Sacramento Bee: Sierra College in Turmoil - The 90-day clock is ticking

Sierra College in turmoil
The rapid departure of a popular president divides the Placer County campus.
By Kim Minugh -- Bee Staff WriterPublished 2:15 am PST Monday, February 21, 2005

After two months of upheaval and uncertainty at Sierra College, at least one thing is clear: For many at the Placer County college, forgiving, forgetting and forging ahead are easier said than done. The departure last month of President Kevin Ramirez has been a destabilizing force on campus, one that has ignited talks about a trustee recall campaign and unionization of the management team.

"The mixture of outrage, bewilderment, frustration and confusion about all that has gone on - I'm not sure this thing wraps up easily or simply," said Dan DeFoe, a history and communication studies professor. For now, an interim president has been appointed and classes are back in session, but the 20,500-student community college is markedly different from when students were last here.

Two new trustees, Aaron Klein and Scott Leslie, are being blamed for what many call the biggest upset in the college's history: the rapid departure of a popular president who, just two months after being publicly blasted by Klein, was recognized with the highest award given to administrators by the Association for California Community College Administrators.

"The college is going through a very tough time right now," said Nancy Palmer, a trustee since 1994. "This is the most difficult thing we've ever done." Many of Ramirez's supporters refuse to accept the official explanation that, after 12 years as president, Ramirez wanted to leave, and that he was not forced out in a power play by Klein, Leslie and board President Jerry Simmons.

"In my opinion, Sierra College is in a lot of trouble," said history professor Barbara Fairchild. "There's an agenda playing out here." That perceived agenda is the heart of a divisive debate on campus.
Many faculty members have questioned the motivations of Klein, Simmons and Leslie, all of whom are involved in local or statewide Republican politics. Some speculate the trustees are trying to make a name for themselves, and possibly gearing up for future political endeavors. That's the best-case scenario, Fairchild said. "The worst-case scenario is they'll try to control hiring and curriculum."

Klein and Leslie's fund-raising abilities have fueled the concerns. In 2002, trustee David Creek raised the most money for a Sierra College board seat in 15 years, with $7,250. In the November election, Klein and Leslie set a record, raising $44,000 and $53,000, respectively. Many of the contributions came from Republican groups or figures. "I believe they do come with a partisan agenda, with a strong idea of how things should be," said counselor Vicki Skeels. "It looks like they are trying to build careers on some grandstanding."

But Klein said his critics are using his Republican Party affiliation as an excuse to derail his agenda of fiscal accountability. "The only place where the Republican Party affects the Sierra College trustee role is that they supported me during the campaign. They're my friends," Klein said.

The turmoil began on Dec. 20, when Klein called for Ramirez's resignation and submitted a complaint to the Placer County registrar alleging that Ramirez had violated campaign finance law regarding a bond measure. The complaint was forwarded to the state Fair Political Practices Commission, which has declined to say whether an investigation is being pursued.

After five meetings and closed-door deliberations, trustees voted 6-1 to approve a retirement agreement for Ramirez that could cost the college $500,000 or more. Klein is now the target of a budding recall campaign being organized by about 35 faculty members and the community, said part-time journalism professor Kent Pollock.

"Aaron Klein was the irresponsible pit bull who led the charge," he said. "This is a guy who attempted to defame and steal a man's integrity in order to advance his own political power base." Paperwork for a recall cannot be filed until early March, when a 90-day waiting period after the swearing-in of a trustee is up.
Additionally, the college's management team is taking the unusual step of seeking union representation to ward off any more drastic administrative changes.

"If a board can fire a president on something other than job performance, on politics ... I assume they can fire any one of us," said Brian Haley, president of the management senate and dean of learning resources. "Our concern was we didn't know who they were going to go after next." All trustees interviewed - six of the seven - said the concerns about further personnel changes are unwarranted and, to assuage fears, the board recently renewed managers' yearlong contracts ahead of schedule.

