Rebel Girl recalls the LA Riots in today's LA Times

Officers stand guard as fire units battle a blaze near 19th Street and Adams Boulevard on
April 30, 1992. (Los Angeles Times)

Rebel Girl leads off today's LA Times commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the L.A. Riots, "Twenty five years later, how did the riots transform L.A.? And has the city changed enough?"

Her essay, "The riots are an L.A. story, but one that tells the future for the rest of the country," offers her view from, yes, the little college in the orange groves. She was honored that an Times editor asked her to write something for the occasion.

excerpt:

In late April when the jacarandas bloom, I recall the 1992 riots. Back then, I saw the purple flowering trees as if for the first time, their blooms bright against L.A.’s ashy streets.

I spent the evening that April 29 downtown, across from Parker Center with first hundreds, then thousands who gathered, outraged at the acquittal of four LAPD officers charged in the beating of Rodney King.

Two weeks later, I interviewed for a teaching position at a little community college in the orange groves of Irvine. Driving down the 405, I couldn’t help but consider the white flight that had followed that route after the 1965 Watts riots. I am neither especially white nor especially flighty. But there that history was, like worrying smoke in the rearview mirror.

I got the job. I made the move.

To read the rest, click here.

*

White House Proposes Slashing Tax Rates, Significantly Aiding Wealthy
(NYT)

WASHINGTON — President Trump on Wednesday proposed sharp reductions in individual and business income tax rates and a radical reordering of the tax code that would significantly benefit the wealthy, but he offered no explanation of how the plan would be financed as he rushed to show progress before the 100-day mark of his presidency.

Announced Closing of IVC's Child Development Center (plus: FORUM)

     As we reported previously, IVC's Vice President for Student Services, Linda Fontanilla, has been making the rounds making the case for closing the college's Child Development Center—as a way of addressing a large budget shortfall. Faculty associated with the CDC have complained that the recommendation of closing the center advises a de facto discontinuance of the "Human Development" instructional program. Hence, the closing of the CDC circumvents existing program discontinuance procedures that are conducted by the college Academic Senate (faculty). —RB

4:21 p.m.:
Email to the IVC community from President Roquemore entitled, “Irvine Valley College CDC.”

A letter to the Irvine Valley College Community:

This letter is to inform you that Irvine Valley College (IVC) will close our Child Development Center (CDC) on Friday, June 30, 2017.

IVC recognizes that its CDC has been a source of great pride to our community. The decision to close the center has been a difficult one that has been under study and review for several years by campus governance committees. During this time, the college has held open discussions about the status of the center. Ultimately, budget constraints of the college have necessitated this outcome. 

The final determination for closure was compelled by a number of factors largely precipitated by the fiscal impact the CDC has on the college. The CDC was established as a self- sufficient operation. However, since its inception it has been subsidized by the general fund. This subsidy has grown to $500,000 a year.

Additionally, the recent decision by the South Orange County Community College District Board of Trustees (SOCCCD) to offer a golden handshake for early retirement will leave the CDC without a director and the necessary required ratio of employees to appropriately and legally provide a safe learning environment for children. 

We would like to take this opportunity to commend CDC Director Becky Thomas, the staff and faculty who have worked collaboratively to provide quality child care to the many families who have chosen IVC’s Child Development Center. 

During this time of transition, IVC will continue to provide children with the highest level of service. Parents with currently enrolled children should seek options for child care by the time the CDC officially closes its doors on June 30. IVC is waiving its 30-day withdrawal policy, should a parent find new child care prior to June 30. 

The college will continue to support the IVC Human Development program. Going forward, this may include a vendor who could operate a CDC at IVC in the future.

Sincerely,
Dr. Glenn R. Roquemore
President
Irvine Valley College

Golly, what will become of this primo space?

SEE ALSO Irvine Valley College’s Child Development Center targeted for closure, April 8, 2017

FORUM:

Anonymous said...
     Just saw the President's message.... I could have called this all day. They will look for a "vendor" to take over the space. We are now planning to rent out more of our campus to create profits. This is why having Republicans run an educational institution is a bad idea. Run it for the bottom line.
--5:54 PM, April 26, 2017

Anonymous said...
     So sad.
     Once again, very few places to discuss such events except the blog and hallways.
--6:22 PM, April 26, 2017

OLDER COMMENTS:

• Number crunchers strike again. This isn't about instruction. Someone has an agenda and others are helping achieve it because they are too afraid not to.

