"I am Worried About my Grade."

It's that time of year again.

Adventures in transparency

The fix is in, is it?
See also Now what are they doing? (Nov. 21)

*Nov. 2013 Board Agenda, item 5.16: $11k; item 5.17: $5,547.25

Profile of Linda Fontanilla, IVC's VP for Student Services

     Just who is Linda Fontanilla?
     As you know, she began work as Irvine Valley College's Vice President of Student Services on August 13, 2012—sixteen months ago.
     —Well, she grew up in Fresno. Graduated from McLane High School there in 1968.
     Soon thereafter, she enlisted in the Air Force, where she was an air traffic controller.
     After her four years of service, she continued as an air traffic controller with the FAA—in northern California—until the air traffic controller’s strike of 1981 (August).
     Then, as a single parent, she set about earning her Masters in Organizational Behavior (CSPP in Fresno) and Doctorate in Educational Leadership (La Verne U) while working as a social services administrator.
     She went into higher education, first as the Campus Director of San Joaquin Valley College, a for-profit junior college in Visalia, just south of Fresno.
     She also served as the executive director of the YWCA/Marjoree Mason Center in Fresno.
     Later, she became Dean of Student Services at College of the Sequoias (2004-2008), also in Visalia, CA, and then Assistant Superintendent/Vice President of Student Services at Cuesta College, near San Luis Obispo (2008-2012), about 150 miles southwest of Visalia.
     According to an IVC campus profile,

     Linda is married with one son. Her husband [Walter Deissler] is [a corporate]... architect for In n Out Burgers [sic] and her son [Robert Briggs] is an engineer with the Visalia Fire Department, but will soon transfer to the Long Beach Fire Department. During the week Linda and her husband reside in San Dimas, but return often to Visalia where they maintain their home of 25 years and can check in on Linda's 91 year-old mother-in-law.

     According to IVC, her education is as follows:

- AA, Sacramento City College [communications]
- BA, Loyola Marymount University [Los Angeles] [speech pathology and audiology]
- MS, California School of Professional Psychology [part of Alliant International, a private, non-profit higher education institution; it became accredited by WASC in 1977; it has a campus in Fresno]
- EdD, University of La Verne [a private not-for-profit university in La Verne, in north LA County; it has a Bakersfield campus]

     In the above profile article, Fontanilla is quoted thus:

     "Education and helping others understand the importance of valuing other's differences are two cornerstones of my life. I am a certified diversity trainer and have spent much of my professional career working with organizations in the San Joaquin Valley. Because of the very diverse population we serve it is imperative for California community college administrators to be open-minded and keenly aware of those whom we serve."

     "I am extremely humbled and honored to have been selected for the position of Vice President of Student Services at Irvine Valley College. Each day I grow even more excited about coming to work at IVC. I am anxious to meet my co-workers and begin the work of serving students. My professional philosophy is 'Students are our business, therefore students come first.' I plan to demonstrate this throughout my career at IVC."

… "My top three priorities will be: 1. To get to know the students, staff and faculty at IVC. I want to understand the culture of the organization so that I can become an effective and productive member of our college. 2. To ensure that the Student Services programs are ready and positioned to make the necessary changes as required by the Student Success Task Force recommendations. 3. To ensure that programs are funded, stable and prepared to serve students to the fullest extent possible."

…" Over the next three to five years I would like to see all student services programs be in a position to fully support the District's goals, our institutional goals and strategic objectives, while giving every student at IVC an opportunity for access and success. Our student services programs will work in concert with the rest of the college and on a daily basis to prepare for accreditation while striving to meet the standards."

     In her Epsilen bio, she (apparently) says: “I have a passion for seeing young people, particular underrepresented students, change their lives and a second passion for ensuring that we all understand how important it is to value other's [sic] differences.”
     In the above “campus profile,” she tells us: "My varied and unique careers have given me great life experiences in preparing me to serve students, under-represented staff and students, and to work with individuals from all walks of life."
     Eight months ago (April 10, 2013), the Irvine Rotary Blog featured a (not terribly revealing) piece on Fontanilla: Linda Fontanilla - Craft Talk.