Simmons said the board has been dominated by Republicans for some time, and there have been few disagreements between the board's Republicans and lone Democrat David Ferrari. Leslie agreed, saying he expects the board's future votes to be 7-0, not 4-3. "People can characterize the board however they want, but the goal of the board is to work together collaboratively in the best interests of the college," he said. But for many, the jury is still out.

Faculty members, and even some trustees, have pledged to watch closely how the board proceeds with business. "Do I have a worry? Yes. But ... we have to digest a few meals here and see what happens," said trustee Creek. Referring to the recall regulations, he added, "The 90-day clock is ticking."

Klein's public education experience- a surprising ZIP

Ponder this

Aaron Klein never attended public schools (elementary or secondary). He never attended college.

Given his lack of any experience whatsoever with public education, doesn't it makes you wonder why he wanted to be elected to the Sierra College Board of Trustees. It certainly wasn't because of his experience and knowledge. Could it possibly be that he has ulterior motives?

Sierra Trustees have hidden agenda

From Letters to the Editor. Roseville Tribune
February 14, 2005

I have been teaching part-time at Sierra College for seven years. Recently, along with about 500 faculty and staff, I attended Sierra's convocation where it became clear we are losing our popular president, primarily due to the irresponsible actions of two new board members who seem to have no interest in the well being of the college.

A very sad President Kevin Ramirez received numerous long, standing ovations from those who have worked for him for the past 11 years. Clearly this was a man who was very appreciated. Those of us who have been involved at Sierra College are appalled at the recent activities of these new board members.

By spending 10 times more than anyone has ever spent to become elected, Scott Leslie and Aaron Klein, for some reason, feel they have a mandate to force their own political agenda onto the school.For these aggressive, negative power brokers, Sierra College is nothing but a stepping-stone into the big time of Sacramento politics.

No one elected Klein and Leslie to target and hound specific individuals, to create an atmosphere of fear and hostility, and generally to bring ill will and unrest to what has been a thriving institution of learning. How long before we start burning books?

Mary Helen Fein, Sierra College AdjunctProfessor of Applied Art

Union Editorial: Time has come for full disclosure from new college trustee

Time has come for full disclosure from new college trustee
Editorial
February 2, 2005
Sierra College trustees (specifically Trustee Aaron Klein) and administrators owe their shareholders - each one of us - an explanation. And not in the form of a three- or four-paragraph press release generated from days of closed-door meetings with lawyers and advisers. We're talking full disclosure. The who, what, when, where and ... most of all ... the why.

They need to tell us why they paid former college President Kevin Ramirez $252,000 to leave with three years remaining on an employment agreement that paid him an estimated $168,000 per year, plus various perks. That severance doesn't even include his salary and benefits through July 1, during a time when an interim president will be handling his duties.

They need to tell us what he did that caused newly elected Trustee Aaron Klein to demand his resignation last month. Klein, who represents Nevada County on that board, said Ramirez mishandled campaign money associated with the failed districtwide Measure E bond effort that would have provided $394 million for projects at both the Rocklin and Grass Valley Sierra College campuses. This November, voters approved Measure H, a bond that will go toward building a permanent Truckee-Tahoe campus.

For now, we can only speculate. If Ramirez did, in fact, mishandle those funds, chances are the trustees would not have agreed to such a generous "retirement" buyout. On the other hand, perhaps Ramirez decided he didn't have the appetite to deal with renegade board members who were out to get him. In a press release last month, Klein called on Ramirez to resign for what he termed "a lack of public confidence in President Ramirez that is too great to overcome."

Perhaps we are too far removed up here, but we hadn't heard anything about that public lack of confidence. In fact, voters here seemed to believe the college was running very well under the leadership of Ramirez, or they wouldn't have approved the bond in last November's election.

In his concluding remarks on that very public press release, Klein accused Ramirez of "fiscal mismanagement and unethical behavior." Those are pretty strong allegations to drop on anyone, let alone the president of one of the best community colleges in the state.

