This was the contention of regent Janet King when asked to comment on NMC President Carmen Fernandez’s decision to end the contract of social science and history instructor Samuel McPhetres.
“What is before the board of regents is now, in light of the concerns of the community, whether the personnel policy should be reviewed. I believe it should be,” King said.
Although the non-renewal of McPhetres’s contract is an administrative matter, she added, the NMC president is “mandated to keep the regents informed.”
McPhetres received the notice of the nonrenewal of his contract on Dec. 4.
No reason was stated by Fernandez, but King said the regents expect the president to provide more information.
She said she was saddened to hear the comments of the students and instructors who protested McPhetres’ termination.
Earlier, the contracts of Mark Haag, chair of the languages and humanities department, and Glenn Keaton, chair of the sciences, math, health and athletics department, were also not renewed by Fernandez.
Variety learned that Fernandez was meeting with selected board members to discuss the contract of McPhetres, but King said she was not aware of any meeting.
As of press time, board chairman Charles V. Cepeda had yet to return this reporter’s call.
King declined to comment when asked if the board, in aid of policy making, can initiate an investigation to determine the real cause of the nonrenewal of contracts — whether it was politically motivated and not based on performance.
