By Ann Clark
On January 4, 2014, the news media in San Francisco reported the threat of closing City College of San Francisco is temporarily on hold by court order. But that’s only half the story. Hidden behind the headlines is the threat that the state could take over and control CCSF, one of the largest and most diverse community colleges in the nation.
Why the Sacramento take over? For starters, to cover up years of the state’s negligence and mishandling of its oversight responsibilities for CCSF finances, bonds, and buildings.
The take-over was a done deal when Sacramento politicians and bureaucrats hired and appointed a special trustee for CCSF in July, 2013. To cover up the cover-up, the special trustee reports solely to Sacramento’s California Community Colleges’ State Chancellor’s Office and Board of Directors, all of whom are appointed by and report directly to the governor.
The special trustee has unilateral power over City College budgets and plans for CCSF’s departments, educational programs, services, administration and bond money. He has the power to approve, disapprove or reject collective bargaining agreements. And has the power to hire, terminate, assign and fire City College employees.
This is all happening, we are told, because the school’s finances and organization are in such a mess. The irony is that Sacramento approved CCSF’s financial operations for years, and could have demanded changes. (more after the jump)
[…] knows that state officials have taken complete control of City College – and show no signs of returning the school to the elected Board of Trustees. But the law allowing the state college chancellor to seize a local school is pretty vague: […]