• Where is the School of Social and Behavioral Sciences on this? Where is the Senate? We have a process for program discontinuance but this ain't it.

• Someone needs to alert the faculty union as well. And what does the dean of Social Sciences say about this?

• Shared governance anyone? Collegial consultation? Notice how they moved on this AFTER the Accreditation Team left? Perhaps someone wants to notify the members of Accreditation Team who are, after all, still writing up their report? (Please understand that this isn't the end of plans - only the beginning. Their chopping block is a big one.)

• Why is this just now coming to light so late in the academic year? Davit knew we were in trouble with last year's budget, and, surely, he projects budget for more than one year in advance. They'll blame this on the possibility of reduced foreign student income, but they should have been looking at that all along anyway. And, what about the savings realized from the early retirement incentive? Has anyone looked into grants or other subsidies for the CDC? If faculty and staff knew before now that academic programs were on the chopping block, there might have been time to save them. Once again, piss-poor planning and communication by our vaunted administration.

• Eye on the ball folks! It's about resources and agendas, like always. What are they going to put in that prime space? Who is playing ball with the right people right now? Who needs money for some pet project? Any predictions?

• The CDC has always been a financial necessary evil for the campus and at times the District. The academic program never generated enough revenue to cover its cost and the restrictions put on the childcare side of the operation kept it from competing with other local operations. Time to sub lease it and let a non-profit turn it into a viable community asset.

• Typical of the way this corrupt administration runs this place. What an ugly environment to work in and be a part of!

• I believe most of the CDC staff are retiring soon.

• Did the faculty decide to end the program? Isn't there a process for this? People should be wary; what happens to some, may happen to you.

• Where is the commitment not only to this program but to our students (and staff) who depend on its services?

• How do other colleges maintain and protect their child development centers? If they close ours, won't we be one of the few local colleges without such services?

• Glenn is a dumb fuck,he has no clue. Davit is an idiot, he couldn't admin his way out of a paper bag. Linda? dont get me started. A student service pro would be in there fighting for the center and the students who need affordable childcare. The Board has a role in this. They need to step up and protect the community for which they serve.

• Just playing devil's advocate here. Do we know how many students and employees have children at the CDC? It's hard to imagine the administration closing the facility if it caters to a large number of students and employees. If it's primarily become a service to the community, is that what the CDC is really there to do? Offer child care to local residents? If that's the case, there are plenty of options in the area for community members.

• Only 13 IVC students bring their kids to the CDC. It isn't many.

• And what percentage of the college population does that amount to? I can see why there's such an uproar.

• I thought the primary point of the CDC was to have opportunities for HD students to work on site. It's like a lab.

• pink slips on the agenda.

• The service is too costly, what's it like a grand per week to stick your kid in there? Who can afford that?

• Saddleback's site is a LAB.

• The problem = a director who showed zero interest in working with faculty to promote the program. Nothing new to excite the community. Clueless about the growth in the field that make other college campus centers so awesome. No this director did not care to make this school thrive. ZERO professional development! Her staff were oppressed, depressed. Look at any other college lab school and you will see exemplary models. This one was a joke. Could've been so much more were it not for the slammed-shut mind.

• I wish they would have put research efforts into evaluating how other preschools are profitable and successful instead of why ours should be shut down. The director needs to find a sustainable model, not just allow the center to lose money year after year.

• The center is not a thousand a week, it's about 1300 a month. Staff, students and community all used the center. It was literally ran into the ground by the powers that be. The lower staff(teachers) watched it all happen and had really no voice to say anything. The director LITERALLY was turning away children, giving them a list of other schools to go to. What director does that?? There were tons of students utilizing the center as much as could be accommodated, due to the enrollment that was turned away. The director, when she did show up was more concerned about other things to do, then center stuff. Also, there were 4 admin people working in the front of a center with 40 kids in it. Again, NO preschool does that. Two of them could of been in the back, so the school could take more children, but those two were busy shopping on EBAY or planning trips. The most effort that was applied to this center in the last 5 years, was to shut it down. Ever since LINDA F started IVC. One less department for her to run. The saddest part is there is nobody who cared to check on the accountability of the powers that be. Yes, it lost money, but the reason was mismanagement and nobody caring to check where our tax dollars are really going. Then when people did start caring and tried, it was too little, too late, unfortunately. Sad, for the children, students and people of our community. Also, last, but not least the teachers who worked to maintain a great environment for OUR communities children.

