Glenn Roquemore, the Pacifica Institute & women's "primordial nature"

Delivering factoids for
Turkish anti-feminists

     Here’s a curious factoid. I came across the following press release, evidently dating back to April of 2008. It was posted by the “Pacifica Institute,” which has a dozen or so offices, including one in Orange County (Irvine):

Glenn R. Roquemore-Irvine Valley College President Speaks at PI - Orange County

     Today Pacifica Institute hosted Irvine Valley College President Glenn Roquemore. Before this luncheon forum in Irvine , New Zealand Consul General Rob Taylor and Irvine Mayor Beth Krom were the keynote speakers. Consul General Rob Taylor spoke about Welcoming Diversity as a Path to Peace and Mayor Beth Krom’s topic was How to Create a Balanced Community. Dr Glenn Roquemore’s topic is the Role of Community Colleges in Higher Education.

     Dr. Glenn Roquemore is President of Irvine Valley College….

     Dr Roquemore gave very important statistics of the Community Colleges in California….

     You’ll recall that, in the past, we’ve kidded Roquemore over his tendency to approach speaking always as an occasion to dispense the merest of statistics as though they were astonishing jewels. "Two percent of our students," he'll say, "sport a vestigial tail." Huh?

     What’s the matter with ‘im? Dunno.
     But just who are these “Pacifica Institute” people?
     According to PI’s website,

     Pacifica Institute was established in 2003 as a non-profit organization by a group of Turkish-Americans. Pacifica Institute designs and executes projects covering social welfare, education, poverty, and conflict resolution issues in collaboration with scholars, activists, artists, politicians, and religious leaders-communities….
. . .
     The Institute seeks to …[engage] in a variety of civic activities and [seeks to invite] others to generate and share insights, thereby removing barriers to confidence-building and trust….

     Gosh, it sounds as though that illiterate pseudo-educator, Raghu Mathur, may have had a hand in writing this stuff.
     Elsewhere, PI presents “Frequently Asked Questions about Pacifica Institute and Fethullah Gülen.”
     One naturally assumes, then, that Mr. Fethullah Gülen and his ideas are important to PI. Sure enough, in the Q&A, Gülen and his movement are central:

Fethullah Gülen

Q: How is the Pacifica Institute involved with the Gülen movement?
A: Some of the founders and donors of Pacifica Institute are participants of the so-called Gülen, or Hizmet movement. Pacifica Institute was inspired by the movement’s philosophy and goals….
. . .
The Gülen/Hizmet movement is a values-driven social movement and following a philosophy that advances interfaith dialog, education and community service as tools to build a better and more harmonious society. The movement was inspired by the philosophy and teachings of Fethullah Gülen, a Turkish scholar, author and advocate….
. . .
Q: Who is Fethullah Gülen?
A: Fethullah Gülen is a Turkish scholar, preacher, thinker, author, opinion leader, education activist, and peace advocate who is considered by many to be one of the world’s most influential religious thinkers. He is regarded as the initiator and inspirer of the worldwide civil society movement, the Gülen Movement, which is committed to education, dialogue, peace, social justice, and social harmony….

     Well, I’ve done a little looking, and this Gülen fella is mighty controversial, in some circles at least.
     I skimmed a couple of sites, which suggested that Gulen is, among other things, a conservative and a vocal opponent of feminism (although I ask that readers judge for themselves based on his writings--and the writings of his mouthpieces).
     So I went to the Fethullah Gülen website. There, I searched the term “feminism” and that brought me to a page with links to various relevant essays, evidently by Mr. Gülen, including The Gülen Movement: Gender and Practice.
     I clicked on that. That essay includes this passage:

     Although he promotes equality between the sexes, Fethullah Gülen's views on gender can indeed be described as complementary. He sees women and men as having equal value but inheriting different roles and characteristics due to physical and psychological differences. He classifies men as "physically stronger and apt to bear hardship" and women as "more compassionate, more delicate, more self sacrificing" (Gülen 2006: 1). Although he does state that women can be involved in any field of work he idealizes the mother as the pure educator (Gülen 2006: 2) implicitly implying that the man should be the family provider. This may open up for critique on behalf of Western feminists or scholars of religion and gender. According to this relatively new academic discipline[,] gender is a social construction. Human beings are born with different sexes, but social roles and expectations of fulfillment of these are constructed and emphasized by the norms that prevail in society.

