Long Beach City College Students to Protest Program Discontinuance and Crappy Administration on May Day (OC Weekly; Navel Gazing)
     Last week, student trustee Jason Troia anhiliated LBCC's Board of Trustees for their incredibly shady behavior surrounding the school's program discontinuence. Tomorrow, Troia, LBCC students, faculty, and trade organizations will march to protest against the inanities.

The Morning Matinee: Serious Funnies

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April meeting of the SOCCCD BOT: part-timer and veteran all up in trustee grill

IVC's Model UN crew (Stu Frame not pictured)

PRE-MEETING RUMINATIONS

Will Trustee Jemal start addressing other board members as “Gramps” and “Granny”?

     (See the district's Board Meeting Highlights)

     So, what’s on tap for tonight’s meeting?
     Is the turf war between IVC’s Glenn Roquemore and SC’s Tod Burnett still raging? Has leadership acknowledged—and accounted for—our district’s relatively abysmal Full-time/Part-time ratio (51%) as revealed in the recent state “student success scorecard”? And how account for IVC's stellar 74% English/remedial score while SC and other colleges are in the basement? Can anyone explain why the French and Germans are nuts about white asparagus?
     Yeah, plus:
     Will the board approve $1.35 million just to demolish more stuff at ATEP? And what’s with the increased legal spending by the district? And how come SC is requesting one further full-time faculty hire while IVC is sticking with its super-reduced hiring plan?
     Finally, while we’re waiting:
     Tonight, will Trustee Jemal start addressing other board members as “Gramps” and “Granny”? Will Nancy finally roll her eyes so hard that they just keep on rollin’? How often will Bill Jay snort himself into consciousness? Will Dave Lang finally show us his contract with Beelzebub?....

Trustees Wright, Jay, Jemal, Prendergast, Padberg, Lang, Milchiker

     THE MEETING BEGINS. 6:00: looks like we could start at any time. All the trustees (save the student trustee) are present.

     Called to order: clerk reads out actions taken in closed session: 7/0 vote rescind decision, accept faculty member's resignation; 7/0 vote termination full-time classified employee; 7/0 deny appeal full-time faculty member appeal; 7/0 extend benefits to classified manger; 7/0 request extended leave custodian; 7/0 reject claim William Simpson against district.

9 RESOLUTIONS

A Hollywood moment

     Nancy: these resolutions honor faculty and others. Chancellor and Presidents come down to the podium. Blah, blah, blah.

Scott Fier

     6:05 - Marcia Milchiker reads "classified employee" resolution. Dennis Gordon speaks on behalf of those employees. Photo op. Snap.
     Next: SC prof of the year, etc. Scott Fier, chemistry instructor. How chemistry explores the world around us (and produces meth). Etc. Seems like a nice guy. Nice suit and tie. No meth. Has a funny story. Marcia says something funny. Laughter.
     Now the part-timer, I think. She's got an Eastern European name, and I can't make it out nohow. Tough on students when necessary. Farida Gabdrakhmanova, that's it. Lovely Transylvanian accent.
     SC Emeritus Prof of Year, Melinda Smith, fashion design instructor. Passion for clothing, wearable art. "She's always prepared." Roll call vote (as always). Half the room stood up to indicate they were there to support MS. Loves her students, she says.

Diana Hurlbut

     Next, IVC's professor of the year, Diana Hurlbut. She's funny, unusual, positive influence. Applause. Diana says IVC has always been her favorite among all the colleges she has taught at over the years.
     Mercedes Julian is part-time prof of the year. Highly respected by her colleagues. "I had dark hair when I started to teach at IVC" says the white-haired prof. Laughter. It's an honor, she says.
     Emeritus prof of the year, Annette Hernandez. A professional artist. Encourages students to exhibit, they receive awards. Patient, prepared, stimulating. (Looks like an (attractive) deer in the headlights.) Thanks Dave Anderson for "hiring me." Gracious remarks.
     Model UN team, IVC. Each member introduces self. 2012-3 Model UN took top honors. IVC the most decorated school this year. Competed against 2 and 4 year schools. Zillions of 'em.
     Two advisors. Huge support from IVC campus. Did well in research awards. Great students.
     Student trustee Heather Park. Represented 32,000 students. (For some reason, she's absent.) Roquemore accepts her, um, prize. Suddenly, Heather arrives, breathless, flustered. A Hollywood moment. She's about to break into tears. Photo op. Nice kid.

Public comments:

"We ask that you create the safe haven that you promised."

The Bugster

     Paula Jacobs: Prez of Faculty Association (union). It's part-time faculty appreciation month, according to the CCA (I think). We need to offer competitive salaries, benefits. (Some lonely applause in this big, dumb room.)

     Jason Vespia: former Sgt. Marine Corps, student. You can't imagine the problems vets face going to college after their service, he says. Coming to Saddleback and seeing all the support--never expected all that. So proud and thankful for everyone's efforts. Please listen to the veterans' opinions. Thank you for your time.

     Kyle S: Veteran at SC. Troubling issues. Student Veterans Center is being downsized. We've not been consulted. Students use this space all the time. No room to stand in the office. We've been left out of the planning process for the new center. We've asked to participate. We need more room. This year, we've had two student veterans take their lives. We ask that you create the safe haven that you promised. Thank you.
     Whoa!
     Nancy: "we appreciate your bringing that to our attention."

Board reports:

"Attended district-wide forums.

