amid the controversy.

He has also found himself deflecting charges that his friend and political mentor, Treasurer/Tax Collector John M.W. Moorlach, bent county hiring rules in January to bring Street on as his assistant, giving him a leg up on the job.

...The allegations about Street's business dealings have dominated the campaign.

They involve a dizzying burst of claims over the fate of Fruehauf Trailer Corp., which filed for bankruptcy in 1996. None of the claims have been ruled on by a judge.

After bankruptcy was granted in 1998, Street took over a successor company formed to liquidate Fruehauf's remaining assets as well as its pension plan. He resigned in August 2005, replaced by a new trustee, Daniel Harrow.

On March 15, five days after Street filed his candidacy papers to run for Moorlach's seat, Harrow filed a 63-page statement with the Bankruptcy Court in Delaware accusing Street of "mismanagement, conflicts of interest and greed" while in charge of the trust.

Naturally, Street blames all this hubbub on “the unions.” But it’s Street who is under investigation by the DA:

Supervisors Bill Campbell and Chris Norby endorsed Street, but withdrew support once the district attorney investigation began.

But the endorsements remain listed in Street's candidate statement and on some campaign literature.

Check out Street’s website. Tom Fuentes is still listed among Street’s chief supporters.

Rackauckas, Carona, Street—that Tom sure knows how to pick ‘em!

3. HEADS UP on tonight’s board meeting. On the agenda:

CLOSED SESSION:
…..
2. Property – Use of Portion of …(ATEP) Property …Agency Designated Representatives – Dr. Raghu Mathur, ATEP; Negotiating Parties for 1) United Veteran Organization of Orange County (UVO) and American Museum of Military History (AMMH); 2) GEAR MONKEY;...

Gear Monkey?

Conference with Legal Counsel …:
1. Existing Litigation … - a. Mora v. Mathur b. Gensler v. SOCCCD

The “Mora” suit concerns an allegation of discrimination. As IVC President, Mathur opted to hire the manifestly incompetent and unstable Rodney Poindexter for a dean post—over the amply qualified and respected Cely Mora, a woman.

CONSENT CALENDAR:

2. SADDLEBACK COLLEGE: OXFORD SEMESTER ABROAD IN OXFORD, ENGLAND…Study abroad program for Spring 2007.

Don’t be surprised if Fuentes dings this program on account of the acute unAmericanness of boiling meat.

18. IRVINE VALLEY COLLEGE: AWARD OF BID FOR EXHAUST FAN RETROFIT IN B-200 BLDG.
Bid 277 to Allison Mechanical, Inc., in the amount of $39,250 and approval of construction agreement.

We at IVC hear persistent rumors that the air in B200 is dicey somehow. It glows or something. So I guess they’re puttin’ in a bag new fan. Anybody know the details?

30. TRUSTEE TRAVEL TO CONFERENCES AND/OR PERSONAL MILEAGE REIMBURSEMENT
Requests to attend upcoming conferences and events and/or local mileage reimbursement.

I’ve got exactly one comment: JOHN "Orlando" WILLIAMS.

CHANCELLOR’S ITEMS:

…..
34. FALL 2006 IN-SERVICE KEYNOTE PRESENTERS
Presentations by Lucy Dunn, Dr. Warren Johnston, and Kathleen Rigo, and performance by vocalist Robbie Britt and accompanist Betty Wooldridge.

Anybody know about these people?

40. SOCCCD: REVISION TO BP 109, BOARD EDUCATION; BP 3210, INTERDISTRICT ATTENDANCE; BP 3320, TELEPHONE; AND BP 5408, CLASSROOM SUPERVISION Acceptance of board policies for review and study.

This one’s for “review and study,” but it’s important. Especially BP 109, which, as I recall, concerns faculty involvement in policy-setting.

INFORMATION ITEMS:

53. SOCCCD: 2007-08 ACADEMIC CALENDAR
Recommendations by SC and IVC.

Soon, Mathur will make a recommendation regarding whether the two colleges should have differing calendars!

57. SADDLEBACK COLLEGE: ACADEMIC STIPENDS
Summer 2006.

58. IRVINE VALLEY COLLEGE: ACADEMIC STIPENDS
Summer 2006.

Stipends are a hot-button issue.

59. IRVINE VALLEY COLLEGE: ANNUAL ACCREDITATION REPORT
For submission to ACCJC as required.

60. IRVINE VALLEY COLLEGE: DISCONTINUED MEN’S AND WOMEN’S INTERCOLLEGIATE TENNIS
Information as requested.

Those who attended the last board meeting know that this action re tennis gets lots of people excited.

And the Accred report? Could be interesting.

Apparent Lariat retraction

8:51 a.m.:

This morning, we received a letter--apparently from the Lariat editor-in-chief to IVC baseball coach Kent Madole--retracting the claim, made in the last issue of the Lariat, that coaches knew about steroid use among student athletes. In this letter, which popped up as a "comment" on our blog (see Apparent letter of retraction), that claim is described as "false." Further, the Lariat acknowledges that it was "misled" by "sources" and that it erred in not seeking the coaches' side of the story. (See DtB's original story: Premature congratulation)

If this is a genuine letter--it was sent anonymously--we at the Dissent wish to congratulate the Lariat for doing the right thing and learning from mistakes.

12:09 p.m.
P.S.:

Evidently, Matt (Coker) received the same email this morning. His response (on his blog):

How do you know the coaches were unaware? If you have players on the record saying coaches were aware, and coaches telling you that’s not true, that does not necessarily mean the players’ allegations are not true. Unless, of course, your reporters or sources have admitted to lying.

Clockwork Orange

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...