Lariat still picking low-hanging fruit*

*Rebel Girl's felicitous phrase. (Lariat)

SEE ALSO: Editorial:Saddleback administration should follow the law and stop protecting shooter Syed's records (Lariat; March 12)
     Saddleback College administrators have declined to disclose public information of a shooter Ali Syed

Jason Davis in the NYT

     Some of my colleagues here at Irvine Valley College will remember Jason Davis, a student and a veteran (and an occasional photographic contributor to DtB) who transferred to UCI several years ago, where he flourished in the literary journalism program. After graduation, he landed a great job. According to the Times, "He is currently an associate editor and photographer in Los Angeles for Automotive.com, a division of the Motor Trend Auto Group."
     Today, I noticed a fascinating piece of Jason's—about his Iraq experiences—in the New York Times blog. Find it here:

Still Bleeding, 10 Years Later (New York Times/blog)

     Congratulations, Jason!

Rutan & Tucker are out (in Irvine)

     I read in the Voice of OC (Irvine Terminates City Attorney's Contract) that

…Irvine’s City Council Thursday decided to terminate the city attorney contract, ending a services partnership with a well-known contract law firm that council members say goes back decades. … Terminating the services contract with Rutan & Tucker … is also a move by the Republican majority to bring new officials into the city bureaucracy who don't have longstanding relationships with [Larry] Agran and [Beth] Krom.

Larsen

     These Repubs, like most of the rest of us, think that Agran and Co were up to no good. You'll recall that, during the battle over the fate of the El Toro Marine Base (which ended in 2002), Agran formed an alliance with Tom Fuentes, who died in May. Oddly, when Agran presided over the Great Park board, he hired a public relations firm headed by Fuentes' old pal Arnold Forde, a fellow as crafty and unprincipled as you'll ever find. Forde's firm made millions on that contract, but nobody seems able to explain what that big money bought.

     The SOCCCD has often hired the services of R&T. For instance, the district used R&T during my successful First Amendment lawsuit in 1998 (and during the appeal in 2001).  During much of this saga, R&T’s team comprised David C. Larsen (who argued in court) and Robert E. King.

     Robert E. King, of course, later became a notorious Vice Chancellor of Human Resources in the district (SOCCCD).
     He left ignominiously, an apparent casualty of Mathurian politics.
     These days, King seems to be running Legally Nanny, which represents “household employers and domestic employment and homecare agencies.”

SEE ALSO:
• Writing OC history: the Bold and the Ruthless
• OC's "win at any cost" political ethic: Butcher-Forde, Tom Fuentes, & James Lacy

Some folks are born to wave the flag, 

Ooh, they're red, white and blue. 

And when the band plays "Hail to the chief", 

Ooh, they point the cannon at you, Lord, 

It ain't me, it ain't me, I ain't no senator's son, son. 

It ain't me, it ain't me; I ain't no fortunate one, no, 

Yeah! 

Some folks are born silver spoon in hand, 

Lord, don't they help themselves, oh. 

But when the taxman comes to the door, 

Lord, the house looks like a rummage sale, yes, 

It ain't me, it ain't me, I ain't no millionaire's son, no. 

It ain't me, it ain't me; I ain't no fortunate one, no. 

Some folks inherit star spangled eyes, 

Ooh, they send you down to war, Lord, 

And when you ask them, "How much should we give?" 

Ooh, they only answer More! more! more! yoh, 

It ain't me, it ain't me, I ain't no military son, son. 

It ain't me, it ain't me; I ain't no fortunate one, one. 

It ain't me, it ain't me, I ain't no fortunate one, no no no, 

It ain't me, it ain't me, I ain't no fortunate son, no no no….

—John Fogerty with Dave Grohl, performing

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Mickey Mouse plagiarism

County Demands Refund or Report From Brandman (Voice of OC)
     Excerpt: “Brandman hasn't returned numerous phone calls seeking comment since Voice of OC first began reporting the issue.”

