Ohlone College, Part I
By Matt Artz
Sunday, August 24th, 2008 at 6:05 pm in Ohlone College, Uncategorized.
On Monday, we’ll print my first story on Ohlone College since I ended up with the beat. You may remember an accreditation report found fault with the Board of Trustees for trying to micro-manage the college and for just not functioning very well.
Well the board has outlined some new policies that I guess are intended to satisfy the accreditation commission, but which on surface seem rather bizarre.
For example, board members are to let Ohlone President Gari Browning know in advance when they are planning to visit the campus, even if they are invited by a campus group or want to check out something that will come up at a board meeting.
Board members told me this was more a matter of etiquette than anything else, and that they could still come to campus unannounced without fear of penalty.
Still, whatever happened in the past, it doesn’t seem appropriate that trustees elected to oversee the administration of a public school are expected to notify the president when they are coming to campus.
More troubling to me are the new recommendations for dealing with reporters. The trustees are advised to direct the media to the college president or board president, and if they do talk, they are advised to “be an advocate for the public keeping in mind the best interest of the college.”
This doesn’t seem right. These guys are elected to oversee the college, hold the president accountable, and, in turn, be accountable to the taxpayers. Why aren’t they free to speak their minds? It seems like an accreditation commission can use the threat of sanctions or the loss of Ohlone’s accreditation to make trustees muzzle themselves.
We’ll see how it plays out. I spoke to several trustees this week, and you would have never known these rules were going into effect. They spoke frankly and on the record. Hopefully that will continue.
Click on for a copy of board’s self assessment
To: Board of Trustees
From: Garrett Yee, Board Chair
Date: August 13, 2008
Subject: ACCT Facilitated Board Self-Assessment
Background
In March 2008, Ohlone College received an Accreditation Team Site Visit. The resulting preliminary Accreditation Report cited eight recommendations, four of which focused specifically on the Board of Trustees. On March 12, 2008, following the visit and in accordance with the recommendations of preliminary Accreditation Report, the Board of Trustees held a workshop and conducted a board self-assessment facilitated by Dr. Pam Fisher of ACCT.
On July 19, 2008, the Board of Trustees held their Annual Board Retreat facilitated by Dr. Fisher, who reviewed with the Board of Trustees the results of the self-assessment. In reviewing the results, the Board of Trustees focused their discussion on the three issues that had received the lowest scores with the intent of developing strategies for improvement. The Board discussed the three issues of concern and developed recommendations for each.
Issue #1: Individual board members follow appropriate guidelines when visiting the College.
Discussion: Prior to the Accreditation Team visit, one of the board members came on to campus and engaged various employees on campus. Prior to visiting the campus, the board member contacted the Monitor Newspaper to advertise his visit before contacting the college president. This event was referenced in the Accreditation Report as an example of inappropriate trustee behavior. A review of the board policies found that there were no written protocols for board members visiting the campus.
Board Recommendations:
o Develop written protocols for board member visits onto campus.
o When board members visit the campus, as a matter of professional courtesy, always let the college president know in advance.
o When board members receive invitations by groups on campus, as a matter of protocol, always run these through the college president’s office in advance.
o If a board member desires to visit a facility that will be discussed as part of an agenda item, contact the college president in order to arrange for an escorted site visit with a staff member.
o When on campus, trustees should be aware that their comments can be taken out of context.
2. Board members are given adequate information on the issues they are requested to make decisions on.
Discussion: Board members felt that they did not receive adequate information about agenda items prior to the board meetings. The board observed that there had been an increased use of placeholders on board agendas. Board members felt frustrated at times due to the fact that fairly significant items would be brought to the board at the time of the meeting with no prior opportunity to read or review the materials. A review of the past agendas from 2008 found that the January 9, 2008, meeting had three placeholders, the January 23, 2008, agenda had seven placeholders, the February 13, 2008, meeting had one placeholder, the February 27, 2008, meeting had two placeholders, the March 5, 2008, meeting had four placeholders, the April 9, 2008, agenda had eight placeholders, the April 23, 2008, meeting had one placeholder, and the May 21, 2008, meeting had two placeholders. While some placeholders were for fairly routine items, many were for significant issues facing the campus.
