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| Turkey |
NO PLEASURE. There are those who insist that all human action is self-interested. The proof of this, they say, is that, when we get what we want, we feel pleasure. And whenever we do anything, we obviously want something. Thus, to do something is to seek pleasure.
To all this I say "Humbug." For I wanted to come to this meeting. I did, after all, go out of my way to travel here, disturbing a perfectly nice moment with my cat Theodore, who was happily attacking my forearm with his needle-like claws--our standard form of entertainment on wintry nights. And so here I am, having fought Marguerite traffic, my arm barely bloodied, my interests definitely flagging.
And so I wanted to be here, and here I am, and yet I am certain that no pleasure is about to be had. Not by me anyway. On the contrary.
My motivation to show up to these absurd meetings has hit an all-time low. Long gone is the kind of sulfurous fun one might enjoy watching Tom Fuentes make ugly faces at liberals, real or imagined, in the room & world. —Or the delight one would feel upon seeing Don Wagner's bottle of sneer and peeve building pressure in someone's direction—a state inevitably culminating in bloody Neanderthalic pouncification and predation. Oh, the humanity!
It's 6:08, and there's no sign of trustees. The audience is pretty light—why would it be otherwise? And here I sit, disappointing young Theodore, a personage of far greater estimability than any trustee for hundreds of miles around. Certainly, he's more perceptive. And he's not blinded by a sense of importance produced by having tens of thousands of morons voting for whatever incumbent is available.
I'm being much too negative. This board is, as I've often declared, the best that the district has ever seen. Yes. On the other hand, previous boards comprised Nazis, rednecks, and massive gas bags, floating stupidly in the sky. And that's just John Williams, who, thank God, finally popped and got boxed up and carted away.
Lately, this board and their Chance have blathered about their unparalleled labors bringing about civility and warm-and-fuzzitude throughout the district. They have relied on such sure-fire means as threatening to write up anybody who says anything negative. (That was Glenn's idea, but it got nixed.) They're still trying to get a "civility" board policy passed, but the senates are still carping. My own view is that a kind of incivility should be encouraged. After all, somebody's got to compete with the ruthless bastards who run things up in IVC.
6:22: Aha! the trustees have appeared, and some of 'em have strange growths under their noses! I'm trying to read their faces and body language, but that only makes me think of some depraved version of the Brady Bunch.
So far, we've spotted three trustees: Lang, Wright, and Prendergast, the latter keeping his nose warm with that Movember growth. —And Gary. Lang seems to be counting beans, privately. Prendergast looks grumpy and furry.
Aha! Bill Jay has tottered in and has landed in his chair. And now Marcia and Nancy! The end is near! James Wright is now wandering back to his seat. The only trustee unaccounted for is Tim Jemal, the fellow I like to call the Spirit of the Mere Possibiility of Intelligence. Natch, that one's a no show.
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| IVC Model UN team. One wonders what it's like to be an act in Glenn's perpetual dog and pony show |
Actions reported. Leave of absence approved for somebody, classified. Also amended: somebody—a noneducational manager, I think—gets to be fired if they agree to a one-year contract. Something like that. Golly.
Bill Jay does a moment of silence for the people of the Phillipines. Dave Lang leads the Pledge, a bean quietly falling from his fingers to the floor.
There are no resolutions, but there is a commendation. Glenn Roquemore presents the Model UN team of IVC, which recently excelled in some way. Each member is handed a certificate or something. It's the usual thing. On it goes. Nice kids, I'm sure. Tere takes a lovely pic, struggling to get all fifty members in one shot. (Well, there're about fifteen.)
Any public comments? OF COURSE NOT. WHY WOULD ANYONE DO THAT?
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| Only males gobble |
Deb Fitz introduces somebody who introduces an auditor. A blond gal. "A very positive audit result." Financial statements of the district. Blah, blah, blah. All of the funds of the district, but also fed and state funding. Several auditors' opinions. Auditors offered "unmodified" opinion, which is really good, evidently. They tagged the district on "one minor" item. An auditor bumped into Dale C, I guess. Blah, blah, blah. Financially, we're on an upturn here in Cal. We did not have any concerns. Some positive trends going on. Could pay down something, make a contributiont to something. You're in a "sound condition." Questions?