Syed claimed mental disorders on college forms (OC Reg)
     The man police believe was responsible for a Feb. 19 Orange County shooting and carjacking spree that left four dead claimed to be suffering from mental disorders and a bad reaction to anti-depressants, according to college health documents and interviews.
. . .
     [Saddleback] College administrators tried three times to contact [Ali] Syed about his disability application – on Aug. 15, Sept. 14 and Oct. 5 – but were not successful, said a letter from school Marketing Director Jennie McCue to the school newspaper….

Leading Ethicist: Jordan Brandman Plagiarized Report (Voice of OC)
     A report prepared by Anaheim City Councilman Jordan Brandman for Orange County’s clerk-recorder – which contained an entire section that was apparently largely copied from the Wikipedia entry on Orange County – contained clear examples of plagiarism and was problematic “on a number of levels,” a leading government ethics expert said Monday….

March meeting of the SOCCCD BOT: Bill Jay ♥ Kevin O'Connor

Jay: determined to honor Kevin O'Connor
in all ways appropriate--and some not

     [See Tere's board meeting highlights]
     6:09 - Trust me, dear reader, I actually want to be here, in the Ronald Reagan room, during this pleasant Spring Break evening. I'm assuming, of course, that the meeting will be short.

     Aha! Trustees are beginning to emerge from the dark recesses of the 3^rd Floor. So far: Prendergast and Lang. Chancellor Gary Poertner is out and about as well.
     Here comes the B Team: Burnett, et al.
     6:12 - Wright, Jemal, and Jay have arrived.
     While we're waiting for the women—Padberg and Milchiker—I draw your attention to the absence of a "discussion item" on tonight's agenda.
     Marcia has arrived.

Guile

     6:14 - still no Nancy Padberg. We're all hoping this will be a brief meeting, but it can't start without the Nance. She's got the gavel, and boy does she know how to wield it!
     6:15 - She's entered the room. She has a brief word with Wright. Now Poertner joins them. Off they go somewhere. Top secret, I guess. What's up with that?
     6:17 - Now IVC's Glenn Roquemore is conferring with Prendergast. Aha, Nancy and Co. have returned! More ducks being put in rows, I guess. Nancy's in full Nancy mode.
     6:18 - Any minute now.
     6:19 - it begins.
     No actions to report from closed session.
     Correction from last meeting's readout: approval to reject the recommendation to "nonreelect
 2 IVC instructors. The vote should have been reported 7-0, not 6-1. (Bill Jay had been reported as registering the only negative vote, which seemed odd.)

     All rise: ... Wright offers prayer: "Dear Heavenly Father... Thank you for...our veterans...Amen." (I left out the details, but that was the gist of it.)
     Nancy: No resolutions tonight, but we do have "commendations." Burnett comes up, calls Dr. Kevin O'Connor to come up. He's the "volunteer of the year," evidently, according to some organization (ACCA?). Applause. According to the organization, he's "a joy to be around." O'Connor comes up and thanks "all my colleagues" here in the district.
     No public comments, natch.

Board reports:

Dean O'Connor

     Bill Jay: Congrats to "you" (looking at O'Connor) for attending all the board meetings! Thank you very much. "That's it," he says.
     Tim Jemal: I was on Channel 6 a couple of weeks ago, Laguna Woods (Seizure World). Spoke about benefits of the district.
     Marcia Milchiker: Attended various events. IVC forum. Learned a lot. Went to Learning Resource Center Dedication. It was created in 1973. The Library was built as a fortress, with only one window, which was obscured by stacks. Now, the whole building's been renovated with windows everywhere. Why they first built it without windows—a matter of speculation. (Nancy struggles not to roll her eyes.) Marcia commences comparing her visit to the new library to a three-course meal. Nancy interrupts: you need to wrap up.
     TJ Prendergast: Congrats to O'Connor. No report.
     Nancy Padberg: I remember when you (O'Connor) first arrived. Blah, blah, blah. Also attended opening of Learning Resources. Busy always, but I enjoy everything I do for the District, College.

