Turns out the system does work
The Other Side of Oceanside
Ken Leighton
Paris Hilton is scheduled for jail. Congressman Randy “Duke” Cunningham went
to prison. Former San Diego Mayor Susan Golding was snuffed out of public life
due to her Chargers ticket-guarantee scam.
They all prove that for all the corruption and palm-greasing that does go on in
government, we can still stand up and identify the creeps and then deal with
them accordingly. We are still a country of laws and openness.
Now it’s time to time to pour some of that septic cleanout into the MiraCosta
College administration, which is soaking in mismanagement, unhealthy empire
building and attempts to keep public information secret.
Let’s look at the facts.
The former head of the horticulture department, Alleen Texeira, admitted to
stealing $305 from the school. At no time did she ever deny it. She was caught,
and justice has been meted out.
These things happen. But the way most colleges handle problems like this is
that the president gets the facts, launches and executes a thorough and
competent investigation and then the person leaves employment.
That didn’t happened in this case. MiraCosta College President Victoria Munoz
Richart saw an opportunity to exploit the affair. She forced the resignation of
Texeira’s immediate supervisor, Vocational Dean Eileen Kraskouskas and Julie
Hatoff, vice president of instruction has been fired.
These two administrators had no knowledge of employee Texeria’s wrongdoing.
That became clear last week when the DA’s office said no other charges would
be filed. Yet Munoz Richart, who has been given free rein by her board, rabidly
tried to implicate the two competent and well-liked administrators in the
wrongdoing.
Kraskouskas and Hatoff had no chance to react to Texeira’s behavior because
Munoz Richart wanted to orchestrate her own witch hunt.
And wouldn’t it be convenient, as the church lady may say, if Munoz Richart
replaced these besmirched administrators with friends of her own?
Earlier this year, Munoz Richart brought in Jim Austin as vice president of
business services. Austin worked with Munoz Richart at a college district in L.A.
Hiring old friends is legal. But dragging competent, decent veterans through the
mud to cement your own position seems wrong.
Kraskouskas has filed a lawsuit against the district, which she will win. I’m sure
Hatoff’s ouster, which is even more outrageous, will also cost the MiraCosta
College district millions.
In order to keep the anti-Munoz Richart fallout at a minimum, the four members
of the seven-member college board who support Munoz Richart, enforced an
unenforceable gag order, forbidding any dissenting board members from
speaking to the press. The gag order is not only illegal but comical. It shows
what a rank amateur organization the board has become.
Meanwhile, the faculty and staff of MiraCosta College has rejected Munoz
Richart because of the toxic environment she has created on campus. The first
rejection was a 70 percent vote of no confidence last year. A second vote taken
in March was 90 percent no confidence.
But may I remind everyone about Susan Golding and Paris Hilton: their
behavior was eventually checked.
Next year, one of the four board members who supports Munoz Richart —
Carolyn Batiste, who represents MiraCosta College district 5, which includes
South Oceanside — is up for election.
I could assume that since board member Judy Strattan unseated a 30-year
incumbent, another competent candidate could do the same to Batiste. Then,
Munoz Richart would probably lose her majority and the board would send her
packing.
Munoz Richart tries to stonewall the press and avoids answering questions that
need to be answered. What is even more maddening is that MiraCosta College
in-house attorney Dan Shinoff is hired to represent the college’s board, but
instead acts as if he reports exclusively to Munoz Richart. This is defective
government at its best.
But to all those involved, I’ve got three words for you: Randy “Duke”
Cunningham.
Contact columnist Ken Leighton via e-mail at kleighton@coastnewsgroup.com.
The Other Side of Oceanside
Ken Leighton
Paris Hilton is scheduled for jail. Congressman Randy “Duke” Cunningham went
to prison. Former San Diego Mayor Susan Golding was snuffed out of public life
due to her Chargers ticket-guarantee scam.
They all prove that for all the corruption and palm-greasing that does go on in
government, we can still stand up and identify the creeps and then deal with
them accordingly. We are still a country of laws and openness.
Now it’s time to time to pour some of that septic cleanout into the MiraCosta
College administration, which is soaking in mismanagement, unhealthy empire
building and attempts to keep public information secret.
Let’s look at the facts.
The former head of the horticulture department, Alleen Texeira, admitted to
stealing $305 from the school. At no time did she ever deny it. She was caught,
and justice has been meted out.
These things happen. But the way most colleges handle problems like this is
that the president gets the facts, launches and executes a thorough and
competent investigation and then the person leaves employment.
That didn’t happened in this case. MiraCosta College President Victoria Munoz
Richart saw an opportunity to exploit the affair. She forced the resignation of
Texeira’s immediate supervisor, Vocational Dean Eileen Kraskouskas and Julie
Hatoff, vice president of instruction has been fired.
These two administrators had no knowledge of employee Texeria’s wrongdoing.
That became clear last week when the DA’s office said no other charges would
be filed. Yet Munoz Richart, who has been given free rein by her board, rabidly
tried to implicate the two competent and well-liked administrators in the
wrongdoing.
Kraskouskas and Hatoff had no chance to react to Texeira’s behavior because
Munoz Richart wanted to orchestrate her own witch hunt.
And wouldn’t it be convenient, as the church lady may say, if Munoz Richart
replaced these besmirched administrators with friends of her own?
Earlier this year, Munoz Richart brought in Jim Austin as vice president of
business services. Austin worked with Munoz Richart at a college district in L.A.
Hiring old friends is legal. But dragging competent, decent veterans through the
mud to cement your own position seems wrong.
Kraskouskas has filed a lawsuit against the district, which she will win. I’m sure
Hatoff’s ouster, which is even more outrageous, will also cost the MiraCosta
College district millions.
In order to keep the anti-Munoz Richart fallout at a minimum, the four members
of the seven-member college board who support Munoz Richart, enforced an
unenforceable gag order, forbidding any dissenting board members from
speaking to the press. The gag order is not only illegal but comical. It shows
what a rank amateur organization the board has become.
Meanwhile, the faculty and staff of MiraCosta College has rejected Munoz
Richart because of the toxic environment she has created on campus. The first
rejection was a 70 percent vote of no confidence last year. A second vote taken
in March was 90 percent no confidence.
But may I remind everyone about Susan Golding and Paris Hilton: their
behavior was eventually checked.
Next year, one of the four board members who supports Munoz Richart —
Carolyn Batiste, who represents MiraCosta College district 5, which includes
South Oceanside — is up for election.
I could assume that since board member Judy Strattan unseated a 30-year
incumbent, another competent candidate could do the same to Batiste. Then,
Munoz Richart would probably lose her majority and the board would send her
packing.
Munoz Richart tries to stonewall the press and avoids answering questions that
need to be answered. What is even more maddening is that MiraCosta College
in-house attorney Dan Shinoff is hired to represent the college’s board, but
instead acts as if he reports exclusively to Munoz Richart. This is defective
government at its best.
But to all those involved, I’ve got three words for you: Randy “Duke”
Cunningham.
Contact columnist Ken Leighton via e-mail at kleighton@coastnewsgroup.com.
| "...What is even more maddening is that MiraCosta College in-house attorney Dan Shinoff is hired to represent the college’s board, but instead acts as if he reports exclusively to Munoz Richart. This is defective government at its best..." http://www.thecoastnews.com/articles/2823/ |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| "...Dan Shinoff is hired to represent the college’s board, but instead acts as if he reports exclusively to Munoz Richart." |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |