Chaffey College faculty declares no confidence in top three leaders

Chaffey College faculty members have approved a vote of no confidence against the college president and his two top deputies.

The Academic Senate's resolution alleges that the faculty has not been included in decision making and expresses concerns about the college's employment decisions and practices. A majority of Senate members approved the resolution Monday, Nov. 4.

The Academic Senate, which represents Chaffey College faculty, voted to express no confidence in President Henry Shannon — who is on medical leave — and Associate Superintendents Lisa Bailey and Alisha Rosas.

"The Academic Senate put forth this vote of no confidence after much discussion and debate in open sessions," Academic Senate Executive Officer Robin Witt said.

Senate leaders are seeking involvement in major college decisions. One concern is changes at the campus career center, "which has been open and closed without consultation," Angela Cardinale, former secretary of the Academic Senate, said. Cardinale, a long-time English professor at Chaffey College, has been faculty coordinator for distance education the past six years.

In a Wednesday, Nov. 13, statement issued by Chaffey spokesperson Mark Vidal, Shannon, Bailey, and Rosas said "leadership takes the concerns raised by the Academic Senate very seriously, and it remains committed to constructive dialogue."

Bailey is serving as an interim president/superintendent until Shannon's expected return in January.

Chaffey College has campuses in Rancho Cucamonga, Fontana and Chino, with more than 29,000 total students.

Concerns have also been raised over what the Senate sees as the lack of faculty participation in hiring decisions.

The Senate's resolution alleges that Shannon, Bailey and Rosas have not shown consistency, accountability or transparency in factoring faculty opinions into hiring decisions and procedures.

"There has been a perceived and documented sense of nepotism and cronyism at the college that never was addressed," Cardinale said.

In 2013, Chaffey political science professor Stefan Veldhuis, who was fired, also alleged nepotism at the college .

Senate members also allege that college leadership has tried to intimidate them with threats of legal action. And the resolution alleges that Shannon, Bailey and Rosas have failed to show support and empathy toward Chaffey faculty and staff.

The cabinet's statement said that district leaders meet with the Senate every other week, discuss board matters before meetings and invite involvement in governing the college from groups such as the President's Cabinet and the College Council.

But the Senate's resolution contends that, when significant concerns have been raised, Chaffey leaders deny the issues and use legal intimidation tactics.

Senate members expressed outrage at what they called the Chaffey administration's attempt to silence the Senate by hiring a law firm to send it letters, minutes from an Oct. 22 meeting state.

The three leaders' statement says that "during the drafting of its resolution, the Senate published several versions that included substantial misstatements of fact about the District and its employees. "Because these versions that the Senate posted for public viewing were so misleading, the District retained outside legal counsel to address them."

The Academic Senate is asking Chaffey leaders to:

The college's leaders addressed what they are doing about the Senate's concerns.

"The District has offered to engage in training and mediation with the Academic Senate to address any unresolved issues, though the Senate has yet to indicate whether it intends to fully participate," according to the leaders' statement.

Senate members addressed the Chaffey College board during its Thursday, Nov. 14, meeting, criticizing administrators and repeating some of the concerns in the resolution.

Several faculty members commented Thursday on a remark during the board's Oct. 22 meeting made by Shannon, who took part via Zoom. After Senate members aired their concerns, Shannon said in his closing remark: "If you don't like it, too bad."

English Professor Neil Watkins on Thursday said the comment "was truly unprofessional and unpresidential."

The Senate's concerns expressed in the no confidence resolution will remain unresolved unless there is meaningful change, Academic Senate President Nicole DeRose told the board Thursday.

Bailey responded by saying "the concerns raised today are something that we continue to listen to and continue to be committed to resolving."

Chaffey board member Deana Olivares-Lambert repeated that sentiment Thursday.

"The district remains committed to working together in the pursuit of a participatory governance model that best serves our students and our community," Olivares-Lambert said.