Friday, September 22, 2006

“You will kiss my F-ing ass,” said the college trustee

OK, we think we have shitty trustees. Well, in some cases, we do, but the following story makes me feel a little better about our clueless trusticular crew.

Think Whittier. Nixon. Pat. Love. Reconquista.

Whittier is home to Rio Hondo Community College and the RHCC District (RHCCD), which is governed by a five-member board, including one Gary Mendez, who has served on the board since 1999.

He's got chutzpah.

The President/Superintendent of Rio Hondo Community College/RHCCD is Rose Marie Joyce.

She’s got spunk.

Evidently, back in June, some district personnel, including Mr. Mendez, then board president, were preparing to secure hotel rooms for a conference in Hawaii. On the 21st, Mr. Mendez showed up at the district, insisting that, for his Hawaii trip, he be provided with a hotel room with an ocean view.

Well, the fellow met with resistance, first from staff, and then from President Joyce. That’s when Mendez evidently started acting like an asshole from hell.

The result: at the subsequent July 19 RHCCD board meeting, the trustees passed a resolution censuring Mendez and stripping him of the board presidency.

The resolution says it all. It's really quite funny. (See Board Minutes. This is a smallish pdf file.)

Let it entertain you:
…WHEREAS:

1. On … Wednesday, June 21, 2006, … staff informed Dr. Joyce that Trustee Mendez wanted a room with an ocean view for the upcoming SCUP conference in Hawaii. Staff informed Trustee Mendez that they would need to check on this with Dr. Joyce. Trustee Mendez challenged the staff member, asking why she had to check with Dr. Joyce.…The staff member advised Trustee Mendez that it was District practice to get Dr. Joyce’s approval before incurring charges on the District’s credit card.

2. It is the regular practice of this District to pay the regular/single room conference rate for hotel rooms when Board members or staff attend conferences on behalf of the District. It is not the practice of this District to pay extra for ocean views or other hotel room upgrades for Board members attending conferences when regular rooms are available.

3. On June 21, 2006, Trustee Mendez attempted to direct a staff member of this District to book an ocean-view hotel room … at an extra cost to the District of $120 per night.

4. On [that day], Dr. Joyce advised Trustee Mendez that the District’s practice is to pay the regular/single room conference rate and that the District could arrange for an ocean view room if Trustee Mendez paid the extra cost. Dr. Joyce further offered to arrange for the room that Trustee Mendez had requested if he confirmed that his request was based on a medical reason.

5. [I]n response to Dr. Joyce’s explanation and offer to assist with hotel booking, Trustee Mendez referred to Dr. Joyce as “bitch,” while walking away from her. Trustee Mendez then said, “You are fucking going down,” and threatened to accuse Dr. Joyce of interfering with the Board’s evaluation of Dr. Joyce. When Dr. Joyce responded to Trustee Mendez that she was confident that she had not interfered in the process and that the truth would come out[,] Trustee Mendez then stated to Dr. Joyce, “You will kiss my fucking ass.”

WHEREAS, the conduct of Trustee Mendez is contrary to [the district’s code of ethics]…

WHEREAS, federal and state law and Board Policy … prohibit sexual harassment and other forms of discrimination in employment based on sex; and
…..
WHEREAS, it is the legal duty and the policy of this Board to take reasonable measures to prevent and deter sexual harassment in employment and other forms of unlawful discrimination in employment, and to remedy conduct that may contribute to a hostile working environment….
…..
WHEREAS, the conduct of Trustee Mendez has caused this Board to lose confidence in Trustee Mendez’s ability to fulfill the … duties of the Board President...
…..

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED AS FOLLOWS:

1. The Board…has determined that censure of Trustee Mendez and removal of Trustee Mendez from the position of Board President are necessary and appropriate.

2. Trustee Mendez is hereby CENSURED for his conduct as described in this Resolution. Such CENSURE proclaims to the public that this Board disapproves of and will not tolerate conduct on the part of its members such as that described in this Resolution.