* * *

     ACCREDITATION TURMOIL. It seems that, at the time of Fontanilla’s exit from Cuesta in 2012, turmoil prevailed there, owing to years-long accreditation difficulties. You can get some sense of the turmoil here:

     Cuesta College removes ‘underperforming’ vice president (6/27/12)

     The vp referred to was, not Fontanilla, but Cathleen Greiner, who, a year later, was named as IVC’s dean of Online and Extended Education in July of 2013. (See also Cuesta puts ex-accreditation official on leave.)
     In the above-mentioned article, Fontanilla’s exit is also reported:

     Also, Linda Fontanilla, vice president of student services, is leaving the college to take the same job at Irvine Valley College. Her replacement has not been named.
     Fontanilla had been pursuing jobs in Southern California for several years to reunite with her husband who moved there five years ago for work. Her decision to leave Cuesta College had nothing to do with the turmoil the college faces, she said.
     “I’ve made it very clear that I am not running away,” Fontanilla said. “The timing is coincidental and unfortunate.”

     According to Wikipedia (here),

Ornelas 2008

     In 2012, Cuesta College's regional accreditor Western Association of Schools and Colleges placed the college on "show cause" status, warning the college that its accreditation might not be renewed. A year later, the college's accreditation was renewed and its status upgraded to "on warning." The Tribune, the local newspaper of San Luis Obispo, described this as the result of a "years-long struggle to fix several deficiencies identified by the commission [that] came at a cost: lower enrollment, difficulty recruiting applicants and damaged morale."

     Another among Fontanilla’s colleagues at stormy Cuesta was Nohemy Ornelas, Cuesta’s dean of student services.

Young Theodore has had a fine day

Visits from three fave girlfriends in three consecutive days

Ted is a popular creature, that's for sure

The anti-anti-apartheid right

     See Red Emma’s The Anti-Anti-Apartheid Right & Memory: Reactionary Means Never Having to Say You're Sorry - in Portside this morning.

     Yesterday, at 3:39 p.m., Prez Glenn Roquemore emailed the college community to say:

     We have lowered the flags today in response to President Obama’s recent proclamations.
     We honor Nelson Mandela by flying the United States Flag at Half Staff now until Sunset, December 9, 2013….

The Veterans Center Fubar, part 8: what vets need/want

     Obviously, it’s not for me to say what vets need here at IVC in a Veterans Service Center. I’m not a vet.
     But the Reb and I have spoken to quite a few vets in the last two weeks or so. We spoke at length with one today.
     Here is some of what I believe we’ve heard from them:

• After all that they’ve been through, vets can have trouble adjusting to the very different life of the student.
• Vets need a place where they can congregate and meet informally, a "safe" and welcoming place where they can share their knowledge and experience. Vets can help vets.
• It is possible to create such a place and then to disturb or even destroy its delicate “ecology.” Not everything helpful to vets belongs in a vet center. (Perhaps a full-time counselor is a bad fit in a vet center.)
• Military veterans don’t take kindly to rude or officious behavior. They don’t appreciate being barked at or belittled. They bristle at what might be called an officer’s attitude.
• Vets tend to be no-bullshit types. They don’t need dog and pony shows. They don’t want to be put on display by or for anyone.

     Feel free to critique the above “points.” I have no desire to speak for vets. I’d much rather they spoke for themselves.

THE QUESTION: What do vets need/want?

     Military veterans, please leave answers to our question. Tell us what you (i.e., vets) need and want here at Irvine Valley College.
     I’ll post your comments below.

This morning, the flag outside A100 was not at half staff.
Then, suddenly, it was. Go figure.

In response to 1:03 (Dec 6):

Anonymous – 12:55 PM, December 09, 2013
     I agree with you. While I am impressed with most of the officers and careerists I've met, many of the veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan that I've been in contact with have been arrogant and brash. I'm not even certain why they need their own center. Fine, have a veterans counselor, but why can't that person serve in an office with the rest of the counselors? A center just seems to encourage rude behavior and sexual harrassment. And we're supposed to let this continue because of what they've been through? Sorry, no.


Anonymous - 6:27 PM, December 07, 2013

     Well said, 7:26am and 8:20am. The problem as I see it is that there is no one at the District interested in changing anything. They are only interested in their own agendas, pay, benefits, etc. Nothing will change until there is change at the District level.
 



Anonymous - 7:45 PM, December 07, 2013


Chancellor Poertner

     But it's their jobs to be interested. Surely the Chancellor must have some sense of the mismangement at IVC. 
 



Anonymous - 8:05 PM, December 07, 2013

     I agree with you that it's their jobs to be interested. What I'm saying is if the mismanagement at the District level isn't being addressed, do you really think anything is going to change at the college level?


Anonymous - 8:30 PM, December 07, 2013

     Well, that's discouraging. Who's in charge?

