Classified Senate Resolution of no confidence in the current President/Superintendent
of Santa Monica College
Adopted: 5/28/03

Whereas, The Board of Trustees of Santa Monica College and the President/Superintendent are obligated by law to comply with shared governance statutes mandated by the State of California, and

Whereas, the President/Superintendent has failed to advise the Board to rely primarily on or mutually agree with shared governance representative bodies in decisions relating to the elimination of programs and laying off of faculty and staff, and

Whereas, the Classified Senate and other representative bodies of this college have repeatedly put forth detailed alternatives that adequately address the budget shortfall while allowing for the continuance of programs and classes and the retention of faculty and staff, and

Whereas, the Classified Senate and other representative bodies of this college have acted in good faith and made every reasonable and appropriate effort to put forth serious and workable alternatives to cuts with no transparent or credible response from the President/Superintendent or the Board, and

Whereas, the President/Superintendent, despite state mandated and Board approved directives of shared governance, continues to forward to the Board decisions on program discontinuance, cancellation of classes, and layoffs of faculty and staff that place a disproportionate burden on Classified staff and do not reflect the Governor’s May 14^th Revision of the budget, thus continuing to express a larger pattern of contempt for the college, its mission and Classified staff, and

Whereas, decisions made by the President/Superintendent have and continue to result in damage to the mission of this college and have harmed student access to education as a result of reductions and eliminations made outside the scope of shared governance, and

Whereas, the shared governance constituent bodies of the college have consistently acted in good faith and made every effort to raise their grave concerns – not just since the beginning of the current budget crisis but over time – and been ignored or treated with contempt, and

Whereas, the President/Superintendent is willing to cut programs and classes, layoff faculty and staff while at the same refusing to even discuss a cut of more than 1.9% to administrative and management salaries, 

Therefore, Be It Resolved, that the Classified Senate of Santa Monica College and the constituents it represents have no confidence in the ability of the current President/Superintendent, Piedad F. Robertson, to serve and further the mission of this college.

2. Call for Action to The Board of Trustees of Santa Monica College
 

A.     Immediately rescind the program discontinuance actions and resulting full-time faculty and staff lay-offs. 

B.     Restructure the Board’s decision-making process.

Starting with the Board’s July retreat the Board of Trustees and the President/Superintendent must meet with the Coordinating Council bi-weekly for the purpose of coming to agreement on how best to move through the current fiscal crisis with the least possible damage to the college and its mission.
 

Should the President/Superintendent override the shared governance process she must provide compelling evidence for that decision.
 

C.     Request a forensic audit from the state.

Because there has been no transparency at the college for some time regarding budgetary matters it is imperative that the college be audited so that the entire community can know with certainty where the college is financially and what actual resources it has with which to move forward.
 

D.    Decline to extend the contract of the President/Superintendent.

Given the widespread dissatisfaction with her performance leading up to and continuing through this budget crisis, and given that “institutional leadership” and “constituency building” are listed as two of the criteria to evaluate performance of the President/Superintendent, it would be irresponsible for the Board to reward her actions.
 

BALLOT

For Classified Senators Only

Shall the above statement to the Board of Trustees of Santa Monica College be put forward to the Classified employees covered by the Classified Senate for a vote of the whole?

YES         □

 NO        □

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This resolution was adopted May 28, 2003 by a vote of 18 yes, 3 no, with 1 abstention.