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| Answer to Delta College dysfunction |
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| Written by Sam Hatch / His Voice | |
| Friday, 25 July 2008 | |
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 Sam Hatch In March, an accreditation team concluded that the college’s board of trustees was dysfunctional. In the words of the committee, the board has “devolved into a group reduced to infighting and micromanagement of college operations” and “has consistently failed to live up to its own standards of good practice.” The accreditation team’s conclusions have been confirmed from the two other independent sources. The San Joaquin Civil Grand Jury observed similar dysfunction in the board and indicated it had “no confidence in the Delta College board of trustees as currently constituted.” In late May and early June, the San Joaquin Delta College teachers voted overwhelmingly for a resolution of no confidence in the board, citing many of the issues raised by the grand jury and the accreditation team. The board’s public responses to these serious charges have been feeble at best — an uneasy combination of denial and public assertions of their good intentions. The board now faces a number of problems of its own making. First, the trustees and top administrators have wasted tens of millions of bond dollars on poorly drawn contracts, poorly supervised consultants and indecision. The $250 million bond was never sufficient to pay for all the projects on the board’s wish list. Yet the board, in one of its clear signs of dysfunction, could not make the tough decisions about which projects should be downsized or scrapped completely. While the board dithered, millions of dollars slowly hemorrhaged away on consultants, feasibility studies, and designs — in all sorts of preliminaries for projects that will never be built. A million here, 2 million there, another 3 million on another project — they mount up to substantial sums when a board goes years without making tough, responsible decisions. Loss of the money is bad enough, but there has also been a more important loss in public confidence in the college and in the delayed construction of vital facilities for our students. The board has also jeopardized the college’s accreditation by failing to hire, retain and then allow qualified administrators to do their jobs. The result has been drift — a failure to support administrators and faculty in doing the strategic planning the accrediting agency expects of a properly functioning college. The board lacks what a former U.S. president called “the vision thing.” As a group, the trustees seem to have forgotten how the board fits into the running of the college and who ultimately is served — the students. The board’s job is policy and oversight; implementation of policy is the job of the administration. When board and administration can’t work cooperatively, the students suffer. Given such clear evidence of dysfunction, voters should ask incumbent trustees to explain and defend their stewardship of the college. Unfortunately, too often Delta trustees have run unopposed, without even giving the public a ballot statement to express their vision of the college. In effect, unopposed trustees have been relieved of the burden of explaining and defending their records. The mess at Delta College can be cleaned up, but not without significant turnover in the board. The answer to the board’s dysfunction is citizen involvement. The college needs thoughtful candidates and informed voters. We need you, and more important, the students need you — especially in those areas where trustees run unopposed.
At a glance • Sam Hatch taught high-school English for 22 years and in 2001 joined the San Joaquin Delta College English department. He lives in Lodi and is a graduate of Delta College. Trackback(0)
Comments
(28)
To whom it may concern:
Not to be insulting Mr. Hatch but did you learn that in college, that you need people to make change. They are the ones who vote these ill advised people in office. They give money to candidates for these projects. Who taught them? t. b
Tom and Tracy Real News,
You raise important points. In my opinion, the major culprits in bond mismanagement Maria Elena Serna and Dan Parises. But they were assisted in their mismanagement by Leo Burke, Anthony Bugarin, and Janet Rivera. Rivera has had the good grace to apologize for voting with the majority to persist in such boondoggles as the Mountain House campus. She no longer votes with majority that ran the college into the swamp. Ted Simas and Greg McCreary have tried to rein in the majority but generally found themselves on the losing end of 5-2 and 4-3 votes. From what reliable sources tell me, Serna and Parises have been responsible for much of the micro-management. I've taught English at Delta for the last 7 years and before that I taught English in high school for 22 years--with a 6-year stint as a U.S. History teacher. Many of my students are scattered around the central valley. Everyday I entered the classroom, I tried to do competent work; most days I believe I succeeded. But I didn't succeed everyday with every student. So, Tom, you're right; I'm not blameless. But that still leaves us with the problem of a dysfunctional board and a college in crisis.
