GLENN'S NAME IS "MUD." Kathy Schmeidler, the IVC Academic Senate President (i.e., leader of faculty qua academic matters), is among the least confrontational and hostile persons one can imagine. Even so, even she has her limits, which were exceeded this week—and, in particular, at the Jan. 30 meeting of the IVC Academic Senate (Rep Council).
Administrators at IVC love to respond to any signs of suspicion and skepticism directed at seemingly hinky administrative doings by saying, “You need to get beyond that; things are different now; we have openness and trust and collaboration and transparency and civility; it’s a new day!”
Big smile.
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| Big smile |
Yeah, but then, repeatedly, they turn around and reveal that it’s the same old day after all—essentially the kind of day that members of the college community used to endure at the hands of mythic autocrats and connivers of our not-so-distant past.
As you know, the college’s Early College Program (see here and here) has been controversial at IVC for many years—ever since IVC President Glenn Roquemore foisted the program upon faculty, despite their expressed reservations and concerns. The history of the program since then has been one of faculty grumbling (backed by evidence of folly and failure) and indifference by Roquemore to said grumbling. The program, it seems, will go forward, and that’s that.
Recently, the Academic Senate announced its intention of participating in yet another poll of involved parties concerning EC. Administration didn’t want that. They opposed it. But the faculty are undeterred; the poll will go forward, despite administration.
That particular snafu has been corrected. But why does this problem arise at all, and repeatedly?
Earlier this week (Monday), at the meeting of the Academic Planning and Technology Committee, it came to light that administrators are moving forward with plans for ATEP, the SOCCCD’s third campus in Tustin. Evidently, their thinking is that administration will decide what will be developed there, and then, afterward, faculty will be apprised. --Civilly, of course. With a big smile!
Upon learning of this, the aforementioned senate prez blew her top. No, she said, faculty will not be informed after the fact; faculty will participate in these deliberations.Oh.
And then came the latest outrage. To make a long story short, the college has defined a process for resource allocations—including room usage. Library staff/faculty have come to depend on a particular room in the library behind the circulation desk. It is crucial to their operation. But, last Friday, without warning, noisy construction workers showed up and eliminated a door to that room; it was drywalled in. (I went to look at it yesterday; it is now as though a door had never been there.)
Evidently, the room into which library personnel normally entered through the aforementioned door was being reassigned. You see, the DSPS people lost a space owing to mold/water damage. It became necessary to find a new space for the purpose of giving tests, and so DSPS reached out to administration. Nothing wrong with that.
Subsequently, a certain administrator (LF, the VPSS) decided that the room in the Library would be good for the testing.
On the day that construction (i.e., elimination of the door) occurred, the dean overseeing the library was caught by surprise. Why is this happening? Who decided to do this? Why were we not notified or consulted?
Nobody was notified or consulted. Not even the Vice President of Instruction, Craig Justice. He had no idea what was happening.Evidently, the VPSS had decided to reallocate the room to DSPS without providing the library folks with a new space. It would be DSPS’s. She had brought this project to the attention of the college president, Glenn Roquemore. He gave it his blessing. No doubt the two were smiling. Silence pervaded the scene.
Want details? Lemme know.
44 comments:
No confidence.
Such continued disrespect merits a no confidence vote.
Faculty and staff get criticized for not following Glen's "chain of command" but here we have an egregious example with real ramifications courtesy of him and Linda - without one meeting, or head's up email, or anything. Why?
The faculty had better pay attention. Glenn has not learned from the past. You have a VPSS who thinks she can do anything and Glenn will back her, and of course he will. Something dark is happening at IVC.
Yes, very dark indeed. LF has shown she is a shrewd and very mean spirited person who insists on having her way. There is no civility or respect shown to others....after all she is a VP (and makes sure you know she is also a PhD). Frankly if she is so hung up on rank, then go back to the military. As for Glenn, he is, as usual, "unaware" of what goes on at IVC, while "the one who will not be named (LF) wreaks havoc on the campus.