     Another link takes one to an essay entitled Women Confined and Mistreated. Here are some excerpts:

     As a reaction to all the injustice done to women … a movement to claim women's rights emerged, particularly in the West. Even though this movement is considered an awakening of women, it occurred as a reaction and was doomed to imbalance like all other reactionary movements and ended up in extremism. Although the starting point was to defend women, in time it deviated from the original aim to the degree of being full of hatred towards men and to feeling a grudge against them. The movement named feminism, which was born from the idea of protecting women and providing them with rights equal to those of men, has only left behind longing, sorrow, and wreckage as a movement of discontentment….
. . .
     According to Islam, women's role in this world is not only restricted to doing the housework and raising children. In fact, as long as it does not conflict with her primordial nature or with observing religious requirements, she is responsible for carrying out the duties that befall her in every area of society and making up for shortcomings where men fall short in social life. However, this reality was ignored in time, even among Muslims; rough understandings and crude thinking upset this system based on women and men's mutual assistance. After this upset, both family life and the social order were also upset. Different peoples' perception of their own historical heritage as a part of Islam, their seeing and reflecting their folklore and traditions as essentials of religion, and making judgments pertaining to this issue at certain periods all resulted in the usurpation of women's rights; they were pushed into a more restricted area day by day, and in some places they were totally isolated from life without consideration of where this issue leads. However, the source of mistaken thoughts and deviations in this matter is not Islam whatsoever. The mistakes belong to those who misinterpret and misapply the religion. Such mistakes in practice must definitely be corrected.
     On the other hand, while correcting these mistakes, approaching the issue from a feminist standpoint will upset the balance again and an opposite extremism will replace the former. For instance, just as it is very ugly to see women as merely child-bearing objects and is insolence towards them, it is equally unbecoming and unnatural to build a society where women are unable to bear and bring up the children they wish for, or for a woman to feel a need to rebel against marrying and to avoid bearing children in order to show that she is not a machine. As a woman is not a dirty dish, her place at home is not confined to the kitchen with the dirty dishes. However, a woman who claims to have no household responsibilities and thereby turns her home to a quarters for eating and sleeping is far from being a good mother, a good teacher, and a good spiritual guide to her children.
     Besides all this, it is another form of oppression to make women work under difficult conditions, such as mining and road-building. It contradicts human nature to push women into heavy tasks like agricultural manual labor, or military field operations, and other harsh pursuits, just for the sake of proving their equality with men; it is nothing but cruel torture. It shows ignorance of women's qualities and conflicts with their primordial nature. Therefore, just as an understanding which imprisons women at home and takes them completely away from social life is absolutely incorrect according to Islam, likewise, depriving women of financial support, preventing them from bearing and raising children in security, and forcing women into the labor force to do uncongenial work is also oppressive. A woman, like a man, can have a certain job as far as her (and his) physiology and psychology are taken into consideration; but both women and men should know that a good life consists of sharing and division of labor. Each should assist the other by doing tasks in compliance with their nature.

     Yikes.
     I’m in no position to judge this “take” on feminism relative to the various Muslim communities (e.g., in Turkey) and the possibility of discourse within them. But it’s pretty plain that Gülen’s philosophy, as expressed here, is antithetical to some of the core tenets of Western feminism, broadly understood. It seems clear that Gülen is not likely to gain many adherents or followers among contemporary Westerners, with their commitment to the ideal of equality, as they understand it at least, between the sexes.
     The Wikipedia article on Gülen is alarming—if, that is, it can be trusted. It asserts that

     ...Gülen's views are vulnerable to the charge of misogyny. As noted by Berna Turam, Gülen has argued:
     "the man is used to more demanding jobs . . . but a woman must be excluded during certain days during the month. After giving birth, she sometimes cannot be active for two months. She cannot take part in different segments of the society all the time. She cannot travel without her husband, father, or brother . . . the superiority of men compared to women cannot be denied." [35]

Berna Turam, Northeastern

     Wikipedia is quoting Berna Turam, a serious academic at Northeastern U. She herself seems to cite a work from 1996 entitled Fethullah Gulen Hocaefendi ile ufuk turu (Aktuel kitaplar dizisi). It is written in Turkish.
     One should be careful to note that the superiority that Gülen is discussing is physical, not moral, or at least that's how I read it. Even so, his remarks are mighty offensive, at least to these Western ears.