Wish there was better attendance"

Annette Hernandez

     Bill Jay: some of us went to the Foundation event recently. People don't realize the tremendous job the Foundation does. (Annoyingly, when he refers to "the foundation," he seems to be referring to Saddleback College's Foundation.) We've won three national (football?) championships, but we have no stadium. The Foundation is working on that. We'll have a stadium.
     Tim Jemal: was interviewed by the Faculty Association. Appreciated talking to them. Attended IVC Foundation workshop. The IVC Foundation is also very important. With a little effort and focus we can get this foundation to the next level. Attended district-wide forums. Wish there was better attendance. Enjoyed them. Trustees were willing to deal with hard questions.
     Marcia Milchiker: was on Laguna Woods TV, which she likes, she says. Attended the Cali-bug conference (?), sponsored by Blackboard. Free all-day conference. Explained work involved being an online professor. Demonstration of "really good" online courses. Attended IVC British Farce, "Noises Off." "Legally Blonde" (?) at SC. Attended symposium at UCI, literature in Mexico. An interesting and intellectual month for me.
     TJ Prendergast: "Feeling woefully uninvolved; no report." (Groans, laughter)
     Nancy Padberg: attended two board forums. We enjoy them. Would like to have more give and take, participation.
     Jim Wright: Tour of Science/Math building. "It's not in the best of shape." Attended Senior Day for "a half hour." Spoke with Don Bushe. (My eyelids are getting heavier.) Attended a gala, OC School Board. Wants to thank all the outstanding instructors. I know several of them very well, he says. (I think I'm dreaming now.) Enjoyed reading the reports on the veterans.
     Dave Lang: April is always a busy month. Attended forums. Attended lunch for IVC Foundation meeting. Wonderful keynote speaker (unidentified). Congrats to all teachers who have been recognized for their excellence.

Heather Park

     Heather Park: sorry for being "fashionably late." Says her thank-yous, gets all tearful. Amazing experiences, she says, earnestly. I'll truly miss being up here, being a part of this. (Wipes away tears.)

     Chancellor (Gary Poertner's) report: continuing discussion with the board Student Taskforce. #6, professional development. Congrats to Teachers of the Year, and Heather Park. (You've gotta love Gary's minimalism, his refusal to play politics.)

     IVC President Glenn Roquemore: Thanks Heather Park, professors. Yammers about his Greek club. Very proud. On Saturday May 4, we'll have our Jazz picnic. A fundraiser. "The music is always incredible." IVC Bees Garden opened. People got a chance to tour that. Outdoor teaching site for Biology Program.
     SC Prez Todd Burnett: Congrats to all teachers of the year. Good luck to Heather Park. Thanks Dean Nelson and Darryl Cox--job done on veterans report. Fantastic job. Alum of the year: Richard Crawford, who teaches plays for the Washington Redskins. (Uh-oh, football.) Had a special visitor via video: Howie Long, sportscasting legend. Provided a televised welcome. NFL draft: Saddleback College had two top pics. Kyle Long (#20). M. Watson (#42). Fantastic work of SC athletics. This is the time of the year for events. Scholarship ceremony, May 17. Commencement speaker: Dr. Michael Drake, Chance of UCI.

Bugsy, cat

Request for reports? None.

Discussion item: Student Task Force, recommendation 6.

Everyone, not just faculty, will be involved in "professional development."

Farida Gabdrakhmanova

     Kathy Schmeidler, IVC Ac. Senate Prez introduces Kevin O'Connor, Dean of Liberal Arts at SC. Also Roopa Mathur, prof of Business Science/CIM.
     Roopa starts. 6.1, recommendation. Everyone, not just faculty, will be involved in "professional development." 6.2 Will help with blah, blah, blah, basic skills.
     O'Connor: relates his efforts, member of state Chancellor's Committee. Thinking outside the box. Concluded in March. Produced 8 recommendations. (Good Lord, more of 'em!)
     Roopa: reads recs. Gotta promote learning culture etc. Adopt a vision statement. Change name (yeah, that'll do it). Require all colleges to participate for five days of flex. Include all employees, not just faculty. Establish Prof Dev Fund. Establish system-wide advisory comittee. (Not another committee!) Establish strong leadership role for Academic Senate. Establish resource center. Must provide high quality resources.
     What we're doing at the colleges: held joint student success "summits." More summits to come. Some highlights.

Mercedes Julian

     IVC 2 IVC: lecture series by IVC faculty, very successful. Distinguished Academic Lecture Series. Famous social scientist Phillip Zimbardo gave address. How each of us can "become heroes." (Really? Good Lord.) NASA chief historian presentation: "Is that it?" One more: skeptic Michael Shermer: "the believing brain," Thurs., May 9.
     This is mostly Roopa's show. Does a good job.
     O'Connor: the importance of rec 6. Prof devel't is ongoing. It's about every person on a college campus recognizing their role in student success....from a "student success framework." (Is he running for office?Sheesh.) It's important for Prof Dev to have a home and a place. English Dept. at SC has done great work: high school English instructors, SC instructors, together discussed common core standards, skills, curriculum alignment. The read student essays, using rubrics. The recs will go to board of govs next month. Adopted at July meeting. They'll create a legislative packet, presenting it in Nov. Feb 2014: legislation. Perhaps passed, Sept. 2014. Becomes law maybe in January 2015. [I'm doing an excellent job suppressing my cynicism tonight.]

Consent Calendar: pull 5.12. Correction to minutes. Nancy reads Sept 24: funding for "unfunded....liability." Board voted on option 5. Will be entered. Motion, etc. Unanimous.
     Anything else to pull? 5.10 correction (says Deb F). Unanimous vote.
     5.12: they skip this item.