Commanding

     James Wright: Congrats to Kevin. Attended some basketball games. (I'm beginning to feel sleepy. My eye lids are feeling droopy.) Attended open house, Learning Resources Center. Looks wonderful. Spoke with David Begay, VC Human Resources. Met with Faculty Association. Snoooooooooz.
     Dave Lang: no report
     Heather Park: complained about parking somewhere. Nice kid.
     Chancellor Gary Poertner: on Wednesday, going to Washington, DC, a contingent of legislative task force. Advocating for student veterans. Ever growing group. Will grow by 60,000 in coming years here in Cal.

Presidents' reports:

     Glenn Roquemore (IVC): Congrats to Kevin O. Thanks IVC folks re Senior Day. About 2,000 high school students visited. Hard to believe, thinking already about Commencement. Moving into a very busy period.

     Tod Burnett (Saddleback): Thanks all re opening of Learning Resources Center. Our high school senior day coming up. Health and Wellness fair coming up. Saddleback College Foundation gala coming up. Still looking for sponsors, attendees.

Board members requesting reports? None.

Consent calendar: Wright pulls 5.5. (IVC travel to Taiwan).

Guileless

5.5. - Wright: quick question. Badmitton team trip to Taiwan. 8 student and 4 coaches? Odd. How come? Answer: students pay their own way. The four coaches have organized a foundation account. The foundation will pay their way. Craig Justice recommends tabling the item. Will come back with answers next month.

General Action Items:

6.1 - Five Year Construction plan. Deb. Fitzsimmons handles this, since Brandye the D is on much-deserved vacation. She draws attention to items. Buildings at ATEP per college. Something got relocated. Mentioned some other change.
     Prendergast: I don't see the IVC pool. (Har har.) Fitzsimmons puts that project in perspective.
     Wright: how many on list can we do? We'll probably go down to #10, with exception of "Gateway" building.
     Wright: Science/Math Bldg. renovation seems very low on list. Fitz: yes, there's a need there. She feels his pain.
     Unanimous approval—except for Wright's "no" vote!

6.2 - CCCT board elections. Lang and Wright have nominations. Padberg: let's hear your lists. Lang: names several people. Wright lists seven more. Some overlap. Padberg: how would you like to proceed? Jay: I will make a write-in rec for Kevin O'Connor. Nancy: I don't think he's eligible; he's not a trustee. Laughter. They try to begin the vote. Grace reads "names in common."
     Marcia blurts out something. Padberg roars: "Wait to be recognized!" Jay wants to recommend Kevin O'Connor "by acclamation." We can do that, he adds. Padberg: no, Bill, he has to be a trustee to be nominated. Nancy to O'Connor: "you can have that [honor] in your next career." Laughter. Prendergast suggests a way to vote. They go for it. Five names in common plus two additional (incumbents). Unanimous, except Jay abstains. Golly.

San Juan Capistrano: Madame Modjeska and pals

6.3 - Board Policy revision (re local law enforcement) -- carries unanimously.

6.4 - BP revision, various policies - carries unanimously.

Occasional top administrative footwear

6.5 - Ac Personnel Actions. No changes. -- Lang: was very impressed with Mr. Mesa's(?) 1st prize in "I'm a hog" competition." Laughter. - Unanimous approval.

6.6 - Classified Personnel Actions. - Unanimous approval.

6.7 - Classified employee layoffs. -- Unanimous.

Reports:

7.1 - College guest speakers.

7.2 - Basic Aid report - Lang: noticed new footnote. Changes from Feb '13 report. Brief comment? Also: analysis of balances on Basic Aid projects. Comment?
     Fitzsimmons: annual review of each of the projects—which should be closed out, which have excess money. Blah, blah, blah. Gives her typically competent report.

7.3 - Facilities plan status -- no comments.