     Gosh Glenn, you really oughta be more careful who you hang out with. Philosophically, these Gülenites are a problem, at least relative to most of our community on these shores.
     I'll see if I can shed more light on the Pacifica Institute and what it means for the likes of Glenn Roquemore and Beth Krom (a Democrat) to be hanging out with 'em.

Tod looking for work at Chabot & Napa Valley (not just Cabrillo)

     Golly, Tod Burnett is really beating the bushes for a new gig, it seems (I think his contract with the SOCCCD will run out pretty soon).
     As you know, he's a finalist in the Cabrillo College President/Superintendent search (see). He'll do two forums there on Thursday, the day before commencement.
     Here he is (above) recently at Chabot College taking his turn presenting himself in a forum in the Chabot-Las Positas Community College District (CLPCCD) Chancellor search process.
     According to a published timeline, the final interviews—before the CLPCCD BOT—are being held today.
     Tod presenting at Las Positas.

     Just found this:

     —Burnett was also in the running for the Napa Valley College Presidency. Ultimately, Ron Kraft was hired (see below).

Napa Valley College presidential hopefuls to give presentations (San Jose Mercury News Times-Herald; 4/18/13)

     Napa College is a little closer to hiring a permanent president, announcing it has narrowed its list of finalists to four.
. . .
     The four finalists were picked after a national search which began in January…. Kraft is among the finalists who also include Tod Burnett, Kimberlee Messina and Mary Kay Rudolph.
     A final selection is expected to be made as part of the board of director's May 9 meeting….

Napa Valley Register (May 4)

     While no official announcement has been made as to who the next president of Napa Valley College will be, the board of trustees has identified its “top candidate.”
     Ron Kraft, current interim college president, was named as the board’s top choice in an email sent to college staff by the chair of the board, Michael Baldini….
     An official announcement of appointment will be made Thursday, the college said.

     —As I said, Kraft got the gig. He assumed office on May 9.

Meanwhile, out in the canyons...

Roadside shrine for Maribel Ramos. Santiago Canyon Road. 

The newspaper reports usually describe Orange County's canyons as “remote,” though really it takes only about a ten minute drive to see the red clay rooftops of the closest housing development rising in their curvy neat rows, and another ten to shop at Ralphs or Target or pay to take a seat in the air-conditioned darkness of a Regal Theater and see the latest Hollywood blockbuster. Thousands daily drive Santiago Canyon Road and not just we who live out here. "Flatlanders," as we call them, often opt for the scenic two lane highway to cut across from Orange to Lake Forest and further to Rancho Santa Margarita and destinations beyond.  The canyon road doesn't require a toll and if it takes more time, it's time lost to beauty and not traffic.

Here is where the sidewalks run out and here is where the fences fall down and here is where people come to hike the hills and others come to dump what they don’t want: weary couches, broken furniture, busted appliances, sad mattresses flung face down and then, two weeks ago, in early May, a body of a woman, near the creek bed they say, where stands of matilija poppies bloom white and yellow and the sage has gone purple and the big oaks wear their spring green. They found her last Thursday. She was someone's daughter, sister, student, friend. The road was closed for hours while they retrieved her.

We’d been driving by her all that time.

This week, the ash from last week's flares still smear the road at Jackson Ranch and Modjeska.  

A shrine has appeared. 

*

Ray Manzarek dies at 74; keyboardist for the Doors (LA Times)

The May meeting of the SOCCCD board of trustees: "what the speaker [adjunct] said was accurate"

     (Be sure to check out Tere's Board Meeting Highlights)
     Yes folks, here we are yet again for another meeting of the SOCCCD BOT. This is, as I’ve suggested previously, the best BOT the district likely has ever had, which ain’t saying much, I know, but it’s a damned good thing nonetheless. Essentially, the board is now jackass-free. Plus we've got a Chancellor we can work with and trust.
     Tonight’s “discussion” item is yet another one of those daffy “student success” recommendations. Good Lord—I shudder not because the presenters will be dull, but because, well, you know. Just about everything that comes down to us from the state (or the accreds) is the product of a committee, and, as you know, a giraffe is a horse designed by a committee; and, besides, the more committeeish a thing is in our system, the more infected it is by the idiocy of educationism and, anyway, the thinking of that anti-intellectual crowd who can swallow the “SLO” Weltanschauung sans projectile pukage.
     5:55: amazingly, as I enter the room, I find that everyone's here, ready to go. Wait! Where's Gary (Poertner)?
     Feels like summer around here.
     5:57: Somebody just handed me a stapled handout entitled "SOCCCD Board of Trustees, Board Presentation, May 20, 2013." This concerns the recent ATP "land swap," no doubt. It's a big deal, I guess. It's the big green light.
     Gary's here. Here we go.