It is a pandemic. There was too much sickness back in those years. Our reality remains twisted and still the same old voices haunt this place. We just can't shake it. New leadership is needed throughout IVC, in both the administration and the faculty. Give that voice to those eager, inspiring people we have worked to hard to bring here before they, too, catch this horrible bug, or leave.
I can't understand how a college president refuses to communicate with the college community - or pretends he does so when it's obvious he doesn't. His failure to acknowledge when things go wrong is just unbelievable. Yes, he FINALLY visited A-200 to tell them he didn't really know who had done what and why : "Screws? what screws? But hey ain't they PRETTY?"
Why not visit the library and tell them what's up Glenn? "Hi! I don't respect you or what you do enough to tell you what we're doing to your facility. I am the president and I can do what I want with the library! I can take away rooms and give rooms! I can give keys to whoever I want to give keys to! It's not your building! It's not the students' building! It's MINE! BWAHAHAHA!!!!"
This problem is bigger than Glenn but he makes it worse. The situation with the library vs. DSPS has to to do with the utter failure to plan for real growth and real needs - and a failure to manage and the maintain the buildings we do have. The board should ask for a tour - a surprise tour - of the campus -. not the NEW buildings - but the buildings where the majority of students, staff and instructors work. If i was Glenn or Linda or even my colleagues in DSPS, I'd be ashamed. You don't take from people without consulting with them. The DSPS people need to talk to their colleagues in the library. We need to unite.
No confidence!
Someone should ask Darryl Cox and Helen Lock to share what they know about Glenn's unorthodox use of resources and facilities and the favors he traded to people for use of the same. It's been going on for a long time.
Darryl Cox and Helen Locke spoke up about inequities and unorthodox happenings at IVC....and you know what happened to them. Glen goes about with his smiling face while his puppets (LF and CJ) carry out the dirty work. Our Chancellor and Board of Trustees remain in the dark.
It is unfortunate that our administration still doesn't get it. It is disappointing that with all the hype about civility that such disrespectful actions keep happening. No doubt Glenn will claim he didn't do it and shift the blame to John Edwards. Glenn will also defend LF and probably blame CJ along with JE. The latter needs to be careful, 'cause after DC and HL, JE is next on the chopping block.
What will it take for us the faculty to unite and call for a vote of no confidence? Clearly, Glenn has failed to lead IVC for the last 12 years and he keeps getting worse.
Helen Locke should have been fired 20 years ago - Good for Glenn - regrettably, here in California it takes that long to rid an institution of arrogant egotism. You know, this issue is just another tempest in a teapot. Make a gratitude list people. You all really have it made!
Wow, 11;16AM are you just back from Colorado and still on a mountain high? Arrogant Egotism...that would be Craig, Linda, et.al. If Helen was so bad for 20 years, what does that say about Glen's leadership skills?
We at Saddleback are woefully aware of some of these issues created and fostered by an administration that talks the good talk but fails--and deliberately so--to follow its own rules and guidelines demanded of others. The ripple effect of the El Toro boundaries (thus limiting students access and success to courses and programs), the Early College mess, and the failure to share with others what impact undiscussed decisions have on others--the commandeering of the Librarians' critical space.
You want to see total incompetence in action? You don't have to look any furthur than those two secretaries over there at counseling. They are quite unhelpful at best. Each time I needed their help they were very curt and rude as if I was a big problem for them. I just needed their help with some important documents and their attitude was that of just getting rid of me. Then another time I was there they were both out to lunch for over two hours! Over two hours! Wouldn't it make more sense for them not to take lunch together so one of them can cover the counceling office? You would think! I'm just really frustrated with my overall experience and how I've been treated there. I get the feeling like I'm being screwed whenever I have to deal with them. Can't something be done to fix this or do they not care?
Its been going around that Helen had a sizable budget surplus, one that Glenn wanted to get his hands on to backfill the Foundation shortage, but she repetedly had to tell him no, that the money belonged to the students, so he fired her. Is this how a community College ought to be run? Certainly stinks to high heaven.
11:16 sounds like either CJ or his trusty sidekick KS. Nice of you to drop by!