General action items.

Student health fee increase by $1. Unanimous. 
No discussion.

     6.1: Deb F: Student health fee increase by $1. Unanimous. No discussion.
     6.2: district ac. calendar. No comments, questions. Then Wright asks question, wondering about an apparent lack of parallel between semesters. Craig Justice (IVC VPI) emerges, stands at podium. We count finals week (for instruction), he says. So no issue. Nancy: that explains it. Wright: you could have done blah. Craig: that was considered, rejected. Schmeidler: explains preference for approach taken. Counting Mondays. Seems to satisfy Wright. Or no?
     Wright votes "no." All others yes.
. . .
     6.4: One further full-time hire, for speech instructor. Reason: we have a vacancy in forensics program. Important to replace. Approved unanimously.
. . .
     6.6: More board policy review. For review and study. Unanimous.
     6.7: Sabbatical project revision. Change from "book" to "website" (product of sabbatical). Carries unanimously.
. . .
     6.9: Academic personnel actions. Slam, bam, thank-you ma'm.
     6.10: Classified personnel actions. Ditto. Wright asks question about one employee. Carries unanimously.

REPORTS:

Other districts do better, moving toward "equal pay for equal work."

     7.1....
     7.2: Wait, we have a speaker. Dr. Susan (Bliss?). Conditions that negatively impact part-time faculty, affect students. According to figures published by state chancellor's office, part-timers teach nearly 74% of classes. (I didn't get the figure exactly; that was the ballpark.) Part-timers paid at much lower pay schedule. Get less than half of full-time pay. Other districts do better, moving toward "equal pay for equal work." Part-timers are hired again and again, for decades. Can be pulled at any time, last minute. Uncertain of reemployment rights. Students should have "full access to their professors," as Prez Burnett recently stated. Of course. In reality, however, students in half of classes have no access--part-timers have no offices, office hours, etc. I've met with students at the library, picnic tables, coffee shop, etc. Many adjuncts cannot meet with students because they dash from college to college. Adjuncts are excluded from decision-making in the departments, schools/divisions. These conditions erode quality of education for our students. Students are the biggest losers. Things must change. We want to increase student success rates. Thank you.

Melinda Smith

     Trustee Prendergast: adjunct position as you desscribe it has been around for a very long time. Will continue to erode? I don't know if I buy that argument. Other districts going to equal pay for equal work? Which ones? Could we see a list? I agree there's a plight. Want to make sure we do it right. (Susan B not allowed to answer, it seems. She attempts to respond, but that doesn't happen.)
     Wright joins the defensive chorus.
     Jemal: I quick quip, then: 73.8% part-time? Wants verification of that figure. In general, there's a recognized need for data. Union Prez Jacobs and Cosgrove make comments. Would love to have clear questions to answer. Will then answer them.
    Cosgrove: speaks to support speaker's complaint: adjuncts don't have keys, etc. Nancy seeks to appease Susan B: will pursue this, look for data.
     [It seems to me that the board was remarkably defensive and testy re the speaker's comment on behalf of part-timers. Not particularly thoughtful, revealing little sympathy. I suspect that we've not heard the last of this.]
     7.3: report on veterans services. Wright "enjoyed" reading report. Very impressive, he says.
     Padberg asks Burnett for response to veteran complaint about space for vet's office. Burnett seems to say he hasn't heard of this. Yes, there are space issues. Long-term solution: wonderful space plan for veterans. I'm surprised to hear that the space has been reduced, he says. It's been increased. I'll ask Dean Nelson to meet with students. Find out what the concerns are. I would hope this process is on the way.
     Jemal: 1,600 veterans? Number mentioned in report. Terrence Nelson comes up. "We use many different figures." So much variance in the data. the gist: available data seems to be hinky. In a given term, 6-700 receiving benefits. Is it possible that the numbers are higher than reflected in this report? Answer: yes.
     7.4: speakers. No comments/questions
     7.5: Fiscal accountability. VC Deb Fitz refers to ed code. District takes responsibility for blah, blah, blah. A slide appears: why be fiscally accountable (a technical notion, it seems, having to do with paying vendors)? Better customer service. Assists smaller vendors. Take full responsibility for issuing non-payroll (vendor) checks. (Good Lord, I have no idea what this means.) Slide: typical check process timeline comparison. Currently takes 8-9 days. Too slow. We need to create implementation plan. Etc. (This is some serious inside-baseball, fiscal-wise.) Shows timeline to do this thing (be "fiscally accountable," new process). "That's all I have." (I think I'm beginning to understand this.)

Gordo

     Lang: why haven't we pursued this in the past? Asks about any additional costs. Deb: will not create any new staff. Poertner: we haven't had people in our accounting staff interested in doing this. But now we have a person from Coast who used this process. She questioned why we don't do this (getting "fiscal accountability" designation). Prendergast: wouldn't staff person get pay upgrade? Nope. We'd hire an audit firm. Work with accounting staff. Right thing to do (so vendors don't have to wait so long). Some of us think we've "stepped back in time a little bit" joining the district, using old system. Gotta get up to speed.
     Jemal: would eliminate occd audit (?). More inside baseball for bean counters. Another gal comes up and explains that they already do much of this stuff. Jemal: improved timeliness, cost efficiency? Guess so. These gals are all over this stuff. Nuff said. Fitz: we cannot take advantage of vendor discounts under current system. Fitz seems to mean business. Lang: have districts that have used this system run into problems with fraud, etc.? Fitz: not that I'm aware of. Marcia: OC Board of Ed, do they support this change? Yes they do. (This seems to generate mirth.) Only Rancho Santiago is not on board with this in the county. (And us.)
     Nancy: sounds like a great plan. We'll support you. "Not an action item." Will be brought back.
. . .
     Nancy goes through all the reports on the agenda: generally, no comments.

