Trustees Erred in Rejecting Candidates

The recent actions of the Ventura Community College District Board of Trustees have left many people, including myself, in a daze. The board rejected the top candidates for president of Oxnard College (screened, interviewed and sent forward by a large committee of peers) and directed Chancellor Philip Westin to find an interim president and hire a consulting firm to conduct a nationwide search. This, according to the newspaper and the chancellor, was because the trustees did not find a suitable “fit” for Oxnard College from among the top candidates.

On July 29, about 75 people, including me, met with the chancellor to express outrage at the halting of a lengthy process and to ask him to support us in attempting to get the trustees to reverse the decision to not hire one of the top three candidates. The room was filled with faculty from three campuses, citizens like myself who are not employees, students of Oxnard College and, most noticeably, the interim president that Dr. Westin found within 48 hours of the trustees’ decision. This person happens to have been the person who hired Dr. Westin in his last position and she also happens to be a nationwide search consultant with a tie to a company that does the very searches the trustees want.

Noticeably missing were any board of trustees members. Where were the trustees who have a “vision” and know what kind of “fit” Oxnard College needs? Why weren’t they there to “share” this wealth of information that, apparently, no one else possesses?

Hopefully, with two trustee seats up for reelection in November, some changes can be effected. But it will not undo the harm that has been done to the Oxnard College community and family.

BARBARA J. MYERS

Ventura

* The Ventura County Community College District board should rescind its recent decision to leave the Oxnard College presidency open and spend public money on a search firm. They don’t need to do that. They had the two best candidates for the position that could be considered--except one has withdrawn, so now there is one--Dr. Ruth Hemming.

The mistake the board made was to sneak the decision through in summer, when most of the teachers are away, and to treat Dr. Hemming like some kind of unworthy candidate. The entire college system has been dealt a savage blow. Both Dr. Hemming and her co-candidate, Dr. Darlene Pacheco, were the most qualified the college had to offer.

This arbitrary and arrogant action has sent a clear message to the colleges: The board is the power which can tear down all the good work that is done on campus. Forget about revering those who are dedicated to the students, remarkable for efficiency and efficacy and integrity, and who can get the job done. Forget them.

DEE VOLZ

Ventura