Embattled Sierra College board leader apologizes

By: Loryll Nicolaisen, Auburn Journal Staff Writer
Wednesday, June 14, 2006 3:12 PM PDT

ROCKLIN - Jerry Simmons remains president of Sierra College's board of trustees.

Four trustees, including Simmons, voted Tuesday evening against a motion made by trustee David Creek to remove Simmons from the position of board president.

"I am going to redouble my efforts to make Sierra College an even better place for all the students that we serve," he said Tuesday evening.

Although four trustees voted to keep Simmons in his position, other trustees and community members expressed disappointment in his actions.

Simmons admitted at the start of Tuesday's board meeting that he could have done a better job during his tenure as board president.
"I wanted to take time to apologize to members of the college community of how I've handled my role as a trustee," he said. "Although I've had good intentions my implementation of key decisions was done poorly. I often have not known what was the best way to encourage people to have unity."

Simmons told the board and audience members that he is committed to helping students, including those of Sierra College's student newspaper.

"I wanted the students on the student newspaper to know my interest is in strengthening the student newspaper program," Simmons said. "I think that with proper support...that program could be even better than it is today."

News that Simmons had criticized The Outlook newspaper was revealed in a letter sent to trustees in May by Dr. Morgan Lynn, Sierra College interim president, that stated allegations of Simmons' attempt to silence college staff who have criticized the board. One of those staff members was Kent Pollock, a part-time faculty member and Outlook adviser.

"In no way were any of my comments intended to be a commentary of the students working on that program," Simmons said.

Elizabeth Hubbs, 20, a Sierra College student and former Outlook editor, addressed Simmons during public comment, saying she accepted his apology but questioned the sincerity behind it.

"I think you should resign," she said. "I think it would be a service to the college community."

Trustee Creek asked Simmons if he would extend his apologies to individuals like Johnnie Terry, Sierra academic senate president, and Anthony Maki Gill, president of the school's classified senate. Both Terry and Gill were named in Dr. Lynn's letter as staff members Simmons attempted to reprimand.

"It's hard to trust...that your apology is sincere," Terry said.

Terry said he'd accept Simmons' apology but questioned if it would heal the college community.

"It's bigger than just the individual here and it goes beyond that," he said.

Gill said Simmons' apology was too little, too late.

"I don't know if we can risk that opportunity for you to do more damage," Gill said.

Joanne Neft, an agriculture advocate from Auburn, is one in a group of 10 people who recently signed a notice of intention to recall both Simmons and trustee Aaron Klein. Neft gave Simmons and Klein a letter at Tuesday's board meeting asking for their resignation in lieu of putting the college community through the negative recall process and to make way for working to rebuild the college after Measure B's failure on the June 6 ballot.

"I believe that once Mr. Simmons and Mr. Klein have resigned from the Sierra College board, many hundreds of people will join hands in support of a bond measure to invest in the college's future," she said, reading from her letter.

Ben Mavy, of Applegate, is a former Sierra College student. Mavy called what others had said against Simmons and Klein during public comment "cockamamie bull."

"The people that are attacking you, Jerry and Aaron, don't have the college's interests in mind," he said during public comment.

Trustee Creek said his objective was not to humiliate Simmons and that the attempt to remove Simmons from his role as president wasn't a pleasant topic for anyone on the board, including himself.

Following the 4-3 vote against removing Simmons, Creek said he wasn't happy with the outcome.

"I'm disappointed that Jerry decided he would remain because I think it would be better for the board, functioning together, if he didn't," he said.

The Journal's Loryll Nicolaisen can be reached at lorylln@goldcountrymedia.com.