     MEETING BEGINS: 6:00: clerk reads actions: 7/0 vote, approved termination of publication technician. That's all.
     Jemal leads "invocation," which sounds pretty secular. Still, it ends with, "thank you and amen."
     Swearing in of brand spanking new student trustee, David Robinson (a Saddleback student). "...against all enemies, foreign and domestic...." --The usual Cold War oath

     Next: resolutions
     Poertner steps up: presents district services admin of the year, Deborah Fitzsimmons. She appears to be a popular favorite. She thanks everyone. She has her hubby stand up. Applause.
     Next: IVC classified outstanding employee award: Patrick Taylor. Prod. manager at PAC. "Patrick is a joy to be around," etc. Glenn comes up and chirps warm positivities. "He's a heck of a softball player." They hand him a plaque, a certificate. Says Patrick: "For someone who was always sent to the principal's office, I thought I was in trouble again." Points out his wife. Applause.
     SC classified employee award: Brooke Sauter. She thanks everyone. "I love what I do everyday...!" Applause. Charming, natch. Photo op.
     District Services classified employee award: Kathryn Nunez. "Improved customer service." Poertner gives her a "designated parking spot," the most "valuable" thing she's getting, he says. Yuk yuk. Photo op. "Want to thank the awesome women of payroll...." Points out her grandchildren in the audience, et al. Applause.
     Saddleback College Forensic Team. Won this, won that. Something about "mouth of lions." I dunno. Applause. Roll call vote. Advisor comments: "Thank you to everyone" (Larry Radden). Couldn't have done this without the "beautiful lovely spirit and hearts of students." Golly. "They are the wind beneath my sail[?]". Applause. They wander off.
     Next: IVC Forensic Team. "Sweepstakes winners...8 prestigious tournaments. Top school of all colleges..." Etc. They look mighty shiny and new up there, these kids. Marcia's reading of superlatives goes on and on (so wonderful are they). Applause. Roll call vote. Gary (freaking) Rybold speaks in his usual annoying manner. He buzzes nastily like a tsetse fly. He yammers. He says they'll be getting on a plane soon to compete in China. Maybe Gary can stay there. Talks about his wife. (Gosh, I wonder if Gary still leads the students in "prayer" before competitions?) Good Lord, he's finally done. Applause. Photo op.
     Next: commendations.
     Burnett comes up to present Debbie Kerr, Athletic trainer of year according to CCCATA.
     Dan Walsh, SC geo instructor. Named "Educator of the Year" by the Cal Geo Society. (As usual, people are getting prizes for getting prizes. Not that these people aren't deserving. America loves a spectacle, a parade, a bloated extravaganza. Bring on the Grammies!)
     Burnett  calls up Bob Cosgrove, SC Ac Senate Prez." I hope I'm not embarrassing you, Bob." "No, not at all," says Bob. (Laughter.) Burnett says Cosgrove has been Prez "seven times." Is that a record? Dunno. Pioneered the "OSH banking system," among other things. Etc. Has long advocated for part-time faculty. A great advocate of the Academic Senate. "I could go on and on." He does. Bob gets a certificate. Applause.
     Don Mineo is recognized as outgoing classified senate prez. Gets certificate.
     Rod Oveisi couldn't attend.

No public comments.