• Well said. Sadly so.

• Am I being paranoid in thinking it might be intentional and not just a computer glitch that the video from all the past board meetings has been deleted?
https://www.socccd.edu/about/about_board_minutes_video.html

Scientists, Feeling Under Siege, March Against Trump Policies
(NYT)

Dozens of angry Whittier Law School students protest after college announces closure
(OC Reg)

Hundreds demonstrate in Laguna Beach to demand that Trump release his taxes (OC Reg)

Irvine Valley College’s Child Development Center targeted for closure

     Administration at Irvine Valley College is once again scrambling to deal with yet another budget shortfall, and it's pretty serious. The IVC Academic Senate, which represents faculty on academic matters, has attempted to monitor the situation, but, as usual, neither President Glenn Roquemore nor his VP of College Administrative Services, Davit Khachatryan, seem capable of providing clear or coherent budget information. It's an old complaint.
     Natch, college personnel have been looking for ways to save big money.
     As you may know, many college programs offer courses with lab time, and these labs are generally money-losers, a state of affairs tolerated owing to the necessity of the labs for the viability of the programs.
     The Human Development program has a lab, too. It is the Child Development Center (CDC), situated at the east corner of campus, where, for many years, children have been provided day care and instruction. Owing to recent increases in salaries (secured by our faculty union), the cost of maintaining staff at the CDC has gone up, and, for that reason among others, the center now operates in the red. We keep hearing deficit figures between $400k and beyond.
     Evidently, our VP of Student Services, Linda Fontanilla, has, in recent weeks, been making the rounds presenting a very dismal picture of the CDC, saying (as I understand it) that few HD students do lab work at the center, that the CDC attracts few clients (children), and so on. She's obviously making the case that the CDC should be shut down.

Fontanilla

     We at the Academic Senate have just learned that some committee (not sure which, but the usual suspects) is already recommending pulling the plug on the CDC as a way to help address the budget shortfall. As a result of that decision, there is an item on the agenda of the next board meeting requesting the the college may be allowed to move in that direction.
     Following a now familiar pattern, administration seems to be making decisions sans the defined process, which is designed to solicit input from various governance groups (including the Academic Senate).
     According to HD faculty, who attended Thursday’s Senate meeting, the first they heard about this move to close CDC was a week earlier. They were horrified. Now, they've got only a few days to scare up ideas to save the center.

     At the meeting, two HR faculty complained that the current process, whatever it is, has proceeded without any effort to consult or inform the affected faculty, who were taken utterly by surprise. Why was there no effort to reconfigure the CDC to make it operate more cheaply?, they asked. Why not ask for our help and resources? Why are we moving straight to closing down the CDC?
     At the meeting, HD faculty asserted that their programs are dependent on the operation of the CDC and that, therefore, the college's plug-pulling of CDC would be a de facto plug-pulling of their programs. Further, they claimed that the alleged factoids promulgated by the VPSS are erroneous or distorted—that, for instance, the related programs do indeed seek to maximize the number of HD students instructed at the CDC but that efforts in this regard are constrained by the limited number of classes that can be offered there.

     Khachatryan was present to answer questions, but that didn’t go far. He suggested that, when it comes to the “academic side of things,” we need to talk to the VP of Instruction, Chris McDonald.
     Natch, he wasn’t present.
     The senators heard all this and were sympathetic. The senate will try to insure that the college's governance procedures are followed. That means that no decision to close CDC can have been made at this point and that this matter must wend through the prescribed process, involving various committees and other entities.
     That's our thinking, anyway.
     Stay tuned.

