NORTH COUNTY – MiraCosta College trustees are considering telling the county grand jury that they don't need to implement most of the recommendations the jury made in its effort to make community colleges act more ethically.
Trustees for the Oceanside-based community college will consider their formal response when they meet at 3 p.m. Tuesday on the college's satellite San Elijo campus, 3333 Manchester Ave. in Cardiff.
In May, the jury wrapped up a year of study by issuing a list of recommendations for the five community college districts in the county, including limiting trustee terms in office and creating a countywide committee on ethics.
None of the districts liked the suggestions.
Many district officials doubt the grand jury's jurisdiction and said spending $500,000 for an ethics committee would be a waste of public money that should go toward student education.
The report cited what the jury believed were general problems in all college districts except for Palomar in San Marcos. Only Grossmont-Cuyamaca, Southwestern and MiraCosta colleges were named in the report.
MiraCosta was cited for its handling of the $1.6 million settlement that trustees gave former college President Victoria Muñoz Richart.
The college's proposed response follows an almost boilerplate format also used by Palomar with the exception of the Richart item. Officials said MiraCosta can't address that issue in its response because litigation is pending in the matter.
Carlsbad lawyer Leon Page has sued the district and Richart, saying her settlement constitutes an illegal gift of public funds.
Other than the reference to the case involving the former college president, MiraCosta's draft answer mirrors wording in the Palomar response issued Tuesday. It says recommendations will not be implemented because they “are not warranted or reasonable.”
MiraCosta spokesman Bonnie Hall noted yesterday that MiraCosta's response also reflects that of the San Diego Community College District.
Trustees of Southwestern College, based in Chula Vista, approved a similar approach on a 3-2 vote. The Grossmont-Cuyamaca board will consider a similar response on Tuesday.
Staff writer Chris Moran contributed to this report.
Lola Sherman: (760) 476-8241; lola.sherman@uniontrib.com