Oral trustee reports:

     Bill Jay: There's over 4,000 colleges in the U.S. 1500-1600 community colleges. The numbers are staggering. We started with maybe 30 programs at SC; now there're over 300. Incredible amount of work. Yammers about "alternative fuel certificate." Talks about the "Nazis" (pronounced "nat-sees") during WWII. Owing to superior octane rating, we had better fuel for our fighter planes, so we could beat them natsees. Padberg's had enough; she interrupts: we need to move on, dude. He then mentions John Muir and other "natural history writers." (Not sure why.) Lastly: mentions UCI Chancellor Michael Drake who'll be getting some kinda prize at commencement. Meanwhile, Nancy is desperately suppressing eye-rollage. Bill will not stop. "OK," Nancy says, trying to derail the Jayster. Finally, as Nancy does a slow burn, Bill's shambolic locomotive lurches to a stop, with cow catcher akimbo.
     Tim Jemal: won't go over litany of activities (thank you). It is a real joy to be a trustee, especially this month. Very impressed by scholarship ceremony at Saddleback College. STEM something.... We're a really diverse cc district! It was very heartening to witness these events. Looking forward to ATEP presentation today. I got this job in part to help with development of ATEP. (Remember that.)
     Marcia Milchiker: reads absurdly lengthy list of events she attended last month. Yammers through her list in a fashion seemingly designed to annoy Nancy, who is indeed annoyed. Mentions Shermer event at IVC, among many others. Board's self-evaluation. "Thank you," she chirps, ending her wild ride.
     TJ Prendergast: Attended TechVoice (?) breakfast. John Campbell came to speak: interesting. (I'll bet.) I'll be going to graduation Friday.
     Nancy Padberg: she goes through list of things she attended with ferocious brevity. Boom! Next!
     James Wright: also goes through events he attended. My eyes lids are getting heavy. Interviewed for TV, Channel 6 (Laguna Woods). Veterans at SC. TechVoice event. "Very, very good," he purrs, leaving a trail of comatose auditors. Presidents roundtable here at SC. Etc. Board self-evaluation. The world briefly comes to a stop. Dead.

     Dave Lang: the world suddenly awakes. Lang explains that it's been a busy month. Mentions some events attended. Scholarship awards ceremonies at each college. Particpated in board self-evaluation. Looks forward to commencements. We recently congratulated Glenn Roquemore to appointment to whatever-it-was. Lang mentions that the obscure factoid was "carried in the Irvine World News." Imagine. Congrats SC for choice of Michael Drake as commencement speaker at SC. (Gosh, they really like this guy. Wasn't he the dolt who screwed the pooch back when UCI hired the lawschool dean? Then Drake unhired him. Then he rehired him. Golly.)
     Student trustee Robinson: does lots of thank yous. He's might clean-cut. Nice young man, it seems. maybe a Boy Scout.
     Chancellor (Gary Poertner) report: met with student trustee. Tonight's agenda: the final "student success recs" presentation: aligning resources with student success. Last but not least: ATEP approval of contract, blah, blah, blah. I've been involved with this in some way or another since 1999, he says. Like others, he suggested "oh, what a relief it is" to be past this milestone at long freakin' last.
     Pres Glenn Roquemore's report: yammers like a mechanical Ken doll, the special OC househusband edition. Mentions awards for Gary Rudmann and Kari Tucker. Etc. He's all sizzle and no steak.
     Pres Tod Burnett: The Sizzler mentions scholarships, etc. Looking forward to commencement on Friday. Glad you're excited about commencement speaker. Radio station birthday bash coming up too. (Oddly, he fails to mention that he seeking employment elsewhere. But let's not be unpleasant.)

Board "requests for reports":
     TJ Prendergrast: wants to look into potential impact of Affordable Care Act on district. Seems like a good idea. No doubt the district will title the report "impact of looming spectre of socialism."

