Love these guys

Everybody loves this one, right?

A Terrible Wrong.

…..Many months ago I went to a party where a colleague came up to me troubled and angered that a recent hire/search process hadn’t identified a certain familiar person, the estimable X, as the committee’s recommendation. I had been on that hiring committee.
…..I looked at him. I said something like, “Well, we interviewed lots of candidates, and X, though estimable, wasn’t among the very best candidates interviewed. So, naturally, X’s name wasn’t put forward.”
…..The colleague stared back, uncomprehending.
…..It wasn’t the first time I had encountered people who assumed that some candidate who is familiar and generally well-regarded would be selected. But I’ve served on enough search committees to know this: if the process is clean, the assumption is never justified.
…..Have you ever sought a position and done an interview somewhere burdened by the suspicion that the fix was in?
…..“No,” one thinks. “People aren’t that rotten—to allow all these earnest people to travel to this strange place from far and wide, to give their all when, in truth, the entire process is a sham, a fraud, for the decision has already been made!”
…..Sometimes, over time, we drift from our initial clarity, and we come to do things unthinkingly that, once, we would have surely condemned. I do think good people, confused and fragmented by endless episodes of complexity and compromise, sometimes fall into this kind of corruption, this kind of wronging of people.
…..But it is a terrible wrong, isn’t it?

From Andy Hardy Christians, Dec. 1

Just wanted to say it again.

Just about the coolest song ever.

1962: These guys sound so good together (Cooke and Lou Rawls). Call and response.

Redding (1941-1967) had it all. He was just the best. Great song.

OK, this is truly bizarre, but Brown cuts the Pav Man but good! He's in fine voice indeed. Meanwhile, Pavarotti appears to have been embalmed for the occasion. He brought some pretty female singers to compensate and to make sure that his grave is kept clean. Modena, Italy, 2002.

The unique and deep blues of John Lee Hooker. Hugely influential.
There's been no one like him. "It's in 'im; it's gotta come out!"

Editorial stirs things up anew at UCI

Gary Robbins of the OC Reg’s College Life blog posts about an editorial in UCI’s New University: Racism story stirs fresh anger at UCI:

An opinion piece in UC Irvine’s student newspaper that questions the need for Black History Month has generated more tension on a campus where almost 30 people have been arrested this month in protests over religious, racial, political and financial issues. (Latest arrests).

The controversy also comes amid high racial tension farther south at UC San Diego, where students are angry about an off-campus party that belittled Black History Month. (Union Tribune story). Students also are outraged that a noose was found in the UCSD library.... (read the whole post)

SOCCCD: the Mathur years

A predictably "classy" exit

• 1989: Mathur writes the Chancellor, claiming to have been "discriminated" (no evidence offered)

• 1992: “I feel shocked and saddened”: Mathur’s bitter farewell to the SVUSD

It's not that hard to figure out what makes Raghu Mathur tick. If someone is chosen over him or if he is demoted in any way, he invariably interprets the event as an unjustice done him. Here’s his letter to the local newspaper upon his failure to be reelected as board member of the SVUSD in 1992:

People have voted and have spoken in the school board election of the Saddleback Valley Unified School District. While I respect and accept their decision, I feel shocked and saddened by the result with respect to my re-election bid. I feel shocked and saddened because education is my career and my life and I am proud of my contributions in education and as a trustee. I have 25 years of experience in education, having taught at the secondary, college, and university levels. I know what the education system needs to do and have worked hard to deliver it.

• 1994: Instructional Council: Mathur is censured for lying
• 1995: beloved executive assistant Leann Cribb makes formal complaint vs. Mathur and his false accusations
• 2006: Mathur caught trying to sneak in a raise for himself! Also: In flagrante delicto

If necessary, he makes things up:

Mathur has long had a reputation for being a liar (see "liar" links). Further, when events cast a harsh light upon him, he has often responded with outrageous charges of dastardly actions by his critics.

—But always without providing a shred of evidence. Disgraceful.