Item 8: reports from governance groups

We would love to engage in a conversation with you about part-timers and their working conditions.

     Bob Cosgrove (Ac Sen, SC): Ac Sen election results. Praises faculties at both colleges. Was there for opening of Bee Garden. "Talked to the queen." (Laughter.) During your trustees forum, we had a forum. Ian Walton (he of the exotic accent) and another speaker came. Communications between deans and faculties. Last Wednesday. Workshops, etc. Will pull together themes, pass on to deans. Important for student success.  Effects students. Golly, Bob sure does go on tonight.
     Paula Jacobs: would love to engage in a conversation with you about part-timers and their working conditions. Very appreciative that we will have permanent facility for FA. Former "faculty club," quips Bob.
     Kathy Schmeidler: Congrats to faculty of the year. "I recommend all of us to you." Kathy Werle will be sorely missed. Kathy S and Urell reelected. We accomplished a great deal this year.
     Peebles: no report
     VC Tech: blah, blah, blah. Bob B. "keynoted" somewhere. Keynoted?
     VC HR: he will "keynote" something tomorrow. Some kinda joke. Laughter. Discussed "transparency" of HR.
     VC BS: May's meeting will be "jam packed."
     IVC Classified Employees senate: Gordo makes Kathy Werle stand up. Applause. Vince Cooper will be new Prez. "It's been fun."
     That was about it.

     Re part-timer complaint: see What the speaker said was true (subsequent board meeting).

Jason Troia, Long Beach City College Student Trustee, Declares War on Board of Trustees With Recall Petition, Charges of Corruption (OC Weekly; Navel Gazing)
     Jason Troia is the Long Beach City College administration's worst nightmare. "I just really like doing research," the student trustee says with a little laugh that accompanies most stories when he talks about LBCC. Troia began poring over reams of documents he's compiled in the months since hearing that 11 of the school's vocational programs had been cut due to budget problems….

Heads up: tomorrow’s BOT meeting

     I’ve listed some possible items of note that appear on the agenda for tomorrow’s meeting of the SOCCCD Board of Trustees

2.4 Resolutions/Commendations Resolutions

1. Heather Park, Student Trustee
2. Classified Employees Week
3. Scott Fier, Professor of the Year, Saddleback College
4. Farida Gabdrakhmanova, Associate Professor of the Year, Saddleback College
5. Melinda Smith, Emeritus Professor of the Year, Saddleback College
6. Diana Hurlbut, Professor of the Year, Irvine Valley College
7. Mercedes Julian, Associate Professor of the Year, Irvine Valley College
8. Annette Hernandez, Emeritus Professor of the Year, Irvine Valley College
9. Model UN Team, Irvine Valley College

DISCUSSION ITEMS

4.1 Saddleback College and Irvine Valley College: Student Success Task Force Recommendation 6 – “Revitalize and Re-Envision Professional Development”
   A presentation on Recommendation 6 of the California Community Colleges Student Success Task Force

CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS

5.16 ATEP: Award of Bid No. 14, Site Foundation and Infrastructure Demolition
   Approve the agreement with U.S. Demolition, Inc., in the amount of $1,350,006.
5.19 SOCCCD: Legal Services: Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo
   Approve increase in spending limit to $440,000 for Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo contracts for FY 2012-2013.
5.20 SOCCCD: Professional Services for Irvine Valley College A-400 Design-Build, Design and Construction Phase
   Approve the agreement with Alternative Delivery Solutions, LLC for an hourly fee of $185.00 per hour not to exceed $130,240.

GENERAL ACTION ITEMS

6.2 SOCCCD: 2014-2015 Academic Calendar
   Approve the proposed Academic Calendar for 2013-2014
6.4 Saddleback College: 2013-14 Additional Faculty Hiring Request
   Approve the announcement of the position and recruitment of a full-time speech faculty replacement position, contingent upon funding, at Saddleback College for the 2013-2014 academic year.

REPORTS

7.3 Saddleback College and Irvine Valley College: Veterans Services
   A written report outlining the veterans services provided at Saddleback College and Irvine Valley College (report request made by Trustee Jim Wright at the February Board of Trustees meeting).

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
Get More: Daily Show Full Episodes,Indecision Political Humor,The Daily Show on Facebook

Not a bad version of this old Melanie song. Not bad at all.

Werle moves from IVC to Saddleback College

     Kathy Werle is a particularly well-regarded administrator here at Irvine Valley College. (One naturally wonders how she managed to be hired.) She was appointed Dean, Academic Programs, in December, 2010. She started that position in January of 2011—just over two years ago.

     Item 6.9 on the agenda (pdf) for Monday's meeting of the SOCCCD board of trustees includes the following:

Werle's appointment will be effective June 1. 
Rajen Vurdien has been President of Fullerton College since 2010    

     We wish her well.

* * *

• CR&R Waste & Recycling Services Pledges $500,000 for OCC Recycling
• UC Irvine Asian-American Fraternity Members Produce Blackface Music Video (OC Weekly)

• Former UCI Scientist Faces Unprecedented Criminal Charges (Voice of OC) In an unprecedented case, an internationally renowned computer engineer, who recently left the UC Irvine faculty, has been criminally charged for conflicts of interest involving secret payments from a major Japanese telecommunications firm funding his academic research.
• Jessica Karp, UCI Adjunct Professor, Seeks to Expose ICE's "Secret" Meetings with Gov. Brown (OC Weekly) The American public must be let in on what's going on behind closed doors regarding the federal government's attempts to preserve the full force of its controversial Secure Communities immigration enforcement program, a UC Irvine law professor argues.