ATEP's tin village is now owned by the city of Tustin

     ATEP LAND SWAP, ETC. We're going to advance ATEP stuff before we get to the discussion item. Related to the build-out of campus at ATEP. Public hearing. (This concerns agenda items: 6.1, 6.2, 6.3.)
     But first, the popular and appreciated Debrah F presents: she introduces some people, who stand up. Applause. Like I said, this concerns the recently-announced land swap.
     Randy Peebles: presents slide, the "before" map of SOCCCD property. Then the "after" map. The after map sports contiguous properties. A "win win" for both City of Tustin and the district. The current Tiny Tin complex will be handed off to Tustin, etc. Well rent it.
     Fitzsimmons: describes "the project." Land exchange agreement. "The land exchange agreement is the master document for the entire transaction," says a slide. Tedious details. Fitz keeps the spewage of tedium to a minimum, it seems. Good. But the concentration is nearly lethal.
     Peebles: discusses "allowed uses." Category 1, "educational." Category 2, "non-educational" (up to 49% of property). Income producing.
     Prohibited uses: shopping centers or commercial strip malls over 15,000 sf; hotels and motels, drive-throughs, etc. (Be sure to tell Howard Gensler that that Hilton Hotel is out.)
     Fitz: ATEP Partners/Developers will pay "backbone" infrastructure fees...." I dunno what that means.
     Benefits to the district: more efficient, continguous.... Enhanced visibility. Infastructure costs reduced. Increase in square footage. Etc.
    Goes through "benefits" for City of Tustin as well. (Who cares? This is a political moment, I guess.)
     Jeremy Somebody (from firm X) comes up to explain CEQA Addendum "summary of findings." A new low in tedium. Everything checks out OK, I guess. Any comments or questions? Not yet.
     Fitz: due diligence, environmental insurance, etc. Goes through timeline. Close escrow: on or before 6/28/13. Lastly: next steps. We're in phase 5 (at-ground demo and grading, [destruction and paving, I guess]). Will "intensify exploration for external funding." [Why do they gotta talk that way?] Explore Public/private partnerships. (This is every bit as tedious as one might expect it would be. But Fitz does a good job, painfully aware of the tedium.) On and on it goes. My eyes hurt. My mind hurts. The board is asleep. The audience is dead. Fitz soldiers on. I look through the pamphlet distributed earlier: even more tedious. I'm gonna check out for a while.... I'm focusing on Wright. I'm out like a light.
     7:10 - Fitz seems to be wrapping up. Any questions?
     TJ Prendergast: have we got confirmation from letter-writers that our answers [to their objections] were acceptable? (This seems to be a reference to complaints/objections expressed at public hearing, Tustin). Answer: no request for further clarification, etc. The city and others did respond. So answers were given. Whether satisfactory, not clear. Prendergast: "we don't know yet if they're OK with our answer?" Not really, I guess. Waddya gonna do? We move forward.
     No other comments. Members of public now have chance to speak to address these matters.
     Nope, noone. Typical. Democracy is so hollow.
     Jemal: I think you did an excellent job (looks at Fitz and Peebles, it seems).
     6.1 now concluded. 6.2 next. Certifying the addendum. Vote: unanimous.
     6.3. Approving of agreements. Vote: unanimous.
     Padberg congratulates and thanks everyone. We're finally moving forward at ATEP! Applause.
     Bill Jay: "Can I make a comment?" Yep. Appreciates all the work people did, month after month, year after year. Thank you.

The Tengster

     ALIGNING RESOURCES WITH STUDENT SUCCESS RECOMMENDATIONS. Discussion item: student success task force recommendation #8 ("Align resources with Student Success recommendations"). IVC's Kathy Schmeidler and SC's Bob Cosgrove come up to present (along with two others).
     Kathy draws attention to previous rec 4 presentation: cooperation between the two colleges, etc. Today, sterling example of that kind of cooperation.
     Tony Teng from SC (accounting). Works on his PowerPoint presentation, some snafu. Example of aligning resources... "student success" is the key word. Introduces Bob Urell of IVC (business). We work together as complementary partners.  Compares accounting at SC and IVC. "Census enrollment."
Oddly, the two programs seem to be about the same size (despite SC's being twice the size of IVC)
     Yammers about partnerships between IVC and SC. Lists "benefits to students" We both accept each others' courses. We collaborate on new course development. Shared instructor pool. We have a common vision.
     Dry as dust. I'm checking out for a while.... I glance at Jim Wright and I'm out like a light.
     . . .
     Bob Urell's turn. Students go back and forth between the two colleges. Tutoring labs. Volunteer tax assistance at both campuses. Accounting Club. Student internships. Blah, blah, blah.
     Kathy returns: any questions? Marcia Milchiker: I took accounting Fall semester. It was really interesting. I was in the drop-in lab every day. They helped me pass. (I got a B.) [Nancy suppresses eye roll age. Well, not quite.] Yammers. Her remarks is "More a thanks than a question," she says.
     Tony notes that students were impressed that Marcia took the class, sought help.

Consent calendar: anything to pull? Nope. Vote: unanimous.