Lang: congratulates staff. Have done an excellent job, making sure our financial statements are terrific, etc.
Motion, etc. Unanimous approval. That's 6.1. They move on to 6.2. Same thing there. Some recommendations for the foundations, however. You can read them. No questions. Approval carries unanimously. They do 6.3 also. Something about OPEB trust. Fitz asserts that we got an "unqualified opinion." That's good. Unanimous approval.
Board reports:
Bill Jay: "no further comments, thank you." (Gosh, has he uttered a single word yet? Oh yeah, he introduced that moment of silence.)
Marcia Milchiker: recommends new online format of agenda. (She's right about that.) Did lots of usual things. Legislative Task Force meeting in Fullerton College. Working to help veterans: better opportunities, etc. Saddleback College Veterans Center dedication: "heart rending." We had "several" BOT forums.
TJ Prendergast: attended IVC veterans ceremony. Always a pleasure to celebrate the veterans. Forums were well attended, especially here at Saddleback. Good discussion at both sites. He commented on his mustache: Movember, etc.
Nancy Padberg: I attended the forums, veterans events. Worked with audit committee.
James Wright: K-12 partnership breakfast at SC. Paramedic graduation at SC. Attended both Veterans Day ceremonies, etc. Attended district forums: "those are good events." He looks forward to them. Football games. (By now, half the room is snoozing.) Last thing: community college league of Cal convention in Burlingham, CA. A wonderful event. (If you say so.) Chancellor Bryce Harris gave a wonderful report on Cal CCs. We need to "stay focused." The Bacc. degree. We need to study possibility of CCs offering these, I guess.
Dave Lang: no formal comments, but wanted to wish everyone a good Thanksgiving.
Student trustee Robinson: congratulates various winners of this and that. Mentions that his father served as Air Force Captain during Viet Nam "conflict." I think this kid hopes to run for office some day. D'ya think? He looks like he lives in a poster.
Chancellor Poertner: wants to reiterate forum comment: the climate in our district, a vast improvement from where we were in the past. Particularly important as we try to move forward. Urges continued work. Board continues to have high level of interest in student success.
IVC Prez Roquemore: thanks trustees for attending Vets day ceremonies. Our keynote speaker was trustee and veteran James Wright. (Kiss, kiss, kiss.) Also, IVC is now offering "freshman advantage," colloborating with our sister college. Matriculation program.
SC Prez Burnett: very pleased to report SC approved year-long efforts to create success committee. (Yes, pleased as punch.) Bring our college together to move on student success. Thanks board for attending veterans celebration. Thanked board for "terrific" board forum. Very positive. Lots of good questions, dialogue. Administrators and managers went through training recently for emergencies. Coming events: Feast of Lights with our choir and orchestra, Dec. 7-8. Next board meeting: official groundbreaking of new Science Building. Happy Thanksgiving.
Board requests for reports:
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| Females are called hens; they cluck but do not gobble |
5.1 Consent Calendar. Anything to be pulled? Apparently not. "This must be a record," said Nancy.
Naturally, carries unanimously. "Wonderful," says Nancy.
6.4 - Contract with Neudesic. Wright asks question about wait lists. Being redesigned from the ground up because earlier incarnation "did not meet expectations." Approved.
6.5 - Board Policy revision, etc. For review and study.
6.6 - Board Policy revision, etc. Approval. Carries unanimously.
6.7 - Academic Personnel Actions (this is interesting). Bugay makes some corrections. Refers to replacement pages. Prendergast makes a point of clarification. Approved unanimously.
6.8 - Classified personnel actions. Prendergast: asks about Richard Morley. Is this in line with the presentation we had before, restructuring the foundation to bring in more people to generate more funds? Is this related? Roquemore looks worried: yes, related, but there's a lot more to that. Strategic planning work. Refers to pp. 20 to 25. SC has already gone forward with this. Standard in the state to have this title/position. —There are no other questions. Approved unanimously.
