Monday, March 25, 2019

“Any time something like that happens of course it raises concerns”: ANDERSON SKATES, NATCH

Gregory Anderson
     You'll recall that, about a year ago, newly hired Saddleback College President, Gregory Anderson, up and quit. Little by way of explanation was offered by the college or district. (See Saddleback College faculty perplexed over sudden departure of school president Gregory Anderson, OC Reg, 4-11-18.) Plus there were reports of the fellow's being escorted off campus and the like.
     Well, here's what we reported last July:


[From] SOCCCD SAGA
July 2018:
     Um, months back, Irvine police caught the Saddleback College Prez, Greg Anderson, with hookers 'n' drugs. So they contacted the IVC PD. Word got to the BOT, and the whole thing got hushed up quick, with Anderson sent packing. 
      That's the story anyway....
     Well, we're sticking with that story. We have it on very good authority.
     I'm serious.


* * *
     So, whatever happened to this special fella, Herr Anderson?
     Why, naturally, he's doin' just fine. He's been the Prez of Riverside City College since January:

RCCD Board Selects Gregory Anderson as President of Riverside City College ( 11/14/2018)
Riverside City College hires veteran educator as 12th president (November 15, 2018)
     Riverside City College is getting its 12th president.
     He is Gregory Anderson, a 52-year-old educator who has managed programs at colleges and universities in California, Japan, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and Venezuela, Riverside Community College District officials said.
     Gregory Anderson has been appointed the 12th president of Riverside City College. He is scheduled to begin leading the campus in January. (Photo courtesy of Riverside Community College District)
     Anderson is set to begin leading the district’s largest campus, which has a fall enrollment of 23,000, on Jan. 1.
     For the past few months, Anderson served as interim vice president of instruction at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut. Before that, he was president of Saddleback College in Mission Viejo in Orange County, but abruptly left in April after staying there about six months — catching faculty by surprise.
     His appointment by the Riverside Community College District follows a 2016 candidate search for a Norco College president that led to the naming two finalists who were removed from top posts at colleges in San Francisco and Texas after serving one year, and a year and a half, respectively. The district hired a third finalist, Bryan Reece, who continues to lead that college. The district also operates Moreno Valley College.
     Golly. How could Riverside hire a guy who, as the above article puts it, "abruptly left [his gig at Saddleback]...after...about six months"? —Abruptly and mysteriously, cuz, as far as I know, nobody's been doin' any explaining in the old SOCCCD. Not a bit. 
     Well, that abruptitude and mysteriosity was indeed an issue for the clever folks at Riverside:
     Anderson’s short stint at Saddleback College raised questions during the selection process, said Wolde-Ab Isaac, Riverside Community College District chancellor.
     “Any time something like that happens of course it raises concerns,” Isaac said.
     But he said reference and background checks, an interview and Anderson’s experience eliminated those worries....
     Yeah. Sure. Chumps.
     Hotel. Police. Hookers 'n' drugs. That's what happened.


* * *
Original trustee (and Young Republican and Bookie) Alyn Brannon
     The district has a colorful history of embarrassing administrative hires and elected officials. Among trustees: Fuentes (a seriously evil bastard), Frogue (a Holocaust denier)—and one of the original district trustees, a Mr. Alyn Brannon.
     He was a BOOKIE Yes, bookie.
     I've chronicled all of this, of course:


THE ORIGINS OF OUR COLLEGE DISTRICT, PART 6: IT'S TRUE. ONE OF OUR FOUNDING TRUSTEES WAS BOTH A REPUBLICAN AND A BOOKIE 

(DtB, July 18, 2017):

     IN THIS POST: the curious case of Alyn M. Brannon, "young Republican" and founding trustee of what became the South Orange County Community College District. Unfortunately, it turns out that, as he presided over the Saddleback Board of Trustees, he was making his living as a BOOKIE.
     [The following] presents the basic facts up to about 1974, when Brannon resigned from the board. —RB [Read on.]
     (For the whole "wacky history of SOCCCD" series, go here.)
     See also 6B: MORE ON SADDLEBACK'S "BOOKIE TRUSTEE"

     Hey, I'm not makin' this stuff up.

* * * 
     Back in mid-December, Rebel Girl (What we know) reported as follows:

Anissa Cessa Heard-Johnson
     Earlier this evening Rebel Girl was troubled by this anonymous comment on the blog: Word is going around that Anissa Cessa Heard-Johnson, Director of Student Life and Equity was dismissed today. Anyone have any insight on this?
     A quick investigation revealed that something had indeed occurred today though the details are scant and murky. (It's Friday night, after all.)
     What we know at this point: Cessa was put on administrative leave due to a Title IX complaint.  
     That's it for now. You may know more than we do.  

     UPDATE: The leave was NOT triggered by a Title IX complaint which is what we had been told by a reliable source who was told by a source presumed to be reliable but, apparently, is not. Hmmmm. Why would someone deliberately mislead someone else like that? 
     Here's some background: Roquemore's usual crew of favorites at the college decided that Heard-Johnson had to go. (She was too liberal or something. They didn't like the draft of the Student Club Handbook that she produced.) Meanwhile, faculty at my end of campus seemed to have nothing but good things to say about the woman, especially when she was compared to previous "Student Life" leaders, who were often abysmal. 
     The problem, it seems, was that Heard-Johnson didn't fit in with the Republican mindset at the college (Roquemore is an anti-intellectual knuckle-dragger and so is his Louie, Linda F). She kept doin' just what you'd expect a college "Student Life" person to be doin', and that just wouldn't do
     Today, I heard that Heard-Johnson, who has been away for months, IS BACK
     Early indications are that Human Resources down at the district investigated whatever Heard-Johnson was accused of and she came through the process squeaky clean.
     (As you know, the Vice Chance of HR is new and different.)
     Hope it's true.

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...