For instance, during the early days of his Presidency of Irvine Valley College, he received a strong vote of "no confidence” by the college’s full-time faculty. He responded to this by providing a colorful red herring: during the board meeting in which the vote was announced, he accused three or four of his faculty critics (including me, Senate President Kate Clark, and counselor Bob Deegan) of sending him threatening hate mail. He provided no evidence whatsoever.

It was classic Mathur.

I have never sent such mail to anyone in my life. Neither have Kate or Bob, I am sure.

Later, during a deposition, my lawyer asked Mathur about the claims he had made of having received threatening and hateful communications. His answers were odd and contradictory and confused. His reasons for supposing that I—or Kate Clark, and Bob Deegan, et al.—had sent him these communications were laughable. (Judge for yourself; see below.)

When my lawyer asked him if he had kept any of the alleged dastardly voicemails, emails, or letters—there were perhaps a dozen—he admitted that he had nothing.

Nothing.

For transcripts of that deposition, go here:

• 1999: The curious Mathur deposition: “Evidence Shmevidence”

Comments:

Patrick said... ~ Mathur was removed from the SVUSD board during a coup by religious right candidates who later tried to stop the teaching of evolution and sex education. Another moderate board member was also removed.

The anonymous threatening letters were real, and submitted to the college president at the time, and the county sheriff. He was not the only faculty member to receive such a letter at this time.

FYI. ~ 6:38 PM, February 27, 2010
Anonymous‬ said... ~ so, Patrick - Mathur wasn't enough to the right - is that what you're saying? He is, uh a MODERATE? ~ 6:44 PM
Anonymous‬ said... ~ A moderate paranoid narcissist maybe. ~ 6:56 PM
B. von Traven said... ~ Patrick, the "religious right" characters you are referring to included Frank Ury, who helped create Education Alliance (a year or so later). He's still around and active. Mathur attends Education Alliance functions, as we've reported here on DtB. Evidently, he doesn't have a problem with their agenda. FURTHER, you are ignoring Mathur's sworn statements during the deposition (that I link to). He claimed to have been sent voicemails and emails of a threatening nature. He acknowledged during the depo that he had kept none of them. AND you're ignoring my central point: Mathur has a history of accusing critics of outrageous wrongdoing (hate mail, blackmail, kangaroo courts, racism, etc.) without providing a shred of evidence. What was his evidence that the Clella Wood hire involved racial discrimination? What was his evidence that I (or Kate or Bob) had sent him hate mail? What is the evidence that he was "blackmailed"? Concerning the latter, there was an internal investigation into the charges that found them unsubstantiated. Wagner cannot mention it because of the recent "resignation" agreement with Mathur, which requires that they not trash each other in public. (Do you read the paper?) But I can mention it. ~ 7:04 PM
Anonymous‬ said... ~ We know "asshole" is not an argument but is there any better description of Mathur? Anyone doubt he's the anonymous source of the Register's recent "story"? Sounds like Mathur's the blackmailer here. What a reprobate. ~ 7:24 PM
‪B. von Traven said... ~ 7:24, I sympathize. You [might] want to read my little essay In Defense of Name-Calling ~ 7:48 p.m.
Anonymous said... ~ Could it be the *one and only* Patrick? After all these years?!? ¶ By the way, has anyone noticed that they're no longer replacing light bulbs in the ceiling panels in IVC's A-200 hallways in the office area? It's becoming quite cave-like. Not that I'm complaining. ~ 7:48 PM
B. von Traven said... ~ It can't be "the" Patrick. The latter fellow would never do anything as subtle as making a factual point and then adding "FYI." Patrick would call somebody "ginga" (whatever that is) or worse. He writes as though he is breathing heavily into a phone.
Anonymous said... ~ More a-200 anomolies: The two classrooms in A-200 that have been "closed" all semester (pending remodeling) have remained untouched since August. ~ 8:15 PM
Anonymous said... ~ then there's the whole duplicating center snafu... ~ 8:52 PM
Anonymous said... ~ The reconfiguration of the A-200 building has created a sense of increased disconnection. I don't like it though the new offices are awfully nice. ~ 9:54 PM

Photos of events at UCI (Wednesday)

There's a growing anger on campuses. Example: UCI this week:

Another Day, Another Bunch of UCI Arrests (Matt Coker)

17 arrested in UCI protest (OC Reg)

Here are some pics, provided by our pal Jason (13 Stoploss),

wielding (mostly) his super-duper Chinese Holga camera. (See also Only film.)