6.9 - Request to rescind sabbatical for Lisa Davis Allen. No comments or questions.
[It's 7:05]
7.1 speakersReports from constituent groups:
7.2 basic aid
7.3 projets for local funding
7.4 retiree trust fund
7.5 monthly financial status report
7.6 quarterly investment
7.7 non-resident tuition.
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| Wild turkeys can fly; domestics are too fat |
Faculty Association: no report
IVC Academic Senate: leaders of academic senates of both colleges attended statewide plenary meetings.
Peebles: Tustin Ranch Road opened on Sunday. People seem pleased as punch to hear about this. We've made good progress on demolition. Hydroseeded. Spaces to develop, retangular spaces. (Gosh, he's got lots to say.)
VC Tech Bramucci: alignment of forces on completion agenda. Want them to be aware of what we are doing. We've been going around to see folks at state and fed level. Lots of speaking, oh good. Lots of meetings. Buzz, buzz, buzz. Student software programs.
VC Bugay, Human resources: two reports on training. Tenure review process. Upbeat blarney.
VC Fitzsimmons: Blah blah blah.
Others: Blah blah blah.
I'm outa here. 7:14, p.m.
15 comments:
Thanks for being there!
Hi! I am waving at you! Hellloooo! You-hoo!
I wonder how many of us here at the meeting are also reading this at the same time?
I am! It find it takes the edge off.
I am!
Yes, thank you Roy for serving as our eyes and ears. Senate Prezs and FA Prez should always say something about faculty achievements, projects and the like. They are there to represent us, to put our work with students before the BOT and Administrations at District and Colleges.
7:26 - I think the same. Even if there is no formal report, sometimes reading something into the minutes such as "This week, faculty are writing umpteen letters of recommendation, helping meet the deadline of the UC personal statements as well as grading scores of papers" gives a sense of an engaged faculty. They forget what we do and the conditions we do it under.
I'm really disappointed. As much as the faculty complains on this blog about the conditions at IVC, I don't understand why you don't take the time to show up and address your concerns during the public comments session of the Board Meeting. Are you really interested in taking the TIME to change things, or do you all just like to whine?? Your opinions don't mean much if you just want to whine on a blog...
8:46: Good point, but there are other ways other than showing up to a board meeting to effect change (so says someone who has been to many of them). Have you? Roy is at almost every meeting. Many of us do what we can, when we can - but our students do come first which is why we teach so well and spend our evening grading and prepping. Me, I have taken to cleaning my own classroom when I can. That way it gets done. Unfortunately, I can't build a new building or fund a parking structure. I expect I'll retire before that gets done. But at least I will have the satisfaction of teaching well. If the board really care d they might come and see where we teach...but I am not holding my breath. Glen and Linda and John - they all know what out teaching conditions are like. They don't care. Never have. That's why A-100 is getting its umpteenth remodel and the buildings in the A-quad - well, come look. It's a symbol, I tell my students.
I am endlessly disappointed by the timidity and seeming passivity of (full time) faculty, a highly protected group. At IVC, it's like our official disease.
seriously? You can't show up to a board meeting on occasion and speak out, because your students come first? I think most people are able to multitask a little better than that, don't you?
It's kind of like saying we can't save the whales because there are children starving in Africa.
We have an apathetic bunch of employees. It's sad. Some really can't speak out because they are not tenured. But those who are - really, what is holding you back?
Indeed.
The proudest moment in recent times was the large turnout from IVC to protest on behalf of faculty members who were going to be denied tenure. Administrators, faculty and staff members all spoke up on their behalf. We need to do that again in regards to the issues here on the IVC campus. We had about 30 people speak to the board imagine if 30 people spoke up about the problems with leadership, civility, lack of accountability, etc.
Agreed! Our faculty are doing great things - presenting at national conferences, hosting speakers and events on campus, going above and beyond to assist students with their personal statements due this week for UC apps, etc. They should always have something to say about faculty accomplishments!
It could be that what we need to do is formalize this for our faculty leaders. Make a motion at the next Senate and FA meetings to do so. Never have no report. ALWAYS have something to say. Maybe we just need to take that extra step and provide that something.
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