The IVC Foundation: yet another harangutan

     A long-time observer and critic of IVC’s Foundation has contacted us, offering the following tirade. It's seriously negatory. 
     Scabrously scathulistic. 
     A veritable harangutan!
     How reliable is his or her peevitudinal fountain of fulmination? That’s hard to say. Over the years, I’ve found this person to be fairly reliable. Plus, they’ve made an effort to qualify their opinions when they aren’t certain.
     Over the years, I’ve spoken with lots of people in the know. The impression they leave is consistent with this here rude rant.
     Given that, and given this particular person’s general reliability and in-the-loopitude, I’m inclined to offer the following as a guest commentary. –From Mr. or Ms. Anonymous, for what that's worth.
     As always, feel free to respond. Write a formal response. We’ll print it.
     Let’s have some dialogue!
     So, on with the Cry of the Fulmi Nation:

     Guess what? The Foundation Gala has been moved from June 15th to September 21st. Why? Because the Foundation Director’s vaunted “big donors & sponsors” have once again failed to materialize.
     This desperate rescheduling gambit was employed last year too (moved from June to October in 2012). Remember?

Harangutan

     Richard Morley is turning out to be like the last Foundation Director, Trustee Fuentes’ boy, Al: he can’t do more than one thing at once. I've never seen him chew gum whilst locomotin'.
     I’m told that Morley still hasn’t personally raised any money. He seems to think that that’s not his job. In Morleytown, it’s the job of this big power board he was going to build for us.
     Yeah. Remember last year’s Veteran's Angels Foundation Gala? Glenn declared that the event was a huge success; it raised $16,00. Remember?
     But where is that money? The veterans never received a penny of it. (Ask ‘em.)
     In truth, the $16,000 reported to the public included pledges received. Nope, not money raised: pledges received.

Glenn's curious announcement (and spelling)

     Good honesty, Glenn.
     And one wonders how many of those pledges actually came through. How much of the $16,000, I wonder, became a general fund subsidy when the bills for the event came due?
     Why is Glenn afraid to reveal the degree to which the Foundation is subsidized with general funds? How’s about some transparency?
     And how is the support of the Foundation reflected in the Strategic Planning process? 

 

     After nearly two years, it’s time for some accountability from the Foundation Director. Morley drove away most of the (Foundation) Board that he inherited in 2011. Glenn let him do it. And it appears that Morley has raised no money personally.
     Meanwhile, he has alienated much of the faculty and classified staff. If he enjoys support, it is largely from administrators and directors. But those people are unwilling to clue Glenn in on reality. Too risky.
     So tell us, Glenn. Where are those “power board members” who were supposed to bring in those big fat checks? Shouldn’t there be some heavy hitters on the Foundation board by now?
     Oh yeah, I forgot. This sort of thing “takes four to five years.” Sure maybe, if the college enjoyed a healthy adult environment. As it is, the transitional Morleyfication of the Foundation entailed the immediate banishing of virtually all experienced members. What’s left?
     Glenn, face it: you are Morley’s only supporter on campus.
     And SOCCCD BOT: how’s about some oversight?

SEE ALSO:
• IRVINE VALLEY CHRONICLES: a simple question
• November's [2012] meeting of the SOCCCD board of trustees: incentivizers & benefactories

Delilah Snell prevails in court

     Previously (IVC's student Dissenters: Where are they now?), we’ve sung the praises of IVC alum and one-time Dissenter Delilah Snell, owner, these days, of the popular The Road Less Traveled, a “Modern Natural Living & Community Education Shop.”
     Back in the late 90s, Delilah and her friend Deb Burbridge (now a full-timer at Long Beach City College) successfully sued then-IVC President Raghu Mathur and the college over the latter’s violations of students’ First Amendment rights (Mathur had placed absurd restrictions on student demonstrations regarding Mathur and the Board's accreditation-risking misdeeds, etc.).
     Today, the OC Weekly’s R. Scott Moxley (Judge Tosses Out Businessman's Defamation Lawsuit Involving 2011 OC Weekly Profile) reports that Snell has emerged victorious in a defamation suit brought against her by a powerful, and apparently thin-skinned, developer:

Judge Bauer

     Judge Ronald L. Bauer granted a case-ending motion by Walt Sadler, the attorney for Delilah Snell … after concluding her statements made for a 2011 OC Weekly profile about [Shaheen] Sadeghi were "a matter of opinion and thus beyond the scope of provable defamation."
     Snell told Weekly reporter Michelle Woo … the businessman had threatened to copy her eco-friendly business if she did not rent space at one of his retail centers.
     The judge viewed the dispute as a David-vs.-Goliath battle. He said Sadeghi "has a large footprint in Orange County," with many retail centers—including the Lab and the CAMP in Costa Mesa—while Snell, fiancée of Weekly editor Gustavo Arellano, "is a small player on the scene."

