Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (read "Carolyn Batiste") tells minority trustees to "suck it up"

The San Diego Union Tribune reports today that "Barbara Beno, president of the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges, held a special training session for trustees of the Oceanside-based community college on the roles and responsibilities of the board and college president."

Ms. Beno made it clear that a president of an institution must NOT be held accountable by minority trustees if the majority trustees approve of the president's actions--even if those actions include using $2 million in taxpayer dollars to attack her opponents on the faculty and in the administration.

Ms. Beno had earlier warned MiraCosta "that its accreditation could be in jeopardy because...strife among trustees was negatively affecting the campus."

That's a pretty subjective determination, Ms. Beno. I think strife among trustees is very healthy, and has helped expose a corrupt system that benefits lawyers and insurance companies at the expense of taxpayers. But my guess is that this system is precisely what Ms. Beno wants to protect.

What do you get out of this, Ms. Beno?

Why do you want to keep $2 million investigations secret from the taxpayers who pay for them?

"[Speaking openly about issues that have been voted on]... doesn't help the college move on,” Beno said.

Clearly Beno means that it doesn't help the college stand still. It could result in changes. It could result in majority trustees losing elections. And that's what Beno doesn't want.

But wait. Are Beno and the majority trustees allowed to use public institutions and public money to control voters?

Clearly not. It's a clear misuse of public funds and abuse of public officials' power. Carolyn Batiste should be ashamed of herself. She has abused her power long enough.

Thank goodness candidate George McNeil is running to replace her.

The SDUT article continues, "Trustee Judy Strattan said if millions of dollars are being spent in a way she believes is irresponsible, she doesn't know if she can just let the matter drop. She referred to more than $2 million spent on the palm tree investigation, ensuing legal fees and related costs, which included a $1.6 million settlement agreement with [Victoria] Richart when she resigned."

Thank you, Judy. MiraCosta needs more trustees like you and Jacqueline Simon and Gloria Carranza and candidate George McNeil.

Beno's message for minority trustees is to "suck it up." This sounds like good advice for Ms. Beno to apply to herself. Just grit your teeth, Barbara, and count to 10. You can survive this. It's called open government, and it's an absolute requirement in a democracy.

Carolyn Batiste of MiraCosta College wants to "put away," not "dig up" the past; This is a recipe for repeated disaster

Carolyn Batiste is smart enough to know that history repeats itself if nothing is done to change basic structures. Batiste worked closely with corrupt lawyers, and helped to cause the problems that caused MiraCosta College to hemmorhage money and morality the past several years.

But she doesn't want to examine her mistakes. Neither do MiraCosta's insurance companies and their lawyers, who make a lot of money when things go wrong.

If crimes were committed by the college, such as extortion against Julie Hatoff, then it seems that Carolyn Batiste is trying to cover them up.

Get rid of Stutz, Artiano, Shinoff & Holtz, Ms. Batiste. Insist that Diane Crosier at SDCOE-JPA provide the college with ethical lawyers. If Crosier won't do that, then you should go elsewhere for liability insurance.

This is what North County Times write Philip K. Ireland wrote yesterday:

http://nctimes.com/articles/2008/02/09/news/coastal/21_26_742_8_08.txt

Hendrickson said two recent workshop meetings have targeted the issue of board cooperation: a January retreat that focused on state open meeting laws, and a meeting last Tuesday to help board members understand the college's cycle of planning and budgeting. However, during both meetings, trustees blamed one another for the last two years of turmoil, underscoring the continuing deep divide.

Board President Carolyn Batiste acknowledged the problem but said the board needs to keep moving forward.

"I thought (the commission report was) right to the point and reminded us once again that we must put away the things that have mired us down," Batiste said.

She said that she and Hendrickson will meet with the leaders of key campus groups to hear their concerns.

However, Batiste said she would resist efforts by minority board members and employees to "dig up the past," referring to the turmoil of the last two years.

"Discussing actions that have already taken place (does) not allow the momentum to get us where we need to be," Batiste said. "There is no going back."