Anonymous - 9:36 PM, December 06, 2013
    Embarrassing for the administration, 

sad for the veterans on campus. 

sorry guys and gals, you deserve better


* * *

Anonymous - 6:36 AM, December 07, 2013

     While there were problems before, Glen's "fix" only made things worse as does his ongoing unwillingness to address the problems. I thought he was more man than that. But he sends out other people to do what he wants done and then pretend it is going to be all right. I don't know how he can forget his commitments like that. 


Anonymous - 7:26 AM, December 07, 2013

     This problem is like most at IVC - it stems from a lack of leadership, poor judgment, an unwillingness to acknowledge and correct mistakes, a fear to speak out (which has been seen to have real consequences in recent days) - and the total abandonment by the board and the chancellor who seem to be just as willing as Glen to show up to the photo op moments but who have yet to care about the real human consequences of such poor management. While I am disappointed in IVC's leadership, I expected more from the district. Don't they know how to ask the hard questions instead of just accepting the rosy-colored answers?



Anonymous - 8:20 AM, December 07, 2013


Darryl Cox

     The lack of leadership at IVC is the root of all problems here on campus. In regards to the vets, let's take a look at the last few years and the administrations role in what has occurred. 
Recognizing the growing vet population and their needs, the campus encouraged the vets to form a support group on campus. 
The vets were given some space (which was moved from time to time over the years) to meet, study and work together. Darryl Cox oversaw the vets program. Glen spoke of his support for the vets and worked at getting the college recognized as a Veteran friendly campus. About 2 years ago, Richard Morley joined IVC with great promises of fundraising and proposed a "Veterans Angels" gala that was supposed to bring in 300-500 people and $$$ pledges for veteran scholarships. (I still have my Veteran's Angels flyer). The vets were used as the "props" for the gala, yet when the smoke cleared the gala was not much of an event and the veterans never got a dime. A second gala was held again this past year....same result, lots of hype, little $$$ to show for the effort. The veterans even tried to have a car show to raise money, however, Morley got involved, promised to support the vets and then bailed when the bills came in. Unfortunately, Darryl Cox was blamed when the veterans spoke up about the problems. When Linda F came aboard, she quickly displayed her brusque style and issues with Darryl and the vets. When the time came to hire a counselor, rather than select someone on campus whom the vets like and respected, Linda and Glen selected Minkler (this occurred after the second set of hiring interviews). Minkler evidently was not a good fit and that information was passed on the administration, however, bad news is never taken well and the problems continued on. Then Darryl was placed on leave (with no explanation to the vets or the campus) and Linda F proclaiming she was in charge. Since she has been "in charge" the fiasco in the vets center has escalated into the issues we get to read about today. 
What a fine mess we have. 
The bottom line is that we have a lack of leadership, we have people like Linda F, Richard Morley and others in A100 that like Glen, have failed this campus and it's students.
Until we have a leadership change, nothing else will change.

* * *

Anonymous - 1:03 PM, December 06, 2013


VP Linda Fontanilla

     OK, I feel this needs to be said: I don't see why vets, as a group, seem to justify all the adulation and deification that seems to go with the title. We haven't had a draft for decades, and it's obvious that many people join up for the perks and other benefits they think they'll receive, and some go in for the opportunity to be legally ultra violent. I can't think of any conflict since 1945 that was fought in the national interest, so the old "patriotic serving my country" stuff wears thin. At least the Vietnam vets were mostly drafted, so they have more of a claim to sympathy, from my point of view.

 Blast away.

[NOTE: whether any of the above "needs to be said," it does not need to be said here; the idea of this post was to hear from military veterans and what they want. We did not ask for a critique of vets by non-vets. 1:03's perspective certainly is remarkable, though. --RB]

Anonymous - 9:03 AM, December 06, 2013
     The flag should be at half mast. Presidential proclamation honoring Mandela.

Anonymous - 1:36 PM, December 06, 2013

     1:03, what's the point of blasting away? You clearly would not understand and you are clearly not worth the effort.

 Nice troll btw......
 



Anonymous - 1:58 PM, December 06, 2013

     Would not understand what, 1:03 [1:36]? Please share your special knowledge. Also, please try to understand the difference between trolling and having a discussion, even if you dislike the perspective. 



Anonymous - 2:39 PM, December 06, 2013

     We need Linda to leave us alone and let us be. Darryl is gone, Enrique is gone, Chris is gone. You win Linda, the program is shit now your mission has been accomplished. Keep that freakshow Mark up stairs and let us move on. 