See end of this post for latest on UC San Diego

Meanwhile, at UCSD:

Protesters take over UCSD chancellor's office: They are outraged over latest episode, a noose hanging at the library

SAN DIEGO — Discovery of a noose hanging in the University of California San Diego library set off a fresh round of student demands and demonstrations yesterday that climaxed with the takeover of the chancellor’s office for several hours.

Addressing about 300 distraught students and others gathered on campus, Chancellor Marye Anne Fox promised to get to the bottom of the “dastardly” crime.

“This is truly a dark day in the history of this university,” Fox said through a bullhorn. “It’s abhorrent and untenable.”

The demonstrators — some in tears, others hoarse from a week of yelling at race-related protests — were not pacified and later occupied a warren of offices next to the locked door of Fox’s personal suite for nearly six hours, starting about noon. Fox and her staff left the building….

Lush and quiet here in Live Oak Canyon

Along the drive to my home, two hours ago

Lots of green

Protests: "save my education"

• Protesters Receive Coy Embrace (Inside Higher Ed)

The tricky thing about viruses is that it’s impossible to know where they might spread next or what damage they might do if they mutate. The same could be said of “viral” protest movements like the one that started in California months ago.

Talk of a series of March 4 demonstrations across California began in October, and since that time a loosely connected cyber network of angered faculty and students have planned their own protests across the country. What has emerged is the promise of the collective angst of cash-strapped public education -- from K-12 through the college sector -- bubbling over in hot spots from sea to shining sea….

• California Education: Tallying Cuts and Costs (New York Times)

A new round of rallies are planned for next week to protest the budget cuts in higher education and the resulting layoffs, furloughs and fee increases. Here are some numbers — from state and nonprofit sources — that describe education in public schools and colleges….

Sent tonight, 7:37 p.m.
From UC Irvine 
Chancellor Drake:

Dear Students,

On February 17th, as many of you have read, I wrote about the manner in
which we discuss and debate our differences, our values and how we use
those values to guide our decision-making. An unfortunate series of
recent events requires that I revisit and reinforce this message.

During recent days, several events on the UCSD campus have opened
painful wounds. As I stated in my commencement address last June, we
are all particularly offended (and astonished) when campus groups behave
in ways that are harmful to other members of our community. On our own
campus, we have unfortunately seen an increase in inflammatory rhetoric
and actions, rather than an increase in problem solving efforts. At
Berkeley, just last night, we witnessed a regrettably destructive and
violent confrontation. The list goes on.

This is a stressful time for all of us in the University of California
family. And it is at just these times that we must remember and
rededicate ourselves to our values and guiding principles, particularly
respect, integrity and empathy, to light the way forward from the
distressing events of the recent past.

I have joined my colleagues in a statement reaffirming our commitment to
promote and defend the principles and values of the University of
California. Fortunately, as I stated, the overwhelming majority of us
are fully aligned in our efforts to continue to advance as a campus and
as a community, and that is just what we shall do.

Chancellor Michael Drake

Mathur's termination: "There was a fight brewing...for at least eight months before he agreed to leave" (Mathur slits his political throat)

Chancellor alleges blackmail in whistle-blower complaint

By JENNIFER MUIR
Orange County Register

February 25, 2010 

¶Exactly why South Orange County Community College District Chancellor Raghu Mathur abruptly resigned in January still remains unclear. 

¶But one thing is for certain: There was a fight brewing between him and the school board’s president for at least eight months before he agreed to leave quietly (with a hefty severance package and a promise that he wouldn’t trash talk the district if trustees agreed to do the same for him.) 