7.4 - monthly financial -- no comments

7.5 - district trust fund -- no comments

7.6 - Saddleback College and IVC: business partnerships (report) (requested by Jemal)

Tim Jemal: asked for report

     Kathy Werle comes up to give IVC's report.
     IVC's focus was as "premiere transfer" institution. But have moved increasingly to [technical?] under Roquemore. Distributed responsibility across the college with regard to business partnerships. Included examples of how faculty develop partnerships. We see slide of students at Getty Museum. Other students with textiles. Another slide: "volunteer income tax assistance." Happy students: manufacturer of high-end aluminum "widgets" that they produce at a local firm. (Laughter.) Development with partnership with nationwide job provider. Public-private partnerships, etc. Uh-oh, she referred to "synergistic opportunities." My eyes are getting sleepy again.
     Now Rocky Cifone comes up. Dean of Business Science, etc., at Saddleback. There are many ways the college connects with the community, business sector. I'll focus on types of partnerships that exist. Partnerships of faculty with people in the business community. "Capstone" experiences. Or "cooperative work experiences" (CWE). The lynchpin of these partnerships are industry advisory boards. Blah, blah, blah. "Instructional enrichment" programs: job shadows, guest speakers, field trips, alumni mentorships. Last Friday: OC startup summit. Concluded with fast-pitch competition. Talked about "excellerators" and "incubators." (Uh-oh. My eyes are getting tired.) "Bridge to engineering." --A 2+2 project, with a "cohort." (Good grief. I think he's swallowed a bullshit-jargon dictionary.) Service providers and vendors. Pepsico, Schools First, Follet, etc. Exposure to not-for-profit sector. United Way, OC Food Bank. Finally, memberships in Chambers of Commerce, etc.
     Now open for questions.

Dean of Jargon

     Jemal: thanks to board for approving this request. Thanks to Rocky and Kathy. Much appreciated. I have a few questions. How are we going about identifying sectors with high-demand skills?
     Rocky: we've been getting help from State Chancellor's Office. We've been directed to concentrate on priority and "emerging" sectors: hospitality and entertainment, etc. Emerging: information technology, entrepreneurship. Kathy: we have significant experience in this area. Photonics, optics, etc. In past, some skills were then outsourced outside U.S. So careful about that now.
     Marcia: IVC Spectrum is wonderful high-tech area. Will pay a premium to get people with right skills to work for them. What are we doing in that regard? --Nancy interrupts: "let them answer the question," she scolds.
     Rocky: says something about OC Business Council. Will have a meeting of "stakeholders groups" next month. Will merge our "needs lists." (Good Lord, he's puking jargon buzzshit again.)
     Jemal: how do you think we can bolster recruitment? ... What is your biggest challenge in developing business partnerships?

TJ Prendergast: focused

     Kathy: faculty often have relationships with business. Getting industry people referred to us: that works. We can do "contract education" and training almost immediately.
     Rocky: echoes that. He wants to "incubate" something. "Run it up the flagpole." (Good God.) See if it closes an "employment gap." Many of our partnerships are based on close contacts nurtured over the years. It's priceless. He mentions two faculty. It takes person-to-person contact, he says. We're now getting help from the state to pinpoint sectors.
     Nancy closes this thing down: thank you very much, she says. She moves along.

Shared government reports:

     IVC Ac Senate (Kathy Schmeidler): "I'm here, on spring break. Roy and I are here." Senior day was a success. She describes it. Campus-wide effort. Very successful. Our faculty involved in many shared government committees. Thanks chancellor for creating district-wide committees, inviting faculty. All of our faculty are involved in shared governance and are active in it.
     Randy Peebles: ATEP--have good progress report. City of Tustin blah blah. ATEP related action items coming up soon.
     Bob Bramucci: it's time to upgrade the network. Bandwidth is exploding. Students bringing gizmos that involve ever more connectivity. Some equipment nearing "end of life." Pulling fiber throughout the campuses.
     David Bugay: we're in midst of hiring season. Committees are working very hard. Applicants are of very high quality.

The Debster

     Debrah Fizsimmons: audit committee kickoff. Coming to the board soon: info on some kind of liability. ATEP milestones coming up. Preparing for the budget cycle.
     IVC Classified (Dennis Gordon): changes to Constitution and Bylaws.
     CSEA: somebody sitting in. Looking forward to Classified Development Day.
     Saddleback Classified Senate: we're also doing bylaw changes. New Sciences building at Saddleback College: concerned about bringing in chemical through hallway. Exposure to students in hallway. Says something about Rapid-Tech. Calls attention to person in back of room.

     Prendergast: in memorium, Kirk Gorrie.

7:34 — meeting over. Lasted about an hour and fifteen.