CHULA VISTA – A proposal to extend a Southwestern College vice president's job through January – which would qualify him for lifetime medical benefits – was rushed onto the board's agenda this week so quickly that the college president wasn't informed.
Greg Sandoval
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Greg Sandoval, the college vice president, resigned after an employee filed a sexual harassment claim against him. He tried to rescind his resignation days later but was rebuffed by the community college district's superintendent and president, Raj Chopra.
While Chopra was out of town last weekend, board President David Agosto put an item on Wednesday's agenda that, if approved, would have extended Sandoval's job through January, after he turns 55, and would qualify him for lifetime medical benefits from the college.
The extension was not acted on because three trustees boycotted the meeting at which it was to be discussed over concerns about how the item made it on the agenda. They asked for a formal report on the matter by next month.
“In my 35 years as an administrator, I have not seen one time an agenda item changed the way (this) did,” Chopra said.
Sandoval has worked for Southwestern for 32 years, and he resigned in June after he was accused of sexual harassment in a claim filed against the college by an employee. The board rejected the claim. Sandoval's resignation is effective Sept. 30. Sandoval did not return a call yesterday.
Southwestern College policy calls for the superintendent/president to prepare the agenda in consultation with the board president.
Chopra said he and Agosto agreed to put Sandoval on the September board agenda. But Agosto said he told Chopra that they should think about putting the matter on this month's agenda. Agosto said he could not reach Chopra and placed it on the August agenda in response to a letter from a community member requesting the extension and calls in support of Sandoval.
At least two high-ranking administrators at the Sweetwater Union High School District, where Sandoval is on the school board, played a role in adding Sandoval to the agenda.
Bill Virchis, who retired in April as director of Sweetwater's department of visual and performing arts, wrote a letter to Southwestern's board and to Chopra asking that Sandoval be given three more months to give him more time to look for a job.
Sandoval was part of a Sweetwater board that approved the creation of the director position and hired Virchis to fill it in 2001.
College board trustee Jorge Dominguez, who is Sweetwater's director of educational technology, assisted Agosto by making calls to have the new agenda posted on campus to meet public notice requirements.
A grand jury report in May criticized the college for the interconnecting relationships in which two Southwestern administrators serve on Sweetwater's board and a Sweetwater administrator serves on Southwestern's board as creating a perception of a possible conflict.
Dominguez said he got involved for humanitarian reasons, not political ones, and he defended Agosto's actions.
“David Agosto has every right to post something on the agenda. He doesn't need to have the superintendent's permission,” Dominguez said.
Chris Moran: (619) 498-6637; chris.moran@uniontrib.com