DeltaEnglish,
I am a staunch believer in the school turning this around. Would like to see the Delta College spend money where it makes the most sense. Do not want to see another multiple million dollar hole in MH again. I think that a lot of people watched the blunder of an attempt to put a college in Mountain House and it ended up costing SJDC too much. Obviously, they were banking on growth there. And it didn't happen. Now is the time for the board to cut their losses and put the college where it makes the most sense. They can save money by putting the campus at the Chrisman site in Tracy, CA. They will also realize greater potential of students at the Chrisman site. Thanks for your input and work, here, Sam! Hope others will chime in too. Like that we are getting more information out there. Mind if I put that blogsite out there again, so others can check it out, too? http://sjdcwatch.blogspot.com/
Tracy Real News,
Thanks. SJDCWatch (sjdcwatch.blogspot.com) documents a good deal of the bond mismanagement. If the full accreditation report isn't on the blog yet, it should be on soon. The section of the report on the board will be telling for voters who haven't seen our board in action (and inaction).
To whom it may concern:
You're not to blame because someone taught you to believe that the system must do as you're taught. We blame those who had an agenda to have you teach others of what they wanted you to believe. To read a document that has information about any issue should be challenged or examined. To teach is to give students questioning minds, no matter what the issue is. The test is life experiences, and what you learn from that. t. b
Tom Benigno,
That was a good principle. Who will "challenge" that we already haven't "challenged"? Wouldn't most people want to get the SJDC college in Tracy, CA, to provide "sustainable, head of household jobs" for Tracy citizens? I certainly like a "challenge" , but exactly what issue are you wanting to "examine"? That wasn't made clear yet? Is there more to the story that you want to share? I haven't heard what it is, or know what you're talking about, yet. Please elaborate! We're listening. Thanks!
To whom it may concern:
It's simple there are those who are being paid,to distort the truth and feed information to the Sleeping Giant the people? It's time to wake up. t. b
Tracy RealNews or someone who may know:
I always thought that Chrisman(removed from the list of consideration for sports park) was going to be a campus, figured it was because of many high schools in Tracy and seeing that the graduates would want to go to nearby college? So how did it get way over there???? What happened? Also, lots of high schools at Mountain House? Just wondering, thanks. -amy -amy
To whom it may concern:
It was those documents I told you about. They needed to be examined and challenged, and read by the voters who never had a chance to vote the issues in. t. b
Tom Benigno,
Sounds either like mismanagement or that you know more, here? I'm afraid that mismanagement happens in companies all the time. I've been through it and spoke out to upper management about that too. Outcome was not always good, but I was ultimately the better person for it. Here is one example we can see at SJDC, while many could clearly see some major advantages and cost savings to putting the SJDC in Tracy. (Actually SJDC is already offering classes here, in Tracy, CA at three (or more) locations.) the school may not have had that vision and foresight. Happens with other candidates too. Would not want another grand jury or another courthouse idea here in Tracy either. Question: I heard that Simas was one on the board, who wanted to put it in Tracy, CA? Is that true? And were there others? Hope so!
amy,
Just my thoughts. I do know that the Chrisman site is "city owned property". A good start. And contrary to talks with Mountain House, the SJDC already is operating in Tracy, CA. There was also another college. called, St Mary's of California (I think) that offered classes in Tracy. St Mary's College offered a Bachellor's Degree in Organizational Leadership (I think). They still might offer classes. I don't know. I saw a flyer somewhere a few years back, but can't remember where I got it. Maybe picked it up when I was in a restaurant lobby, or something. Anyway, Chrisman is about 100 acres (I think). That should be enough for a College (or College Consortium) Like SJDC and say St Mary's (or Turlock, etc). They should also put the Courthouse over there, as they could offer degrees related to that field, future Police Detectives could take classes right here in Tracy, CA. Future lawyers could practice at the courthouse, like one young prosecutor did the last time I went to Jury Duty.
All,
I think that if we put a college at Chrisman (coupled with a courthouse) it will keep the courthouse out of the Bowtie. Doing that would keep our downtown from being boarded up at night, like Stockton. I happened to drive to Stockton this week and noticed the area near the courthouse is not the most inviting neighborhood. Especially at night. Metal bars adorn the doors of restaurants and makes it resemble little jail cells on the street corners. Restaurant nearby looked somewhat empty. Stockton Hotel busy? Didn't look that way. I think it was a good thing they have the Police Station right there (near the courthouse) to keep tabs on the "social element". That works ok for Stockton with the Police Station right there, but would probably put a figurative, permanent, moratorium on any chance of Tracy's future, downtown, potential, revitalization. However, I think if the College and the Courthouse worked together at the Chrisman site the synergies would work wonderfully well together. Other cities take advantage of that type of juxtaposition too. I wouldn't worry about the downtown revitalization if we did that. It would suddenly start to flourish. Businesses would get more foot traffic from the college and the courthouse. Lawyers from out of town could go downtown for a bite to eat and then jump on a their favorite transit: taxi, bus, or train (when available) to go home after a hairy, week-long trial in Tracy, CA.
