Mesa Legend

Issue date: 10/27/09 Section: News

MCCCD governing board. Left to right: Jerry Walker, Debra Pearson, Randolph Lumm, Colleen Clark, Donald Campbell.

A five member team, chaired by Margaret Lee, was invited to the district by the Dr. Rufus Glaspar, MCCCD chancellor, in response to an anonymous letter that was sent to the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) in May 2009 alleging non-compliance with HLC governance requirements.

Between Sept. 20-23 the team conducted interviews with board members, district faculty, staff, and students.

The independent panel distributed their research and opinions on the conduct of the Maricopa Community Colleges Governing Board on Oct. 10.

According to the extensive 55 page report, "The evidence provided to the team in written documents, in video recordings, in individual group conversations compels the team to conclude that the complaint presented to the Higher Learning Commission is valid."

These findings and their effects are still reverberating throughout all 10 campuses. The report validated claims of intimidation of MCCCD staff and employees, micromanagement, lack of experience, and abuse of power.

As a result of the consultant team's findings, the chancellor will be hiring a facilitator to assist the district in reviewing and implementing the consultants' recommendations.

By Nov. 16, the chancellor and the governing board will provide an official response to the HLC inquiry.

Board members were chastised for their repeated exclusion of the chancellor and his executive council, espeically with regard to fiscal operations like the development of the fiscal year 2010-11 budget and the decision to create an request for propsal (RFP) for an outside efficiency study.

The RFP resulted in a $1.14 million contract with Alvarez and Marsal, hired to analyze the efficency of the district.

According to the report, "The 3-2 decision of the Board to contract with Alvarez and Marsal and the process and communications leading up to that decision are symptomatic of the absence of effective governance and of the impact of ineffective communication."

"Many see the costly outsourcing of what was originally proposed as and Evaluation of Stewardship and Values as the pathway to dismantling the federated operating structure of the 10-college district and the outsourcing of other services, leading to loss of their own jobs."

Continued...

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