Burnett lands at Brandman

Bully boy

       UPDATE ON TOD BURNETT (April 8, 2017): a reliable source tells us where Tod Burnett, who is set to leave Saddleback College in June, has secured his next job. Tod will be working at Brandman University, which, of course, is local and is part of the Chapman University system.
     (I checked: Burnett has been associated with Brandman and its school of education for some time. See "Mentor magic: equal parts experience, friendship, guidance," January 28, 2016).*
     Our source says that, essentially, Tod will be Brandman's "foundation director."
     Our source also noted that, 'cause Brandman's private, this foundation gig could get rough. It ain't like the public sector, he said.
     You'll recall that Burnett was hired by the wily Raghu Mathur nine years ago, despite the Todster's lack of academic experience (VP of Eva Gabor International, Governor Schwarzenegger's deputy appointments secretary, Associate Faculty at the University of Phoenix). So why'd Raghu hire him? Answer: owing to his supposed connections up at the state chancellor's office, where he served in a "vice" capacity, doing nothing much of significance (he could see the bottom of the barrel from where he labored).
     That "connection" didn't seem to pan out for the Gooster, who is now teaching Chem as an adjunct somewhere—and lending his "name" to dubious for-profits.
     Google Raghu's name. You'll see that he has now achieved oblivion. It's like he disappeared from the face of Earth.
     Buh-bye Mr. Goo. Buh-bye!

*IVC President Glenn Roquemore is on the Brandman University EdD Advisory Board. On July 21-22, 2016, Vice President for Student Services Linda Fontanilla held a student ambassador leadership institute at Brandman University.

My Saturday

Poof: Bugay bugs out

     Yes, our info is that David Bugay (VC Human Resources) was "asked to leave," and he's now gone. We don't know how or why this came about, but it doesn't look good.
     "Poof."

     He has "teaching retreat rights," but he isn't expected to make use of 'em.
     Bye bye.

     Golly, there're lots of "interim" characters at the top of SOCCCD administration these days, doncha think?
     Like I said. Golly.
     Bugay was hired (as VC of HR) in July of 2008, replacing Bob King.

     P.S.: we've been assured that Bugay will be returning soon as an instructor. Evidently, the matter appeared on the board agenda a few months ago (and was approved).

SEE ALSO:

The pious and the poetic - Nov. 18, 2011 - The Naked Turtle Dances: Poem by David Bugay

Bernie TV, our dishonest prez, angel baby

Our Dishonest President
a(LA Times editorial)
Academic Freedom, Under Threat in Europe
(NYT; opinion)

     …Academic freedom is not a partisan issue. Even in these partisan times, all lovers of freedom can surely come together on the principle that self-governing institutions should be left alone to govern themselves free of state interference. This is as true in Europe as it is in the United States.
     Americans should also find it easy to agree that the United States should not allow any ally to intimidate an American institution. As for Central European University, its board and its administration will never surrender its academic freedom to anyone….

RIP

Fragile

Tod Burnett takes "another job"

For Bush/Cheney, eh? What a swell guy.

LBCC chooses its new leader, Reagan Romali, from Chicago city college
The Press Telegram

Found a new job, evidently

Long Beach Community College District trustees voted Tuesday afternoon to offer Long Beach City College’s top position to Reagan Romali, currently the leader of City Colleges of Chicago….
. . .
Besides Romali, the other five candidates who made it to the short list were Saddleback College President Tod Burnett, Los Angeles Harbor College President Otto Lee, East Los Angeles College President Marvin Martinez and Melinda Nish, executive advisor to the president of College of the Marshall Islands. Burnett withdrew himself from consideration to take another job before Long Beach trustees made their choice....

     Don't know what that job is. I hope it's far away though.

       UPDATE ON TOD BURNETT (April 8, 2017): a reliable source tells us where Tod Burnett, who is set to leave Saddleback College in June, has secured his next job. Tod will be working at Brandman University, which, of course, is local and is part of the Chapman University system.
     Our source says that, essentially, he'll be Brandman's "foundation director."
     Our source also noted that, 'cause Brandman's private, this foundation gig could get rough. It ain't like the public sector, he said.
     You'll recall that Burnett was hired by Raghu Mathur years ago, despite his lack of academic experience (VP of Eva Gabor International, Governor Schwarzenegger's deputy appointments secretary, Associate Faculty at the University of Phoenix), owing to his supposed connections up at the state chancellor's office, where he served in a "Vice" capacity, doing nothing much of significance (he could see the bottom of the barrel from where he stood).
     That "connection" didn't seem to pan out for the Gooster, who is now teaching Chem as an adjunct somewhere—and lending his "name" to dubious for-profits.