Anonymous complaint prompts investigation
HLC team reviews district board members
By Kyle A. Porter and Nathan J. King, November 2009
Editor-in-chief and States News Editor
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Photo byReagan Swaine
Consulting team attends MCCCD Governing Board meeting Sept. 22.
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An independent review team has investigated the conduct of the Maricopa Community College District’s Governing Board and reported its findings on Oct. 10.
Due to an anonymous complaint made to the Higher Learning Commission, the five-member consulting team reviewed allegations that the Governing Board was, “Overstepping its role and ignoring the shared (MCCCD) governance structure,” the report quotes from the complaint letter. The consultants were invited by Rufus Glasper, chancellor of MCCCD.
The team included active and retired administrators of community colleges in other states and visited Maricopa County from Sept. 20–23:
• Margaret Lee, Ph.D., president and professor of English of Oakton Community College in Illinois;
• Gerald Baird, Ph.D., executive vice-president of Johnson County Community College in Kansas;
• Michael Chipps, Ph.D., president of Mid-Plains Community College in Nebraska;
• Darrell Shumway, former board chair and member of Pratt Community College in Kansas;
• Pearl Washington, former board chair and member of Metropolitan and State Community Colleges in Illinois.
Glasper forwarded the report to the HLC on Oct. 14 in response to the their request that he conduct a complete assessment of the complaint. The report “corroborated concerns of many individuals in the district,” Glasper said.
The consulting team met with district employees, students and community members as well as the Board and district staff. They viewed video recordings of board meetings and written documents to gather evidence. Compliance with the requirements for accreditation were the criteria for their findings
“With the understanding that MCCCD is indeed the flagship of all community colleges in the nation, being the highest accredited and looked up to world-wide,” the actions and conduct of the board are “scary,” said Chipps, a consulting team member.
Speaking at a public meeting, Sept. 22, of the consulting team and governing board members, Chipps continued, “The behavior on the board takes my breath away.”
The 55-page report includes the following findings:
- Board members, “are inexperienced in the requirements and responsibilities of board membership in higher education in general and the community college level in particular.”
- “There is a good deal of evidence that suggests that the actions of board members are motivated by personal interests and/or political agendas.”
- Though the board members have attempted to usurp operational responsibilities and budget development, they, “do not begin to meet even the most minimal of qualifications,” for this role.
- “The board’s actions threaten to jeopardize the financial standing of the district.”
- Inappropriate board discussions included proposals “for direct Board oversight of student newspapers”
In its “Summary of Observations and Conclusions,” the consulting team states: “The behavior of the Board has been shocking. Employees refuse to speak out in fear of retaliation and will only express themselves through the veil of anonymity. The lack of respect, trust, and leadership from the Board has created a climate that is not conducive to superior teaching and learning, and it is only a matter of time before students will be affected by the actions of the Board.”
Facilitators from the Association of Community College Trustees consulting pool along with a team of district administrators will meet and work with board members at retreats and meetings planned in Nov., Dec. and Jan., says Glasper. The HLC has worked with him to allow the chancellor’s office and the board to review and implement the recommendations of the consulting team.
“The ball is in our court,” Glasper said.
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