General Action Items:

     6.4: Retiree OPEB Trust Actuarial Validations and Liability Funding. (I kid you not.) Fitzsimmons presents: "I promise (for next time) not to be so boring and dry with my material." Laughter.
     OK, I'm tuning out.
     . . .
     7:35: Fitz is still at it, poor thing.
     Dave Lang: moves to accept. But has minor question. Prendergast: something about money set aside. Trustees seem satisfied. Carries unanimously.
   6.5: Board Policy revisions. Fitzsimmons again. 13 board policies for approval. Fitz notes some minor changes. Lang: I had recommended some minor changes to a couple of policies. BP4113: blah, blah, blah. Fitz explains changes made. Trustee education: trustees encouraged to attend one conference per year, etc. Prendergast: need of wordsmithing. Lang wants to strike out "not more than three" of the trustee policy re conferences, since no one is now abusing conferences, etc. Jemal: wonders why have any prescription? Agree that should be "encouraging" at least one. Nothing more. Milchiker defends going to conferences. Prendergast: should we hold up approval of this BP? No. Let's make the changes right now. So they vote on that: (trustees are encouraged to participate in at least one conference each year that provides prof deve't...Plus strike other language.) So they vote: unanimous. Now they vote on approval of all. Bob Cosgrove makes comments: some of this has not been sent to us for approval. Fitz 2120... the word "jointly" to be deleted because redundant. Cosgrove recommends leaving it as is. Bob: it's the language of Title 5. Jemal's concern: "shall be mutually agreed upon jointly." Do we need "jointly"? Jemal backs off given feelings of others (Cosgrove, et al.). Carries unanimously.
     6.6: BPs for review and study.
     6.7: Anyone interested in nominating someone for "Maureen DiMarco" award? Nope.
     6.8: Classified employee layoff. Bugay: due to a grant. Motion, second. Roll call: unanimous.
     6.9: Sabbatical revision/rescind. Unanimous.
     6.10: Academic Personnel Actions. Unanimous.
     6.11: Classified Personnel Actions. IVC seeks to change a position, 11 months only. Lang: is this a trend? This is something new for IVC. They have to see how successful. Innovative. Lang: innovative and experimental, he notes. Jay: "I like this approach." Unanimous.
   
Reports:
     7.1 Annual Accred report (from both colleges). Comment: Yay us.
     7.2 Mission statements
     7.3 Speakers for both colleges
     7.4 Basic Aid
     7.5 Facilities plan status report
     7.6 Monthly financial
     7.7 Retiree trust fund (OPEB)
     7.8 Quarterly investment report

Reports from admin and governance groups:

     SC Ac Senate (Cosgrove): distributes document(s) concerning part-timers. What the speaker said (at the last board meeting, highlighting the plight of adjuncts--the factoid "nearly 3/4" of teachers are adjuncts, etc.) was "accurate" (see below). Passes out report from NBC news. It says, "...the [AAUP] finds 76 percent of  teachers in colleges and universities are what the organization calls 'contingent,' meaning full-time faulty members who are off the secure and relatively well-paid tenure track or part-timers (often known as adjuncts) and graduate students." Bob quotes Admiral Hyman Rickover's famous remark: "You don't have educated people, you don't have a free society."
     Also discusses issues of department chair compensation. Still not resolved. (Evidently, union officers involved in this. Lewis Long's name comes up.) We need to get on top of this, if we want the 8 items in recs to be accomplished.
     Thanks Don Mineo, Roy Bauer.... "I'm one of your biggest fans," he said. Gosh.
     IVC Ac Senate (Schmeidler): thanks faculty who spoke tonight--and everyone who has spoken in this series of presentations re recommendations. "I seem to be under attack by my microphone," she says. (Hideous buzz.)
     Peebles: brief report
     Bramucci: maintenance in the summer. Blackboard upgrade.
     Bugay: I spoke at Roopa Mathur's class at IVC. Most fun thing I did. Kathy Schmeidler says: "Hey." Bugay acknowledges he visited Schmeidler's class too, but didn't stick to subject and "got yelled at." Laughter.
     Fitzsimmons: the usual
     IVC Classified Senate: yep
     CSEA: yep
     SC Classified Senate: yep. Addresses student trustee. Thanks for award. Thanks to Bob for kind words.  Etc. Refers to time we're not "bugged by all the faculty." Golly.
     Adjourn in memory of Kay Mach.
     8:09 -- meeting over

THE BOARD HAS LITTLE SYMPATHY FOR PLIGHT OF PART-TIMERS, IT SEEMS

To see this exchange, go here. Click on “video” for the April 29 board meeting. Then scroll the box below the video to select item 7.2. Voila!