The above IVC guide to communication and civility is dead on. Anyone who has overlooked it should blow it up and take a closer look. NO CONFIDENCE!
Wouldn't an audit show the transfer of such funds if Glen really gets $$$$ now that Helen is gone? If this is true? Would a record requests show who has been authorized to have keys to the buildings at IVC and who authorized it?
How about the IVC Financial Aid Office hours? Open M-Th 10-2:30 - Closed on Friday. It is IMPOSSIBLE to get help. They can't even keep someone at a desk to answer questions during regular working hours. And the students in the evenings have no where to go - and can't even come in on Friday.
Nice work if you can get it, that FA Office. I notice that their hours (such as they are) are "subject to change" too. Wow.
Linda F's handpicked people are running the FA office. The FA staff are frustrated as she continues to bring in outside people who don't see the know much of anything about our students or campus. Have you met LF's new choice for interim director replacing Helen? Another new person with an attitude and lack of civility.
As a long time employee I have completely lost faith in the Administration of the college. Glenn doesn't take responsibility or even care to know what goes on, while Craig, Linda, Richard and others who report to him wreak havoc and destroy the lives of the students, faculty and staff on campus....it is very sad.
Glenn is behaving exactly like Obama. Could this be Glenn's way of getting even with all you Obama-voting socialist libs by giving you a taste of your own medicine and consequence as a form of punishment?
"Socialist libs"? Please go away, never come back.
I don't see this situation ending well. Either a few admins have to go or they continue firing staff on trumped-up cause. You know that even if they settle with the senate it will only be symbolic and nothing will really change; they will continue to see the roll of the senate as advisory rather than participatory. They will never admit that they're wrong or they made mistakes. The senate may force admin to capitulate on EC in the short run but that will only result in growing animocity as huge egos are are involved, and those types do not take losing to compromise lightly. They're used to their way, or you take the highway. Somethings got to give, and soon.
I believe this warrants emergency board/chancellor action. What is happening flies in the face of the district's mission.
NO CONFIDENCE!
NO CONFIDENCE! Someone needs to go to the media and newspaper! And someone will.
Touche!
I dont believe the local newspaper or tv station will create a story concerning a room that was rarely used converted as a temporary testing center for dissabled students. c'mon man, we are here for students. yes a lack of communication and total totalitarian b.s. but the changes were for students.
Linda, get off this board!
Were the changes for students? If they were, then why were the faculty most connected to that room not consulted? Most student success occurs at the point of impact between students and faculty. We all get less buy in when faculty are included in the discussion.
I'm not referring to a room being used as a temporary testing center; what GR, LF et al are doing is a complete disservice to students in the grand scheme of things; firing people without just cause, hiring people they know and making others go through an interview process knowing full well that they have their person already picked out. Money that is non-existent that should be and not accountable for; that's what I'm referring to.
I think the media are more likely to go with a story about the college screwing shut windows that have been open for thirty years. But it would have to be a slow news day. We're better off making our displeasure known to the Chancellor and Board.
Well then let's do it. Enough!
PhD's are a dime a dozen. Not impressed. Most of these people get off on being called "Dr." She's a doctor of blatant bullshit.
I bet Kathy S. either backs down for fear of them messing with her career, or admin manages to smooth things over by giving her something, like say a dean position. That seems to be the M.O.
I see Linda, just like how you got fired as an air traffic controller? So you used to push tin, huh? Then the Gipper nailed you cuz ya wouldn't cross picket lines... We all have your number. I can see where all your anger comes from.
Not only was it done without consultation, the room itself doesn't even meet the needs of the students it is supposed to serve. They are just trying to make it appear as if they are doing - covering their asses. Planning has been lacking vision about real need and growth for the last decade.
Glenn, why don't you just pack it in for the good of the college--faculty, staff, administrators and STUDENTS. Board members and Chancellor please take note.
To: Anonymous11:47 PM, February 01, 2014
What the heck are you talking about?
I work with Kathy S. She has INTEGRITY. Enough said.
She has an EDD not a PHD and she got it from a degree mill school. She's trash regardless.
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