Tuesday, May 5, 2015

Once again, Roquemore blows off process

¡I am the process!
     DtB readers know that Irvine Valley College has a very mixed record with regard to its invited commencement speakers. Some have been good. Some have been embarrassing in one way or another. (Plagiarism anyone?)
     The chief difficulty here is familiar: the piss-poor leadership of IVC Prez-for-life Glenn Roquemore, that remarkably non- (or anti-) academic fellow (he hangs out a lot at the Chamber of Commerce and gives speeches over at the knuckle-dragging Pacifica Institute), who generally finds ways to get who he wants at commencement, despite student or faculty preferences—and the demands of process!—to the contrary.
     This year is no exception. The college has a process according to which a committee, with wide representation, arrives at a list of carefully winnowed committee-approved candidates. The committee’s suggestions are sent up to the Prez, who makes the final selection.
     For years, the Reb, among others, has suggested inviting the inimitable Gustavo Arellano (aka "The Mexican" of "Ask a Mexican!"), editor of the OC Weekly, to speechify. No matter the strength or weakness of the alternatives, Roquemore has always nixed the Mexican. Upon repeated Roquemorian rejections at IVC, Gustavo has given commencement addresses at UCLA, among other fine institutions of higher learning.
     This year, Gustavo made it to the IVC committee’s winnowed list of faves.
     But no. At a recent meeting, the President’s rep on the committee—chair Diane Oaks—essentially declared that the committee may not suggest Mr. Arellano. And so his name was taken off the list. The list was forwarded, sans Mexican.
     So tell me. What’s the point of having a process in which a committee, with wide representation, chooses the candidates and the Prez makes the final selection, if the Prez also determines who can be on the committee’s list?
     This issue will be mentioned (it is too late to agendize it) at this week’s meeting of the IVC Academic Senate.
     Stay tuned.

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12 comments:

Anonymous said...

I bet he'd go for Pat Buchanan in a a second.

Anonymous said...

He's figuring a way to get Ronald Reagan back from the grave to deliver this year's commencement speech. And then offer him a position in the drama department.

Anonymous said...

Hologram of Reagan?

Anonymous said...

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- California water regulators adopted sweeping, unprecedented restrictions Tuesday on how people, governments and businesses can use water amid the state's ongoing drought, hoping to push reluctant residents to deeper conservation.

The State Water Resources Control Board approved rules that force cities to limit watering on public property, encourage homeowners to let their lawns die and impose mandatory water-savings targets for the hundreds of local agencies and cities that supply water to California customers.

Gov. Jerry Brown had pushed for the more stringent regulations, arguing that voluntary conservation efforts have so far not yielded the water savings needed amid a four-year drought. He ordered water agencies to cut urban water use by 25 percent compared with 2013, the year before he declared a drought emergency.

Time to make some landscaping changes at IVC

Anonymous said...

Pobrecito!

Anonymous said...

It would be good to hear from people on the committee. Wasn't Vince on it? He's a straight shooter. Someone ask him what happened.

Anonymous said...

He has the power to choose the speaker but does he have the power to choose the list from which he chooses? Why have a committee?

Anonymous said...

I wonder what UCI Law School Dean Irwin Chemerinsky will say if he is Commencement Speaker and is asked to PRAY at the Ceremony? I think this is why Glen won't pick him. Put your $ on the the CSUF President except that their commencement is too close to ours.

Anonymous said...

Someone needs to examine the entire ceremony - too many speeches that say the same thing, year after year. Is that much pomp really necessary?

Anonymous said...

Well....surprise surprise...Erwin Chemerinsky has been selected as commencement speaker.....very good choice, I think.

Anonymous said...

An excellent choice, indeed.

Anonymous said...

I'm glad Glenn made the right decision in the end.

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...