Dr. Sherrill Amador, Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges commissioner and team chair was “shocked” to learn that the report was prepared by a consultant, Lee added.
The college submitted its report on Oct. 15, 2009 to ACCJC and the Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities.
One week later, a WASC team visited NMC to follow up on plans that the college submitted in its 2006 Self Study Report.
The visiting team also looked into the progress made by the college in addressing recommendations for improvement.
NMC President Carmen Fernandez was quoted in the college bulletin as saying: “The team praised the progress and accomplishments that the college has achieved. [It] also noted a considerable improvement in campus grounds and facilities from the first time [it] was here in 2006.”
But Lee said Amador was not convinced about the report’s accuracy.
He said the Faculty Senate members asked Amador if the midterm report accurately described the current situation at the College, and “the response was a resounding ‘no.’ ”
He said it is not true that the college has an increasingly stable and qualified administrative team.
Since Fernandez became president in March 2007, Lee said there has been a turnover in more than 20 top leadership positions.
He said the college has had three academic deans, three student services deans, three chief financial officers, three directors of institutional effectiveness, three admissions directors, two library directors, three bookstore managers, and several non-renewed department chairs.
Moreover, the clarification between a “grievance” and a “complaint” was never shared with all concerned parties at the time the report was submitted, Lee added.
This was contrary to the suggestion of the WASC visiting team, he said.
According to Lee, they informed Amador that NMC has not regularly scheduled college council meetings, and that the meeting notices are usually received only a few hours before the meeting.