Board Recommendations:
o Strive to eliminate the use of placeholders in agenda packets. If the item is not ready by the time the agenda is ready to send out, then the item should wait until the next meeting.
o Board Agenda items requiring Board action will reference the appropriate board policy or education code when possible.
o In order to give board members additional time to understand complex issues, the board will make use of second readings when time permits.
o All board members should be entitled to the same information. This means that if the college president provides information to one trustee, all trustees get the same information
3. Board members appropriately represent the College when speaking with the media.
Discussion: Board members are often contacted by the local press to comment on issues regarding the college. During the past year, one of the trustees made a comment to the press regarding college president that many interpreted as hurtful to the college. This incident was referenced in the Accreditation Report as inappropriate trustee behavior. Upon further review, it was found that the board does not have any policy or guidelines about talking with the press.
Board Recommendations:
o Develop written protocols for meeting or talking with the press.
o When speaking to the press, remind the interviewer that you do not represent the views of the board, but speak as an individual.
o When contacted by the press, board members should consider deferring to the college president or board chair.
o When speaking to the media, be an advocate for the public keeping in mind the best interest of the college.
o Never speak about personnel matters to the press.
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August 24th, 2008 at 6:32 pm
For once, Matt Artz, I am proud of you. Job well done. You have every right to be concerned about how this board operates, and how the administration conducts business.
You make very good points above. I have talked with several of the board members, in passing, and have the very same concerns you do.
The trustees that usually speak up: Brunton, Weed, Tahmasbi, and McMillin — they usually get a bad wrap for their comments.
The others: Yee, Nardallilo, and Waters — they are company “yes” men. They approve every recommendation that staff makes.
My daughter attends Ohlone College, and I became concerned when she couldn’t get into the nursing program. Space is only available through some type of lottery program, and she has been waiting for almost 2 years to get into the program. I have tried to talk with several representatives at the administrative level about my daughter’s situation. They don’t seem to have the ability to prioritize course offerings or programs (for that matter) — and have reacted slowly to the state’s increasing demand for nurses. I’ve also tried to contact several of the Trustees, but they said something similar to what you noted above — that strict policies make it difficult for them to be responsive to issues like mine (and then they turned me back over to the administration). The administration, at least under Doug Treadway, was incompetent, defensive, and unresponsive. I don’t know if the new president is cleaning house or not — but I would advise her to start with a brand new set of administrative staffers.
I see you noted above that the trustees are now instructed to go through their board president, Mr. Garrett Yee. I have contacted him as well. Unfortunately, he is the official spokesman for the administration, not the board. He is the definition of a rubber stamp, and seems to be a coward and nothing more.
Let me know what else you find, Matt Artz.
August 25th, 2008 at 12:29 pm
By the way I have not stated my name because if I do it may lead into a some big issues for me for this upcoming academic year. If I state my name I may get penalized for my comments. You never know therefore I would like to stay safe for now.
Thank you.
August 25th, 2008 at 2:04 pm
Can you explain why you think “be an advocate for the public” is at odds with “be accountable to the taxpayers”? They sound like exactly the same thing to me, but you seem to be flying off the handle at the former.
August 26th, 2008 at 10:20 pm
My friend has been trying to get into Ohlone’s crappy nursing program for over 3 years now. No one cares enough to assist her and she has a family to take care of too not just school.
This notifying the President before coming to school was put in place by the three devil’s advocate of Ohlone College: Ron Travenick, Doug Treadway and Jim Wright. They were afraid that students faculty or staff may say something inappropriate or anything in the lines against the administration therefore they threw in this ridiculous rule. Unfortunately the new President has put it into effect only in hopes of taking Ohlone College off warning from the accreditation team.