In his response, Ramirez strongly alluded to possible litigation. He has a right to protect his professional reputation against such serious allegations. Perhaps the college recognized its legal exposure from Klein's remarks and decided to settle in the form of a buyout. But it's more likely that Ramirez simply decided, in the best interest of the college and its students, to go away quietly. Maybe he no longer wanted to be the focal point of the board's efforts and realized that he would be, so long as Klein wanted him out.

If that was the case, our newly elected Trustee Klein has some explaining to do. Without that explanation, it appears he cost the district and its citizens a lot of money. And, sadly, the loss of a good and decent administrator.- First published in the The Union on Jan. 29.

The Union: Citizens' group forms to launch recall of newly elected Sierra College trustee

By: Ryan Sabalow, Journal Staff WriterTuesday,
February 15, 2005 12:02 PM PST

A citizens' group is working to recall Sierra College Trustee Aaron Klein. More than 35 concerned community members and Sierra College faculty gathered Thursday at Hacienda Mexican Restaurant in Rocklin to discuss how to best recall the newly elected, 26-year-old trustee.

Kent Pollock, a part-time Sierra College journalism instructor and past director of the California First Amendment Coalition, said the group decided to meet again this week to appoint a steering committee to lead the charge against Klein.The meeting's date, time and location will be announced later this week, he said.

The group also bought the rights to the domain for Web sites www.recallaaronklein.com and www.recallaaronklein.org and will be putting Web pages together soon, Pollock said.Pollock said Thursday's meeting most importantly served as chance to vent frustrations against Klein, who after being sworn-in this January, led the charge to pressure former Sierra College President Kevin Ramirez to resign.

Officials say Ramirez's settlement could cost the college close to $500,000."There was a lot of anger expressed at the meeting," Pollock said. "People don't like to see bullies win."

Klein declined to comment on the recall effort Monday, issuing instead an e-mail that echoed previous statements to the Journal.

A recall would be costly for Sierra College. According to figures from the Placer County Elections Department, if a special election was called by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, it would cost the college at least $325,000. If a standalone election were called, it could cost as much as $909,000. Recall proponents would also need to gather at least 26,000 signatures from its district, which extends into Placer, El Dorado, Nevada and Sacramento counties. And any action taken would have to be after March 3 - 90 days after Klein's official swear-in date.

Pollock said he acknowledged that a recall would be costly and logistically challenging for Sierra College, but it would be worth every penny. He said Klein was working to further his own political aspirations when he filed paperwork with the Placer County Elections Department in January, which stated Ramirez unethically used a non-profit agency to fund campus bond measures. Klein's allegations have yet to be substantiated, and Ramirez denies any wrongdoing.

Pollock said he was also concerned Klein would take more actions similar to Ramirez's buyout that would negatively affect the college financially."Three-hundred-twenty-five-thousand dollars, though not a small number, might be worth it to save more wasted money," Pollock said.

..those in attendance at Thursday's meeting say Klein's role in Ramirez's resignation was enough to oust the trustee. "I think we should stand up and say 'You're out of line,'" said Brent Moore, 46, of Rocklin, who is considering sitting on the steering committee. "We need to send a message back that says ... you're going to be held accountable." Linda Hall, chairwoman of the Placer County Democratic Central Committee, expressed interest in sitting on the steering committee as well after attending last Thursday's meeting, although she said her fellow Democrats have yet to come to an official consensus on the recall.

"In my opinion, (Klein) slandered Ramirez using inflammatory language and half-truths," Hall said. "The whole way he went about this just reeks of a personal agenda." She said the committee will hold a regular meeting at 7 p.m. Feb. 24 at the Placer County Elections Office to discuss and make a decision on whether to back the recall.

Although Democrats may have a personal grudge against Klein, who received more than $30,000 from Placer County Republican groups for November's election, Pollock said the recall effort isn't about partisanship. "An awful lot of Republicans don't agree with what the board did," he said. "I don't want this to come across as the Democrats against Republicans, because that's not what it is."