Sadeghi

     In his lawsuit, Sadeghi argued that Snell's comment constituted defamation, invasion of privacy and multiple business-related claims, all of which caused him damages.
     Snell argued that Sadeghi's court complaint was merely designed to silence critics, a key point Sadler made in his successful motion describing the case as a Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation (SLAPP).
… Bauer sided with Snell.
     "The plaintiff's ethics, business plans and impact on the community are all matters of public interest," the judge wrote in his four-page, April 15 ruling. "The plaintiff has also not shown that he has suffered any damage—or even a hint thereof—as a consequence of this article."
. . .
     "The worst thing that could perhaps be said about [Snell's] statement is that it might imply that Sadeghi is a bully," Bauer wrote. "It might be said, with no small amount of irony, that if it can indeed be proven that a person is a bully, this lawsuit would be Exhibit 1 in that proof."….

     Well, that’s wonderful news.
     Dissent readers will recall that I, too, once had occasion to employ the state’s anti-SLAPP statute when I, and former administrator Terry Burgess, were sued for “invasion of privacy” by then-IVC President IVC Mathur after I reported Mathur’s violations of a student’s rights (instructor Mathur had distributed the student’s transcripts in a failed effort to discredit Burgess, then the VPI). With Carol Sobel and Wendy Gabriella as our attorneys, we wielded the statute, forcing Mathur into a courtroom, where he was compelled to persuade a judge that he was liable to prevail. He failed. He was ordered to pay Burgess and me $34,000 (in the end, we settled for $32,000).
     You should have seen Mathur's face. He seemed uncomprehending.
     Read all about it here:

The day that Mathur sued me for telling the truth about him, and so I sued him back and won, and then he sued the district for not protecting him from me, and so they gave Raghu a prize (♨ they made him Chancellor ♨)

The Road Less Traveled is located on, um, a busy road

sister to sister (nsfw)

Michael Shannon Reads the Insane Delta Gamma Sorority Letter from Michael Shannon

OC's culture of corruption, etc.

Clean energy progress too slow to limit global warming, warns IEA (Guardian UK)
     With governments failing to promote green energy, top scientists say the drive to keep temperature rise below 2C has stalled

Jerry Brown detailing plans for universities (LA Times)
…In addition to holding the line on costs, Brown wants universities to ensure that students -- particularly incoming freshmen, transfers and low-income students who use federal Pell grants -- are able to finish their studies more quickly, reducing student expenses and wait times for critical classes….

Students ready to fight bill that would create higher-fee classes (LA Times)
…The bill, AB 955, is similar to a controversial plan attempted by Santa Monica College last summer to offer core education classes such as English, math and history at a cost of about $180 per unit, alongside state-funded courses set by the Legislature at $46 per unit. The school argued that extension courses would give students who couldn't get into regular classes another option to complete their education….

The 50 minute hour—plus the 2/1 homework/lecture hour standard—plus the "examiners" vs. the "unit counters"

Trash unrecognized

     THE STUDENT HOUR. Recent discussion of failures to hold class sessions for the appropriate period—a practice that is evidently rampant in IVC’s evening session—led me to revisit college standards and measures.
     As you know, the Carnegie Unit—and its collegiate equivalent, the “student hour”—are among such standards. Like it or not—and, of course, many do not like it—the “student hour” is a key measure of “attainment” in American universities and colleges.
     I tried to locate a clear statement of this standard. Here’s a useful bit from an October 4, 2011, memo from the Chief Academic Officer of the CSU (Ephraim P. Smith) to CSU presidents. Responding to recent stirrings at WASC (the accreditors), the memo seeks to define the “credit hour.”
     As you know, the typical course receives three credits or units. The typical full-time student takes 4 or 5 courses per semester (12 to 15 units/credits):

...Effective immediately, for all CSU degree programs and courses bearing academic credit, the “credit hour” is defined as “the amount of work represented in intended learning outcomes and verified by evidence of student achievement that is an institutionally established equivalency that reasonably approximates not less than:

1. one hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction and a minimum of two hours of out-of-class student work each week for approximately fifteen weeks for one semester or trimester hour of credit, or ten to twelve weeks for one quarter hour of credit, or the equivalent amount of work over a different amount of time; [My emphasis] or

2. at least an equivalent amount of work as required in paragraph (1) of this definition for other academic activities as established by the institution, including laboratory work, internships, practica, studio work, and other academic work leading to the award of credit hours.”

As in the past, a credit hour is assumed to be a 50-minute (not 60-minute) period. In courses, such as those offered online, in which “seat time” does not apply, a credit hour may be measured by an equivalent amount of work, as demonstrated by student achievement. WASC shall require its accredited institutions to comply with this definition of the credit hour; and it shall review periodically the application of this credit-hour policy across the institution, to ensure that credit hour assignments are accurate, reliable, appropriate to degree level, and that they conform to commonly accepted practices in higher education. 

     I cite this, in part, because it may shed light on the notion and origins of the “50-minute hour.”

     INCIDENTALLY, OUR SYSTEM IS FRAUDULENT. I cite this also because I want to remind readers (as I do occasionally) how deeply fraudulent our system of higher education has been allowed to become. According to the above standard, a student in, say, a typical college course should attend lecture for three hours per week and should study “a minimum of” six hours per week.
     Yeah.
     So, if a kid is taking four courses (many take five), that’s 12 hours in the classroom and at least 24 hours of homework per week—according to the official standard (supposedly assumed by WASC/ACCJC).
     That’s 36 hours minimum. 45 hours minimum for students with 5 classes.
     A lot of these kids are working.
     And they have a social life.
     Do the math.

     THE EXAMINERS VS. THE UNIT COUNTERS. Essentially, the great debate (not that such a debate is going on!) regarding how best to measure college student attainment pits the “examiners”—those who would measure student attainment by the passing of end-of-college exams (preferably given by outsiders)—with the “unit counters”—those who suppose that student achievement is best measured by counting credits or units, the latter a matter of warming classroom seats satisfactorily over a designated period. The Europeans persist in their examinations. In the U.S., the unit counters have won bigtime. There's no going back now, it seems.



