The San Diego Community College District's board yesterday voted unanimously to reject every recommendation from a county grand jury looking to make local community college districts more ethical.
The board's trustees said most of the grand jury's 14 suggestions are already practiced in the district. They opposed the remaining recommendations, including term limits for trustees and a cap on financial contributions for trustees' election campaigns.
One recommendation calls for the creation of a county education ethics committee that would write a code of ethics for all five community college districts in the county. The committee also would investigate whistle-blowers' complaints.
The grand jury had asked the districts to provide a total of $500,000 annually to support the committee.
The San Diego Community College District maintains this isn't warranted because such oversight is already handled by the California Community Colleges' board of governors and state chancellor's office; the regional commission that accredits the district; and other state and federal agencies.
“Overall, I feel the grand jury report focused on issues that had largely risen in other districts,” board President Marty Block said before the meeting. “Much of what the grand jury suggests is already being done in the San Diego Community College District.”
The grand jury's report, released in May, marked the culmination of an investigation that began last year after complaints by eight residents.
Ethical issues surfaced in the governance of every local community college district except Palomar, according to the report. The concerns highlighted in the document ranged from trustees rubber-stamping staff proposals to the taking of college assets for personal use.
The report contained only three references to specific colleges or districts. It mentioned micromanaging by Southwestern College's governing board, the changing of the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District chancellor's contract without board approval, and a severance package granted to a former MiraCosta College president that exceeded the amount permitted by state law.
The five community college districts and the county board of education are expected to respond to the report by Aug. 26. So far, no other board has voted on a reply, but Palomar and Grossmont-Cuyamaca trustees are considering proposals to reject nearly all the grand jury's recommendations.
Peter Zschiesche, a trustee for the San Diego Community College District, said he appreciated the grand jury's efforts, but that “If they knew us well and knew how we operated, they might not have recommended what they did.”
Trustee Rich Grosch, who is serving a second term, opposed the term-limits recommendation after explaining that longtime trustees can bring invaluable history to the board.
Sherry Saavedra: (619) 542-4598; sherry.saavedra@uniontrib.com
