2
The
News
Staff Poll:
What were
your impres
sions of
President
Johnson’s
speech at in
service?
“I can give
you one
word, it was
‘surprising.’”
Brian Rose
Music
Instructor
“I think [Joe]
did his best to
put a positive
spin on the
challenges the
college is fee
ing.”
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
Clackamas Prl
Climate Commission formet
■ Matt Olson
I The Clackamas Print
The collegeboardrecently asked
for a new committee to conduct
a climate survey that will assess
concerns regarding both leadership
and campus communications. The
committee was created in light of
recent events within upper man
agement and the political system
of the college.
The committee consists of
three college board members:
Charles Clemans, Judy Irvin and
Jean Bidstrup; the four presidents
of the associations: Dave Arter,
Dean Walch, Rosemary Teetor and
Anne Donelson; the student body
president Tim Lussier and Dean
of Community Education Theresa
Tuffli.
“Our goal is to direct a cli
mate survey of the college,” said
Full-Time Faculty President Arter.
“We are not going to conduct this
survey ourselves.”
Vicki Willis, a consultant from
Chemeketa Community College,
was hired to administer the survey,
either through individual inter
views, group interviews or a cam
will have adequate chances to be that the college suffers no han
pus-wide survey.
said Arter.
“We need to get a better fix aired,” said Clemans.
The possible outcomes of
The committee is designed to
on how people talk to each other
on campus,” said Board Member have a variety of perspectives and survey are wide and specul
Clemans. “The time is right for address all issues presented by the Whether there are simple procd
us to seek the opinion of staff and Executive Counsel, the Presidents al adjustments or personnel eha
perhaps students about how this Counsel, the College Board, the es is yet to be seen. “We’re
serious action, and there nay
college communicates and makes deans and all other faculty.
“[It’s] important to show that all serious results.” said Teetor|
decisions.”
“My personal view is th!
“W& are a very unique insti areas are represented,” said Tuffli.
“We are trying to resolve the college is not threatened bylft
tution in that we have this col
laborative, decentralized model issues involved here in such a way issues,” Arter said, emphai
that the survejl
òf government,” said
not affect accl
Part-Time
Faculty
tion.
President Teetor.
“We have stJ
“The college is in
a position for large
to serve, and thafs
number one pri|
growth, and we need
said Teetor.
leadership and com
Though the pH
munication to handle
is going swift«
that,” said College
committee was«
Board
Member
recently establ
Bidstrup.
on Sept. 13, an!
“There
were
Sept. 19 to decl
opposing views and
the goals and p J
agendas that were not
They met agaiiM
resolved,” said Arter.
terday to deci!
“The reason [the com
consultant andl
mittee] was created is
dures. The neM
because we had a sud
is to collect thel
den shakeup in upper
Elizabeth Hitz Clackamas Prtnt
and find the ansi
management.”
Chair Charles Clemans explains the charge of the
- to these impd
“I think the con
questions.
Climate Commission.
cerns of the faculty
DEANS: Johnson says decision is up to boa\
Alice Lewis
Speech
Instructor
“I think [Joe]
was obvi
ously very
cautious. He
was trying to
divert focus
from himself
by pointing
fingers at
other groups;
it was pain
ful.”
Doug Cross
Computer
Science
Instructor
“It was
rather con
fusing.”
Continued from DEANS, Page 1
77ie Print: Accreditation is com
ing in two weeks, the deans’ letter
came. When are you planning on
responding to it?
Johnson: [Long silence] Well,
I’m not sure what I’m supposed to
respond to... I guess I’m a little con
fused at what you’re asking.
The Print: Okay. Maybe I’m not
understanding this correctly. It just
seems kind of interesting to me that
you would get this letter from the
deans—and we do know that they’ve
asked you to step down-and yet you
don’t remember what the letter said,
and you don’t know how you’re plan
ning on responding to it or even
when?
Johnson: No, no, no. I told you
just how I was . . . how I would
respond to any letter, and that is that
the issue of whether or not I am
president or not president is an issue
between myself and the Board of
Education, not between myself and
the deans.
7%e Print: What do you want [the
college community] to be knowing
about this? What do you want them to
Johnson: They... they didn’t sit
down and list off a bunch of things
tome.
The Print: Okay. How do you-
feel your management has been at
this college?
. Johnson: I think we have had an
excellent five years. I think it’s been
superb, and I think it’s going to be a
great year.
The Print: Okay. So in light of
these great five years, why would
your deans come and say that they—
Johnson: I g—
The Print: - they are concerned
about-
Johnson: I guess that’s something
you’ll have to ask them.
The Print: Okay. Do you have
any idea why they would say that...
just coming out of the blue?
Johnson: You’ll have to ask them.
It... [laughs]... two weeks ago, I
was great with them.
The Print: So my question is then,
lots of the faculty right now are a
little confused. They don’t quite know
what’s been going on the last two
weeks. What would you say to them?
Johnson: I would... you know.
.. if you come in here in the sense of,
be thinking about this whole situation
right now? What do you want them
to know about you in the middle of
all this?
Johnson: I feel, I feel that the
college is in very good shape and we
have been financially strong, and that
we are planning ahead and that we
have an accreditation study coming
up that is very meaningfill. . .we’re
moving forward.
The Print: To go back to this letter,
but you said the decision was between
you and the board, okay? Have there
been any discussions between you and
the board about what has occurred?
Johnson. That’s between me and
the board.
The Print: I’ve heard a lot of dis
cussion about “The Clackamas Way”.
. . I’m not sure, do you know what
they mean by that?
Johnson: [Laughs] I think it
means ... I think it means openness
and honesty, and sharing. And I think
we’ve done an excellent job of doing
that.
The Print: It seems like, from this
letter that the deans have sent, that
they feel like you don’t act that way?
Maybe you could clarify that for me?
which I think you should be ha
you’ve asked toe questions thatll
you should ask, but, in truth, tin
on-one communication, or ti e g
communication is so very impd
So I’ve talked to Dave Arter, tn
of toe faculty ... I would be I
chat and answer any' questions]
And I think we have to a
fact that [on a college campus!
going to have rumors pop up. I
part of life, and right now even
very sensitive about that, but I
that once we can get back ini
once we can have open fori™
a dialogue-people [can kno!
we’re headed in toe right dnec^w
The Print: Would you be a
able at all next week?
Johnson: Of course. Nil
is open I mean, I’m not ni
or going anywhere. I’m ngnl
I’ll answer any questions. You|
there’s an open pipeline to the I)
in toe sense of they’re going!
complete campus evaluation I
Here I am. I’m toe same perse!
a month ago. And, one day!
are happy and one day they■
ing some concerns. So I’d be I
answer questions.
1
Jean Arndt
Perkins and
Emergency
Loans
Specialist
Kelly
Brennan
Speech
Instructor
Compiled by
Elizaabeth Hitz &
Laura Cameron
“...In light
of what’s
going on,
Joe had
a very
daunt
ing task.
He had
to bring
the moral
fiber up,
and he had
to speak
plainly.
What he
did was
hit us right
between
the eyes
with real
ity.”
College President Joe
Johnson is investigated
following allegations
that he used a school
computer to view
inappropriate web sites
and to send inappropri
ate e-mails.
Sept. 12
Vice President of Instructional and
Student Services Dian Connett goes
on leave, to return Sept. 25. Her
leave is later extended to Oct. 23.
August
Vice President of Campus Services Ron Stewart
(above) resigns after four weeks on the job.
Interim Vice President Bill Dierdorff is hired.
In a letter signed bn
the deans, Johnson«
asked to step dowpj