¶Mathur filed a complaint with the district’s human resources department in May alleging that board president Don Wagner intimidated and blackmailed him to create a new dean position at Irvine Valley College, and directed him to fill it with a professor who insiders say is a longtime Mathur rival. 

¶He asks the district for confidentiality and protection under state and federal whistle-blower protections. 

¶Wagner, who also is one of three Republicans vying for the Assembly seat left open by Republican Chuck DeVore, says the complaint is “nonsense” and that he’s been cleared internally of any wrongdoing. 

¶But he wouldn’t say what, if anything, he discussed with Mathur, citing the separation agreement. In fact, part of that agreement involved Mathur agreeing to drop the whistle-blower complaint, says Warren Kinsler, an attorney for the district. 

¶That may explain why Mathur also wouldn’t talk to the Watchdog. Technically, Mathur is retiring early — a year before his contract with the district was set to expire. 

¶His last day is June 30, but under the settlement, he’ll collect an additional year’s pay of $237,261 plus an additional $25,000 to cover the attorney fees he incurred in relation to the separation agreement, according to a report by my colleague Niyaz Pirani. 

¶The agreement also says that neither Mathur nor trustees are allowed to talk publicly or privately about the terms of the separation, and that neither can make disparaging remarks about the other, Pirani reports. 

¶So it was a curious when an unmarked envelope containing a signed and stamped copy of Mathur’s whistle-blower complaint arrived at the Register late last week. The envelope also contained some campaign literature, a highlighted Orange County Register editorial and other accusations about Wagner’s moral character that can’t be verified. 

¶The Watchdog sent the letter to district officials, who did not dispute its authenticity. District spokeswoman Tracy Daly responded to questions about the email’s authenticity with a prepared statement from Mathur: “After 34 years in the South Orange County Community College District, I have only the highest regard for the board of trustees and the employees who work so hard toward the success of our students.” 

¶The complaint alleges that Wagner threatened to fire Mathur if he didn’t support creating a new dean position at Irvine Valley College and giving the job to longtime anthropology Professor Wendy Gabriella (pictured here with Wagner). Gabriella could not be reached for comment.

¶“Over a period of many weeks, he has harassed me over the phone, in emails and in person to deliver the three additional board votes to garner board approval to create the appointment and ensure the subsequent appointment of Professor Gabriella,” Mathur wrote in the letter. “He threatened me repeatedly with dismissal if I did not support his direction.” 

¶Under duress from Wagner, the letter continues, Mathur recommended creating the position in April. 

¶Irvine Valley College President Glenn Roquemore says that story doesn’t ring true. Roquemore said that for the past two years, he has been trying to restore a dean position that the district cut in 1997, and relax the requirements for that position in hopes of expanding a pool of applicants. 

¶In other words, the position was his idea, not Wagner’s. Plus, he says the hiring process at the district makes it virtually impossible to ensure a candidate a job, even if he wanted to. 

¶Roquemore acknowledges that Mathur and Gabriella have been longtime rivals. And Wagner says he and Gabriella are friends who worked closely together on the school’s accreditation team. 

¶Roquemore admits that in April he called a meeting with Mathur, Gabriella and Wagner and they discussed the new dean position and Gabriella’s desire to move into administration. 

¶But he said the purpose of the meeting was so that Gabriella, the district’s academic senate president, and Mathur could reconcile their differences and begin communicating again. They never discussed Gabriella being a candidate for that job, he said. Wagner was there, Roquemore said, because he wanted to talk about candidate requirements for the new dean position. 

¶ “That meeting ended shaking hands, and frankly I felt we had overcome a hurdle that had been a decade long and people were shaking hands,” Roquemore said. 

¶Two days later, everything fell apart. He got a call from another trustee urging him not to bring the new dean position before the board. 

¶ “The fact that I can’t get this dean position is hurting the institution,” Roquemore said. “I know the two individuals are not the ones driving it. It must be the chancellor.”

[If one desires more light, see this. —RB]