AFT 2121 officers have sent the message below to Special Trustee Agrella in advance of his July “public comment” session, now held each month for one hour on the day that he makes decisions in lieu of the publicly elected (but ousted) Board of Trustees. The July 2014 agenda is here, and comments can be emailed to Dr. Agrella before 4pm on July 24th, or delivered in person from 4-5pm in MUB 140. Please join us!
July 24th, 2014
RE: “Restoration status” is unnecessary and deeply flawed
Dear Dr. Agrella,
The ACCJC’s new unnecessary and deeply flawed “Restoration Status” is a road filled with uncertainty and danger for City College. Its legality is now being challenged in the Herrera lawsuit. It is not a fair and transparent accreditation process.
We fear that this is but another trap for CCSF designed to save the ACCJC not CCSF. Our college has already been betrayed by the original show cause sanction, then in the failure of the review process, and finally in the denial of our appeal. Now we are asked to sign on to yet another round of abuse in the form of “Restoration Status,” a process that will continue to threaten our college and leave our future uncertain.
As special trustee, you have a mandate to protect our college from the ACCJC’s capricious policies. This new bureaucratic bait-and-switch is patently unnecessary. The ACCJC already has the authority to grant a two-year “good cause” extension and has done this for many other colleges.
“Restoration Status” is also deeply flawed. While this new status sounds like a reprieve from the current crisis, in fact it leaves the college at the mercy of the same people who have treated CCSF illegally and unfairly. It is a process that leaves us with no further right of appeal or review. It sets up rules for the college to be shut down even if it meets a standard of “substantial compliance.” There is also no guarantee that we will even be accepted as a candidate for “Restoration Status.”
Instead of removing the uncertainty about the future of CCSF, we fear that “restoration status” will merely move the impending deadline for doom a few months down the road. The cloud of confusion already created by the ACCJC’s illegal and unfair disaccreditation decision in July 2013 led to a dramatic decline in enrollment which plummeted the college into further crisis. “Restoration Status” could continue the downward spiral as the future of the 80,000 students who depend on CCSF remains in limbo.
“Restoration status” was created and designed by the ACCJC to save itself, not to save our college. They have already tried to use this process to escape accountability in court. But the recent ruling from the bench on July 16th against the ACCJC’s attempt to derail City Attorney Dennis Herrera’s lawsuit showed that it will not be so easy. You must also use your authority to hold them accountable as well.
Sincerely,
Timothy Killikelly
PresidentAlan D’Souza
Vice PresidentJessica Buchsbaum
SecretaryNancy Mackowsky
Treasurer
AFT 2121
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