From DtB’s report of the April Board Meeting:

     7.2: Wait, we have a speaker. Dr. Susan Bliss. Conditions that negatively impact part-time faculty, affect students. According to figures published by state chancellor's office, part-timers teach nearly 74% of classes. (I didn't get the figure exactly; that was the ballpark.) Part-timers paid at much lower pay schedule. Get less than half of full-time pay. Other districts do better, moving toward "equal pay for equal work." Part-timers are hired again and again, for decades. Can be pulled at any time, last minute. Uncertain of reemployment rights. Students should have "full access to their professors," as Prez Burnett recently stated. Of course. In reality, however, students in half of classes have no access--part-timers have no offices, office hours, etc. I've met with students at the library, picnic tables, coffee shop, etc. Many adjuncts cannot meet with students because they dash from college to college. Adjuncts are excluded from decision-making in the departments, schools/divisions. These conditions erode quality of education for our students. Students are the biggest losers. Things must change. We want to increase student success rates. Thank you.

     Trustee Prendergast: adjunct position as you desscribe it has been around for a very long time. Will continue to erode? I don't know if I buy that argument. Other districts going to equal pay for equal work? Which ones? Could we see a list? I agree there's a plight. Want to make sure we do it right. (Susan B not allowed to answer, it seems. She attempts to respond, but that doesn't happen.)
     Wright joins the defensive chorus.
     Jemal: I quick quip, then: 73.8% part-time? Wants verification of that figure. In general, there's a recognized need for data. Union Prez Jacobs and Cosgrove make comments. Would love to have clear questions to answer. Will then answer them.
     Cosgrove: speaks to support speaker's complaint: adjuncts don't have keys, etc. Nancy seeks to appease Susan B: will pursue this, look for data.
     [It seems to me that the board was remarkably defensive and testy re the speaker's comment on behalf of part-timers. Not particularly thoughtful, revealing little sympathy. I suspect that we've not heard the last of this.]

Where the grass is greener, I guess (in freakin' Aptos*?)

Presidential Finalists Will Speak, The Cabrillo Voice, May 14, 2013

Former VP of Eva Gabor wigs

     Five finalists for Cabrillo College President and Superintendent will speak at forums May 22-23 at the Watsonville and Aptos campuses.
     The Board of Trustees is expected to select the final candidate by June. That person will likely begin their position by fall semester.
     Candidates are Tod Burnett, president of Saddleback College in Mission Viejo; Marie-Elaine Burns, vice president of student services at San Jose City College; Farley Herzek, interim president of East Los Angeles College; Laurel Jones, president of Mission College in Santa Clara; and Pamela Walker, vice president of student services at American River College in Sacramento.

Dreaming of academic respectability

. . .
     The forums will take place at Samper Music Recital Hall, 6500 Soquel Drive, Aptos, and Room A150, 318 Union St., Watsonville.
. . .
     Tod Burnett: Watsonville forum, 12:45-1:15 p.m. May 23; Aptos forum, 3-3:50 p.m. May 23

Cabrillo College announces finalists for presidential search (Santa Cruz Sentinel, May 8)
Cabrillo narrows president search (Register Pajaronian, May 8)
Cabrillo College Announces Finalists for New Cabrillo President (Central Coast News, May 8)

*OK, OK, Aptos is near Santa Cruz, which is way beautiful and cool.

YOUTHpreneur camps at IVC, home of cockamamie kiddie inventions, bouncie houses, and blue-'n'-white balloons!

     Rebel Girl just called to turn me on to this curious "camp" opportunity, advertised at the IVC website.
     YOUTHpreneur camps? Are you kidding?
     Nope, they aren't kidding.
     I noticed a link to another site:

     Gosh, the Go-To Info dude is none other than Dan Scott, the clever probie with whom IVC President Glenn Roquemore (and family) vacationed a while back. (Naturally, Dan had no problem at all winning tenure.) No conflict-of-interest there, no sir!

     I told the Reb that we should modify these silly ads, adding "Hitler" to "Youth," that sort of thing. She didn't seem to think that was a good idea.

     How 'bout GELTpreneur camps? YOUNG REPUBpreneur camps? YUTEpreneur camps? GALOOTpreneur camps?

     Aincha proud? Once again, as far as Glenn Roquemore and his pals are concerned, IVC isn't a college. It's an anti-college.