Board Chairman Denver McClendon, District 2, told about 200 faculty, staff and students at the San Antonio College open forum today, “There is a disconnect.”
McClendon reiterated that the disconnect was evident after Faculty Senate votes of no confidence for Chancellor Bruce Leslie were presented at the Sept. 15 board of trustees meeting, while the Alamo Community College District trustees responded with a vote of confidence.
He opened the forum at St. Philip’s College Oct. 15 with the same transcript and proceeded to lay ground rules for three-minute questions from the audience.
But after almost two hours, Linda Lowman, early childhood studies professor and Faculty Senate officer, said the forums at this college and St. Philip’s College were scripted down to the egg timer the trustees use to limit audience questions and responses.
She said the timer needs to be shelved.
As long as this format continues, it will always be an us vs, them mentality, Lowman said.
But trustees defended their decisions for the district, as well as the debate of trustee travel to national conferences and cost-factors in tough economic times.
Recently, as reported in The Ranger, six trustees and the board liaison, Phyllis Rodriguez-Williams, traveled to San Francisco to attend an annual conference, “Achieving Success in a Global Economy: Navigating the Educational Landscape during Turbulent Times.”
McClendon and three other trustees in attendance — Roberto Zárate, District 5, Gary Beitzel, District 8, and James Rindfuss, District 9 — said the trip was warranted because, in the past, they discovered efforts to save students textbook costs from other attending districts.
This time, McClendon said one community college attributed its successes to single accreditation, even though, he said outside discussions have little bearing on any decisions the board will make.
Following the open forum, Dr. Jonathan Lee, history professor, said three years ago he was on a state governor’s commission and everything that was addressed in the San Francisco conference he has been aware of since then.
Political science Professor Christy Woodward-Kaupert said this affirms the problem faculty and staff have with the board and current administration because San Francisco was a wasted trip. If they had more respect for employees of the colleges, trustees would never had a need to attend the conference and district money could have been saved.
Some faculty and staff commented on separation and failed communication by district and board representatives.
English Chair Alex Bernal said low morale at the colleges hurts the most with the staff.
“They are the people who first meet our students,” he said.
Bernal said he understands the difference between Leslie’s retention bonus and an actual raise, but trustees would have been received by the masses if they had tabled the agenda item that approved the chancellor’s contract extension.
“It would have given the impression that you were listening,” he said.
Many academic unit assistants have been employed with the district for over 25 years, Bernal said, and they are only making $35,000 compared to Leslie’s $30,000 retention bonus.
“We can deal with a few faculty leaving,” Bernal said. Instead of technical improvements, Bernal suggested being a people-first district and giving academic unit assistants, or what he called the fancy word for secretary, a few Christmas bonuses.
Not all faculty and staff in attendance disapproved of the board and district’s direction.
Manuel Flores, enrollment management director, quoted William G. McGinnis, stating:
“A healthy, high-performing governing board is key to a community college’s success. Good boards attract and appoint good leaders, and when all focus together on student success, they benefit the whole campus and community. Likewise, a dysfunctional board hurts the entire college and community,” and Flores said it has led to a loss of accreditation in other districts.
Flores said he approves of the district’s direction and its strategic plan to reinvent student success.
McClendon said the board will continue to improve on the disconnect that exists among trustees, district administration and employees at the college level.
The open forums at all the five colleges are just the initial step in redefining communication at all levels, he said.
There is a structure that trustees must adhere to at the board meetings, so McClendon said they can’t respond to inquiries as openly as they can in an open forum.
Their intent is to have open forums so they can understand faculty and staff, and faculty and staff can understand them.
McClendon did not announce the location or date for the next open forum following the conclusion of today’s session.