Thought so ,too. The courthouse is not close by and we have lawyers eating here, browsing through books, and coffee.... very academic town. Could feel the "energy" of a town very much alive here, revenue is strong, here, too. 30 plus year strong. Bet businesses would love to have long term success and constant foot traffic in Family Friendly Town?
Bye for now. -amy Thanks. -amy
To whom it may concern:
Why is it that most candidates for the Assembly serve on the school boards before getting elected. Examples Aghazarian, Andal, Machado, and more. Coming sood Vahn, Thompson, Wingo, read those documents. t. b
Tracy Real News,
Ted Simas and Greg McCreary voted to accept the offer from the city of Tracy to build at the Chrisman Road site. They were outvoted 5-2. There are documents available in a couple of places: Below is the link to the agendas and minutes of the Delta board of trustee http://www.deltacollege.edu/div/trustees/currentyear/index.html Below is the Delta College bond website http://www.bond.deltacollege.edu/ But I think the most useful site is SJDCWatch: sjdcwatch.blogspot.com It has dozens of articles from local newspapers on bond mismanagement, the grand jury report, and, in a few days, the accreditation report.
Has anyone here ever played SIM City. Then you can make your own city. Finance it, take care of it. See if it grows or fails. I could not resist this. I did it a long time ago and found out we will have some unusual things to deal with. Underground pipes. Of course I added a marina and it went over well. My city was a fun place to live. It was hard keeping the roads in good condition. May have to drag that old game out again and reload it. I'm sure there is a newer version.
For those who are interested in the crisis at Delta College both the grand jury report and the accreditation report are posted on SJDCWatch--sjdcwatch.blogspot.com.
DeltaEnglish,
Thanks! I will make the link clickable (below). sjdcwatch.blogspot.com Thanks for getting the information out there. I will check out the link and the report. I hope the SJDC Board will consider the Chrisman and Eleventh St. site (in Tracy, CA) for the Delta College Campus!
Tracy Real News,
I hope the board will reconsider and move the south campus to the Christman Road site. But the majority the SJDC Board (as currently constituted)appear to be convinced that it's too late to leave Mountain House. I'm hoping a board with two or three new members might see the issue differently. Well it looks like there was some good information, here, about the members of the SJDC Board and the links to the documents too. I'm also looking at another article in the Tracy Press that just appeared on the TP website. http://tracypress.com/content/view/15367/2242/ Looks like some more professors are getting involved. Hope it will continue to raise the interest level and convince SJDC to do what is best. Sounds to me like a Tracy site would be the most economical sound plan for the future of the college. It would cost less to do actual building in Tracy and will offer the most return on taxpayer's investment. Given the long term vs. short term advantages; the college should pick the Tracy location for the future benefits of all involved. It would not only save student's fuel cost, but teachers too. And Tracy has ACE Train, SJRTD busses and other transit available already, with a Transit Station coming soon.
Like that approach! Keep up the good work!
Where do I sign up? I'll run! When's the deadline? I am AGAINST the MTNHSE site--so STUPID next to Las Positas...and away from population centers! Plus the morning commute..those side roads are going to be so congested to get around the commute. Where's the Enviorn Report-- I'm not buying it. Give me a link to it, and I'll file suit. This is NOT a joke!
Sam Hatch:
Is there a link on the blog site for sending email or getting on an email distribution list? Thinker has a good idea. Maybe an email distribution list would also help. More people might be interested and want to get involved. Does blogging help meet the qualifications. Sign me up too!  Thanks! This content has been locked. You can no longer post any comment.
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| Last Updated ( Friday, 25 July 2008 ) |
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Let's move the San Joaquin Delta College Satellite Campus from MH to Tracy, CA. Let's put the College at the Chrisman and Eleventh location, on "city owned property". This idea will save the college money and will save majority of the parents money too. Thus creating more parents willing to put an investment in their student's tuition at SJDC.
The Chrisman site, in Tracy, CA, will cost the college less money, to build at the Chrisman site. More parents (paying tuition) will be living in Tracy, CA. Students will be (mostly) from Tracy and other Central Valley areas. Maybe a few from Livermore, but Las Positas College will meet the demands of that market share. Also a few from MH, but MH has only around 7000+, and families tend to be younger, than Tracy and other mature cities.
The College Consortium could bring jobs to Tracy, CA!
Sam,
Great article! Flowed well, but don't you mean that WE need YOUR help?
Which of these members would be proponents of a Tracy, CA campus?
Thanks!