     AND YET— In America, examinations were once king. It's true! In Brief History of American Credit System, John Harris quotes John S. Brubacher and Willis Rudy, authors of Higher Education in Transition:

The principal method of testing student achievement in the early colonial college took the form of a public exhibition. On this occasion the president and tutors, together with the governing board and such gentlemen of liberal education as might be interested, constituted a sort of court or board of examiners. On one such occasion Ezra Stiles of Yale noted as many as twenty taking part. Students were called up singly and each examined orally. This display of learning made quite a public appeal and remained popular till well into the nineteenth century.
. . .
By the middle of the nineteenth century the public exhibition was rapidly giving way to the practice of written examinations. The obvious advantage which this form held over the oral consisted in having all examinees react to the same set of questions. The college missed the public advertisement of the exhibition, but in its place it could boast of much greater equity in the results of its testing. But even written examinations were not without their critics. The critics, however, were not so much the advocates of the public exhibition as the defenders of the recitation [i.e., daily Socratic questioning; see below]. The daily recitation with carefully recorded grades was an examination itself, they thought, and, when grades were averaged, more unerring in its results than those given only annually or even semiannually. Proponents of the written, longer term examination pointed out in reply that reliance on the daily recitation caused the student to study subjects piecemeal, thereby losing the over-all grasp of material engendered by the newer examining procedure. President Eliot had a criticism too, but his was constructive and one to be pressed frequently in the twentieth century. He thought it a mistake to join the teaching and examining function in the same person because, while such a practice might provide a measure of the learning done, it afforded no satisfactory measure of teaching. [See below for an explanation of the "recitation" method.]

     At about the turn of the century, reliance on examinations was soon replaced with reliance on the Carnegie unit system, though the CUs were never intended for the purpose of measuring student attainment, something the Carnegie people are the first to acknowledge.
     No matter, that's how we measure it today. And it's ridiculous.
     I do think there's an important benefit to the "college experience"—the traditional four-year course of study at an actual place with actual classrooms, instructors, and whatnot. Testing shouldn't be everything. But I also think that the (default) victory in the U.S. of the unit counters over the examiners (and recitationists, I guess) is and continues to be very unfortunate.
     I think it helps explain how it can have occurred that, now, so many undereducated ignorami run around with college degrees, including "advanced" degrees.
     They're in charge of accreditation, you know. And much else. They fill the ranks of administration.
     Lord help us all.

     THE "RECITATION" METHOD EXPLAINED. Brubacher and Rudy (p. 86) explain that, during colonial times,

See also

• Carnegie, the Founder of the Credit-Hour, Seeks Its Makeover (Chronicle of Higher Education, 12/5/12)

• Is college too easy? As study time falls, debate rises  (Washington Post, 5/21/12)

     Over the past half-century, the amount of time college students actually study — read, write and otherwise prepare for class — has dwindled from 24 hours a week to about 15, survey data show.
. . .
     Tradition suggests that college students should invest two hours in study for every hour of classes. The reality — that students miss that goal by half — emerged from the National Survey of Student Engagement, a research tool for colleges that examines the modern student in unprecedented detail.
. . .
     The finding has led some critics to question whether college is delivering on its core mission: student learning. Sociologists Richard Arum and Josipa Roksa identified lax study as a key failing of academia in their 2011 report “Academically Adrift,” which found that 36 percent of students made no significant gains in critical-thinking skills in college. Arum’s own research found that students study only 12 hours a week….

Eugene V. Debs, aka "Debsy" on a Friday afternoon

The night dean

Would that top administration at IVC exhibited the intellectual curiosity of the cat.

Board Forum: don't nobody ask the obvious questions

Nobody gave a crap

     Naturally, there was no chance of my attending today's Trustee Forum. These Presidential and Board extravaganzas are invariably scheduled when I teach. Such was the case today, for the forum started at 12:30, the start time of my Philosophy 2 class.
     Undeterred, immediately after class at about 1:50, I walked over to the A100 Building, hoping to find the meeting--or at least a few stragglers and cupcakes. I found three or four people standing around. I got nowhere.
     Later, I ran into one or two people who could fill me in on the event. "There was a Monopoly Game about ATEP," said one wag. Not sure if he was kidding. But I wouldn't be surprised if some version of that proposition were true. ATEP is, of course, the Eternally Amorphous Kollege (EAK). It was once slated to become the new home and headquarters for a band of young performers called the "Young Republican Hoofers" or some such thing. The Young Hoofer idea fell through, though, and, since that time, ATEP has lacked any discernible identity or vision or Zip Code. Last I heard, it was still an enormous Money Pit, sporting three or four tin shacks and the sad sawdust residue of a chapel that had been built for soldiers back in 1942. (I tried to get people interested in saving the chapel, but nobody seemed to give a crap.)
     "Was it well attended?" I asked. Well, yes it was, I was told, "though there were only two or three faculty."
     Oh. I guess maybe they were teaching. Classified employees get brownie points for attending, I bet.