Hey Matt did you know if a student asks to speak with a Board member even before this accreditation report was put in that the Administration did not allow it? Why is that? They either do not allow it or one of the Administration staff intrudes into the meeting as a spectator! What a violation of privacy! People should question this. Thankfully my last semester at Ohlone College was this past Spring of 08′. I tried getting a hold of board members in order to meet with them because the administration threw me to the back. I know people who know people and I found out that when Doug Treadway found out about this he immediately called upon Ron Travenick to stop the meeting or dialogs that would take place between them and I. It worked. Well I got fed up with Ohlone and could not spend my 3rd year there therefore I transfered to DeAnza.
Anyways, I really hope people start paying more attention to Ohlone College’s administration. They are really violating the student’s right.
The community should start getting involved and attend the Board Meetings everyone is welcomed and it’s greatly appreciated if more people attend. Maybe by attending these Board Meetings the community can get a better perspective of who really are the trouble makers of Ohlone: Board members or the Administration (not including Browning).
Matt you should do more research on this I bet there are students currently like that above “current ohlone student,” that would appreciate it.
September 4th, 2008 at 7:03 pm
[...] Ohlone College, Part I [...]
September 5th, 2008 at 11:23 am
NEXT BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING SEPTEMBER 10 7:00 P.M. @ OHLONE COLLEGE.
(Don’t let the administration and board members make all the decisions without your voice heard, after given the CORRECT FULL DETAILED INFORMATION WE HAVE A RIGHT TO. Ask for Frontage Property to be put back onto the agenda!)
Attend if you want your voice heard! Attend if you really care what happens to the future of Ohlone College and its future constituents! As tax payers you have the right to demand the correct and full information to be given to the community! Most of all as community members you have a right for the full detailed information to be given!
September 9th, 2008 at 9:47 pm
NEXT BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING SEPTEMBER 10 7:00 P.M. @ OHLONE COLLEGE TOMORROW NIGHT! (NEXT TO CHILD CARE CENTER)
(Don’t let the administration and board members make all the decisions without your voice heard, after given the CORRECT FULL DETAILED INFORMATION WE HAVE A RIGHT TO. ASK FOR FRONTAGE PROPERTY TO BE PUT BACK ONTO THE AGENDA!)
Attend if you want your voice heard! Attend if you really care what happens to the future of Ohlone College and its future constituents! As tax payers you have the right to demand the correct and full information to be given to the community! Most of all as community members you have a right for the full detailed information to be given!
September 10th, 2008 at 11:36 am
TONIGHT’S OHLONE BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING IS AT THE NEWARK CAMPUS (110) @ 7:00 P.M.
September 10th, 2008 at 12:37 pm
Hey Ohlone Constituent, you once wrote, “I RESPECT individuals that have the courage to speak their mind.”
That’s great, but lets settle down with the advertisements for the Board Meeting… We get the point!
I’m all for community involvement, but your “invite(s)” don’t hold much water, when you use an aka like, “Ohlone Constituent.”
September 10th, 2008 at 11:00 pm
*Mr.Livermore you are right.
*Board Meeting project failed - not surprised.
*I truly hope we get community members attending these meetings sometime in the near future. I can only do so much as an Ohlone member. The outer community can do more than I am allowed to - harsh fact, yet that is why I choose to stay anonymous.
*Frontage Property: future senior housing - hopefully not. (Mr. Artz you should do a story on this before elections) But then again I’m starting to think you won’t be able to face Ohlone Board Members or Administration to ask them a few thoughtful questions about the Frontage Property.
*We need more individuals holding high positions that care about the future not what today can bring us to survive on for the moment.
-Thanks for trying everyone.
September 30th, 2008 at 12:13 pm
The elections for seats on the Ohlone Board are coming November 4th. Now is your chance to improve Ohlone college by voting out the bad seeds.