Anonymous - 3:31 PM, December 06, 2013

     Mark has every right to write here, as does any other member of the college community - that's how it works. It helps to listen. Not listening is what created this mess. It is what happens at IVC all too often. 

It also helps to communicate in honest ways so that people might listen better. It doesn't help, IMO, to shout. That makes it hard to listen and often creates a louder response. 

So...what to do now?

Anonymous - 7:09 PM, December 06, 2013
     Mark has every right to write on here this is true. What he does not have the right to do is pretend to be a student veteran and then bash the student veterans he does not like. 
That's how it works.

Anonymous - 9:02 AM, December 06, 2013
     I dont want Chris in the veteran's center, he was not a postive influence.

* * *

Anonymous - 927 PM, December 05, 2013
     I NEED the old center back. The one where Chris and Enrique helped student veterans succeed in the classroom and all around life in general

Anonymus - 7:30 PM, December 05, 2013 [Posted under part 6]

Pres. Roquemore

     This has been embarrassing for a long time – It's just that people are finally noticing it. It's funny what embarrasses you. The marginalization of students that the college has depended on and used for fundraising and PR is embarrassing. The manner in which administrators and faculty are allowed to speak to students (and the vets are students you know) is embarrassing. The process which created, sustained and now is trying to cover up this is embarrassing.
     Besides, there are worse things than being embarrassed – though I don't know how someone can be embarrassed by the fact people are expressing themselves. Free speech. Robust speech. We're taught that this is a good thing.
     Failing to serve the real needs of students in effective ways at the expense of a self-serving agenda is much more embarrassing. That is what has happened.

Anonymous - 2:28 PM, December 05, 2013 [From part 7]
      I want to know how Linda is going to explain the fact that she walked into a top notch veteran program running smoothly and after only being here a year it's completely destroyed. Good hire for VP Glenn, you really hit a home run with that one.

The Veterans Center fubar, part 7: Glenn's "military friendly" poster boys respond to the Minklerian narrative

Vets

     Last night’s Minkler post yielded a strong response. Essentially, we had presented (what seems to be) Minkler’s side of things, the essence of which is that a disgruntled faculty member (“hey, I shoulda got that job!”) and a core group of unruly vets (“we have created these monsters!”) have “Swiftboated” the innocent Minkler, who is in fact a competent professional with no history of inappropriate conduct.
     Let’s just say that, at this point, we have heard rather loudly and clearly from some irate veterans who insist that the above Minklerian narrative is a complete and perverse fiction:

• Minkler has certainly not been “cleared” of charges that he behaved inappropriately; on the contrary.
• Contra the Minklerians, the complaints against Minkler are serious and have necessitated his removal from the vet center; his conduct, especially with women, has been distinctly and consistently inappropriate.
• Contra the Minklerians, the so-called “core group” of vets have never been accused by students of offensive/unwelcome behavior; they are in fact respected and valued by the IVC vet community; indeed, for years, they have been the administration’s poster boys for IVC vet-friendliness.
• The so-called “disgruntled” instructor (who filed the initial complaint) would have gained nothing by having been selected for the vet counselor job (e.g., securing the job would have yielded no increase in salary); he/she applied essentially as a favor to the veterans

     At least one veteran with whom we spoke insists that the Minklerian “side” represents nothing less than administration’s outrageous attempt to spin the facts and divert attention from a bad hire (details to come, perhaps) and utter mismanagement of a once-promising center, which, until recently, attracted vets and thus impressed VIPs and inspired donors.
     The latter enterprise, he said, is now in serious jeopardy.

* * *

     For what it’s worth, I have asked around about the allegedly “disgruntled” instructor, and, thus far, I have been unable to find anyone who has anything critical to say about him/her. He/she is a “good person,” they say, not the vindictive soul described by Minklerians.
     Likely, despite HR’s tight-lipped ways, time will tell whose portrayal of “the complaints” about Mr. Minkler is closest to reality.
     At least to a degree, that is likely true, too, concerning these competing portrayals of “the core vets.”
     For now, I’ll simply observe that it is unlikely that Glenn and Co. would consistently rely on these vets for their various vet-friendly dog and pony shows—as, undoubtedly, they have done—if they were indeed the louts and Neanderthals that the Minklerian account describes.

Limber Lou confesses to some confusion about all this talk lately
about Vets. Why, he asks, are there so many Vets at IVC?