The Plastic People of the Universe

     As you know, recently, the state promulgated the result of an effort to collect factoids per college regarding "success." It's called the "student success scorecard." "Completion" and "success" are, of course, the buzzwords de jour. Generally speaking, our two colleges did OK, completion-wise, though, on some measures, we were way behind other local colleges or districts. For instance, the SOCCCD was in distant last place with regard to the ratio of full-time instruction to part-time instruction (aka "reliance on slave labor"). It was kind of embarrassing. A debacle even.
     That's not about completion, I guess, but it sure is about something important.
     "Anybody talk about the recent State Scorecard for the colleges?"
     "Nope."
     "Nobody? ... Nothing?"
     Head shake.
     "What did they talk about then?"
     "I dunno. ATEP, I guess."
     Someone else told me that five of the seven trustees showed up. Only PJ Prendergast and Bill Jay were no-shows. I wonder what these trustees made of the "Scorecard." Were they embarrassed? Concerned?
     Maybe they've never heard of it. I mean, nobody brought it up today at IVC. Could be nobody in the room heard about it. It somehow fell between the cracks, like oversight of evening classes.
     Maybe, here, in the SOCCCD, we're in one of those Bubbles. Could be.
     Hello? Anybody out there? HELLLOOOOOOOO!

Gone forever

Night Beat: The Case of the Empty Classroom

Where to start?

Rebel Girl teaches Thursday evenings 7:00 - 9:50. She almost always has for the last twenty years or so.

The class meets once a week and is populated by students who are happy to be there and who often are on campus only on that evening. Rebel Girl generally makes herself available after class to talk to students about their work—and she does this in the classroom in which she teaches for obvious reasons: there they are, after all and usually by the time 10:00 has been reached, the A-200 building is already locked down—or sometimes is simply too far across an increasingly dark and deserted campus—especially when, upon arrival, it is locked down. At most, this time after class is 15-20 minutes.

Dissent readers have long endured Rebel Girl plaintive wails about the lack of oversight and resources in the evening at the college. How classes ending early rather than being the exception are the norm. How the place—which should be buzzing until ten and shortly after—is often deserted shortly after 9:00. She's brought it up in department meetings, school meetings—and even, in the distant past, senate meetings. There are issues here related to good teaching practices, curriculum, compensation, safety and liability.

So, since Rebel Girl has already complained ad nauseum about this—why is she at it again?

Here's why.

Increasingly this semester, the building she teaches in becomes empty much, much earlier than 9:50. For example, the classroom next to Rebel Girl's, B-110, regularly empties out at 8:30—about the time when her class is returning from break to prepare for the next hour and twenty minutes of state-mandated instruction. Rebel Girl and her students meet the students and the teacher leaving as they return. That class is supposed to meet until 8:50.

She knows, she knows, what is 20 minutes?

But the other classrooms also empty out early. How early? Early enough for all the classrooms and the hallway to be clean by 9:50—if not earlier.

Since the other classes empty out early rather than later, this allows the single custodian assigned to clean the building to do just that—increasingly more quickly and earlier so that he is waiting, hovering—in the hallway, often noisily because of the nature of his work—for the class to finish and as soon as the first few students do leave, he enters and begins his work before, frankly, their work is fully done. Rebel Girl has tried to talk to him—but he has a job to do. That's what is important to him. She understands this.

But she can no longer talk to or answer student questions as she wishes to do and as they need her to do. The situation has grown increasingly uncomfortable and distracting. Last week most of the class was aware that by talking longer (and they were having an important discussion regarding a very moving student story) they were keeping the custodian from his work. His presence right outside our door was clear as was his repeated and impatient looks inside the door windows which interrupted discussion. This was unfortunate as the subject matter needed special attention and care.

She knows she could complain about him but the real issue that allows this situation to occur is the simple fact that evening classes all too often end early. How else to explain an entire building of clean, dark classrooms at 9:50?

Indeed, as the class leave, the other classrooms are dark, with tied-up trash bags waiting outside the building's doors. Clearly everyone else has been gone for a long, long time—enough time for the custodian to clean every classroom in the building (interior classroom and exterior ones) except Rebel Girl's.

At least a couple other classes should be present until 9:50—but they are not. And haven't been.

So—there's her problem.

As she encountered students from that class this week, she queried them. Their answers were uniform: they feel pressure to leave; they feel their classroom is not theirs. One student (a top student by the way, an award-winning student involved in other campus activities whose name appears in various college press releases) said that she has had problems for weeks after the class is over because the restroom is locked up—and she must track down the custodian to open it, which he does not want to do. She makes him do it.

Again, Rebel Girl thinks the custodian is just doing his job—but the real underlying problem is that enough people are not doing theirs. (For the record, Rebel Girl thinks this is a campus-wide issue—not a specific building issue, not an over-eager custodian issue—but a systemic issue.)

As Rebel Girl taught her day-time classes this week, she asked them about their evening classes: in your experience, do your classes get out early?

The responses suggested a popular pattern.

How early do your 7-10 classes get out? 

8:30, 9:00, 9:15, 9:30. 

There was discussion of the 50 minute "hour" and what that means or doesn't mean.

There was acknowledgement that both teachers and students liked these "brief" classes. Some said they took evening classes because they knew the classes ended early.

One student said the teacher told them that he taught so well and they were so smart they didn't need to have that "extra" time.

Ouch.

Why should we care? 

Let Rebel Girl count the reasons (she thinks she did so above)—but perhaps the college might consider the bottom line issue of liability. Some of these evening students are part of our specially recruited sector—high school students. What do they do during the 30 minutes, hour, hour and a half when the instructor lets the class out—and their parents pick them up? Who knows?

*

D'ya think?

Ethics Commission Proposed for Orange County Government (Voice of OC)

     County Supervisor Todd Spitzer says he agrees with the grand jury on the need for an ethics commission and will push for an ordinance while also taking aim at DA Tony Rackauckas for a lack of focus on official corruption....