3. The Board hereby rescinds its action electing Trustee Mendez as President, and Trustee Mendez is hereby REMOVED as President of this Board of Trustees…. [END OF RESOLUTION]

The vote:

Trustee Couso-Vasquez – Abstain.
Trustee Mendez – Abstain.
Trustee Acosta-Salazar – Yes.
Trustee Martinez – Yes.
Trustee Quintero- Yes.
Student Trustee Quintero – Abstain.

--OK, so Mr. Wagner can get mighty sniffy. And Mr. Fuentes practices Satanism at least with his face. And John says incredibly stupid things. And our Raghu's still got that $1,000 chair.

But at least these guys wouldn't make like Mendez.

Would they?

ADDENDUM (9/23): SPUNK IS NOT ENOUGH

Evidently, President/Superintendent Joyce announced her retirement two weeks ago. Here's a commentary from the Sept. 15 Whittier Daily News: Joyce's tenure ends.

Some excerpts:
ROSE Marie Joyce, Rio Hondo College's superintendent/president for four years, will retire from a distinguished 43-year career in education at the end of the semester.

We will say at the very top of this commentary that she stepped into this office at a difficult time and, with the exception of a few communications glitches, worked intensely and successfully charting Rio Hondo College's course into the 21st century.

When Joyce spoke spontaneously from her own depth of experience and keen understanding and knowledge of the administration of higher education, she did so clearly, concisely and wisely.

…There was a recent period when we noticed severe differences between Joyce and former college board president Gary Mendez.

Eventually, Mendez was removed as board president, but he remains on the board. Various relationships on and off campus became strained during that period. During that bumpy time this newspaper on several occasions found itself being accused of shoddy journalism both by Joyce and the district's contract communications specialist….

We regret that she came to feel that way but, for us, that sometimes comes with the territory. On the other hand, we do not appreciate "communications" experts when they appear to be fanning the flames of discontent by giving us English and journalism lessons at every turn.

In addition, we have been told that a policy has been established that calls for Rio Hondo Board President Angela Acosta Salazar to be the only spokesperson for the board. We would like to know where that idea came from and why elected members of a governing body would agree to such a gag order.

…So now, we join those who can recite chapter and verse about the extraordinary efforts of Rose Marie Joyce personally and professionally to advance Rio Hondo College meaningfully into the future.

Local press coverage…

The Whittier Daily News, August 4, 2006
Rio Hondo board OKs leak probe

WHITTIER - Rio Hondo College trustees voted unanimously Wednesday night to launch an investigation to determine who leaked Superintendent Rose Marie Joyce's confidential job-performance evaluation to this newspaper. The document included confidential testimony from trustees and faculty members - information that was discussed in closed session by trustees.The trustees' action was prompted by a complaint filed by a Rio Hondo College faculty member who claims the leak...
San Gabriel Valley Tribune, July 25, 2006
Board conflicts don't fit easy analysis or fix
THINGS are rarely as simple as they may seem. Take the censuring last week of Rio Hondo College Board President Gary Mendez by a three-member majority of the board. Mendez was also removed as board president although he will continue with his term on the board.By his own admission, he said he used foul language in a heated, but private, meeting with college Superintendent Rose Marie Joyce.The action against Mendez came as a result of a formal complaint by Joyce against Mendez over his...
The Whittier Daily News, July 19, 2006
Board votes to censure Mendez

WHITTIER - The Rio Hondo College Board of Trustees voted Wednesday to censure board President Gary Mendez and remove him as president for swearing at district Superintendent Rose Marie Joyce during a heated exchange. In front of a packed board room, Mendez asked fellow trustees to allow him a month to mount a defense in order to give him the "due process that any citizen would expect."The incident occurred on June 21 during a private meeting between Joyce and...
The Whittier Daily News, July 18, 2006
Showdown brewing over Rio Hondo president

WHITTIER Rio Hondo College trustees tonight are scheduled to vote on whether to censure board President Gary Mendez for swearing at college Superintendent Rose Marie Joyce during a heated meeting. The bad blood surfaced at a June 21 meeting during which Mendez sought to pressure the board into discussing Joyce's job performance evaluation.But the meeting also involved other issues, including a conference trip Mendez took to Hawaii. When Joyce accused Mendez of ordering the...

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