(March 22, 2017, 10:48 p.m.) -- The LBCC Board of Trustees still has yet to decide on a new Superintendent-President to replace Eloy Oakley, who left in December 2016. Five finalists listed here are under consideration for the position.
Before considering the matter behind closed doors on March 22, the Board as legally required took public testimony on the agendized item. Six speakers spoke in opposition to Dr. Melinda Nish, and one of the six spoke in support of Dr. Reagan Romali. Representatives of the faculty unions (LB City College Faculty Association and LBCC Certified Hourly Instructors) and classified support staff, dressed in red, held signs stating: "We deserve better. Nish -- Not my President." [Scroll down for further] |
LBCFFA President and sociology professor Janét Hund said that while Dr. Nish was president of Southwestern College, "warning status...was placed on the college by the Accreditation Commission of Community and Junior Colleges for fiscal services, budget planning and controls in place on institution’s financial resources." Prof. Hund and English Professor Dr. Velvet Pearson alleged that racial tensions preceded Dr. Nish's exit from Southwestern. Technology Department Application Administrator Anne Engel said Dr. Nish was asked at a public forum if she'd promise, percentage wise, to never take a raise larger than the smallest raise of any employee or group. Ms. Engel said that while all other candidates pledged to do so, Dr. Nish allegedly said only that she was willing to discuss it. "That made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up," Ms Engel said "especially after what we've been through" (a reference to faculty layoffs and pay cuts during the recent recession.) Ms. Engel also spoke in support of Dr. Reagan Romali. After 20 minutes of public testimony, Board President Trustee Dr. Virginia Baxter said, "We will now adjourn to a closed session where no action will be taken and will reconvene open session with no report after the closed session is over."
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