Culture of Silence?
I feel like there is a culture of silence at CSUB. People go into "secret" meetings for months at a time and make decisions that affect many people's lives. When the deed is finally done, it seems that everyone else on campus knows about it, except for the people that are affected! Is it really an "HR" issue, or is it a power issue?
On the other side of the coin, faculty and staff know things about people (other faculty, staff, administrators), that if "the powers that be" (administration, students, community, chancellor's office, etc) knew, there would be many changes. It's like a dysfunctional family. If they talk, then they'll get in trouble.
Your thoughts?
On the other side of the coin, faculty and staff know things about people (other faculty, staff, administrators), that if "the powers that be" (administration, students, community, chancellor's office, etc) knew, there would be many changes. It's like a dysfunctional family. If they talk, then they'll get in trouble.
Your thoughts?
posted by staffmember1 at 3:53 PM
363 Comments:
Thank you for starting this Blog. I think it will go a long way to undo the culture of silence. Some people here have power and they misuse it if their game is called.
How do you like the candidates for Provost?
Does anyone know what really happened with the lay-offs here at CSUB?
There is most definitely a culture of silence--hopefully the lay offs aren't a sign of what happens when we choose to speak out. I have no personal knowledge of the lay off situation, but I have heard a lot of talk and none of it points to the budget. Too bad HR only backs the managers and we'll never know the real reason.
I think the layoffs were just a way to get rid of people that "the powers that be" didn't want around anymore. It's interesting that the people that were "targeted" were folks who didn't have any retreat rights. Somebody definitely did their homework. Were those people whistleblowers?
I was told that these layoffs were the result of privatizing the print job. That means that they have to pay for themselves. I think we should privatize sports rather than go Division I.
Many of the vice Presidents, deans, etc... use the release of information as a powerful weapon. I think that information is really one of the only powers which exists on any campus.
The wages and working conditions are set by contract, so what does a manager have to keep the slaves in line? Information!
Remember the words of former secretary of state Henry A. Kissinger "University politics are vicious precisely because the stakes are so small."
If anyone with any balls ever is chancellor of the CSU, he/she will force a mass firing of the ever top-heavy institution.
"Repercussions" is spelled wrong on the front page of this blog
There is a lot of speculation and rumor about the recent layoffs. That in itself says quite a bit about communication on this campus. From the little I actually know, it looks as though administration used the layoffs to rid itself of two union stewards, a troublesome grievant, and anyone with lower seniority who had to go to accommodate the other layoffs. I know this is basically speculation, but speculation based on fact. And I know for certain that Administration keeps assuring us that service will still be provided at the same level, but has cut staffing by more than half; they’ve left one graphic designer, working 20 hours a week, to handle the campus’s design needs. Administration realizes this won’t work, and they offer us a solution: buy the programs and do the work ourselves. Well, I for one don’t have the skill or time to do design work, it’s not what I was hired (AND NOT WHAT I AM PAID) to do, and expecting me to do it is ridiculous. The only other option we’ll have is to outsource the work. That’s fine for departments who can afford to pay thousands for a single issue of a newsletter. My department can’t afford that kind of expense, but we still need the quality design we always got from Reprographics. And that raises another question–-I notice in Cal State Today that design credit is given to a non-campus designer. Why is design work going to off-campus vendors when we have (or had) a perfectly capable design staff who could do the work? Administration claims the Reprographics layoffs were a result of the failure of that department to be self-supporting, but they apparently provided absolutely no plan to help the department achieve those expectations. There’s an old business adage that warns if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. It seems pretty clear that was just the plan Administration had in mind, and they got exactly what they planned for. I won’t be at all surprised to learn that FedEx Kinkos is where we’ll be expected to go in the near future. We’ll be inconvenienced, get inferior service, and the image of our departments will suffer, but apparently that’s of no importance to anyone but us.
They expect ME to do graphic design? Isn't that working a little out of classification? Or do they plan to add graphic design to the position descriptions of ASAs and ASCs? I guess when Mitchell told us he didn't expect us to do more with less, what he meant was he expects us to do the impossible with nothing. Obviously, the administration can't be true to its own word, so I hope CSUEU can do something about all this.
And one more thing; the governator has promised the CSU more money, so why is it we are the only campus laying valuable people off?
We shouldn’t forget that more departments than Reprographics lost people to layoffs. A technical engineer lost his job, and from what I hear, he watched his work be reassigned to co-workers for months, and then was told he was laid off due to lack of work. And just recently, a custodian who was vocal about the bad conditions custodial staff faces, was fired. She was temporary, so management had no trouble getting rid of someone who tried to force them to straighten up their act. The original post talked about a “culture of silence.” I’m beginning to wonder if we should be more worried about a “culture of reprisals and fear.”
Did those people who wrote about the layoffs expess themselves anywhere else but here? Did they let the "Renaissance Man" know how they feel? If not, why? How is taking graphic design off campus going to save money?
And why is the "RM" so concerned about sports? What about the academic portion of the school? That's what higher education is all about, not sports and becoming a Division 1 school.
Making our concerns known is a good suggestion. I did, and heard nothing from Dr. Mitchell at all. I did receive a canned response from Mr. Neal, but it meant nothing. That seems to be the new modus operandi; tell us what they think we want to hear, then do exactly as they please regardless.
If the layoff victims read this, I want you all to know that you're in the prayers of a lot of us here on campus. I hope all goes well for you, and I know many more here feel the same way.
I'm one of the people who were laid off, and I'm glad to find a site like this. I think the whole campus community should see it, and I agree with the first blogger who said "...it will go a long way to undo the culture of silence" here at CSUB.
But that's only going to happen if people can find it.
I hope someone who doesn't have to worry about reprisals, like a faculty member with tenure, will post the address to FirstClass (and doesn't that say a whole lot about the “culture of fear” that exists here.)
And I especially want to thank the people here who have offered me their prayers and support. I really appreciate your good wishes.
Mitchell is going ridiculously far with this Division I issue, as well as with the rec center. Many students are furious over the increase in their fees to cover a rec center on a campus with fewer than 6000 students, many of which are commuters with no free time! All of this in the wake of "unavoidable" layoffs. Did he not realize the size of this school when he applied for and accepted the position?
The cost of his inauguration could have easily been put to better use. I personally wanted nothing to do with his costly party. I was disgusted by the number of people who took part in the whole affair. Was it for the free food? I really enjoyed purchasing my own lunch off campus that day! However, I am only one person, and the absence of one, I am sure, went completely unnoticed.
I hope people who can stand up the injustices occuring on this campus will do so, and do so quickly!
there's no culture of silence. I hear all kinds of unwarranted, false gossip from people that don't have a ounce of a clue up and down this campus. seems quite opposite actually...
How will this blog undo the culture of silence? Anonymous post are not heard. Be willing to stand in your own individual principles and get your views heard. If not, this just becomes an electronical gossip site very much like the traditional one we now maintain on campus.
Please feel free to contact me with any questions, concerns, or comments
kgilmore2@csub.edu
I find it interesting how so many people on this campus are happy with being the University of Phoenix at Bakersfield. Where is the drive to move this from just a commuter campus to a thriving campus with enough things for students to do that they want to come here and live on campus. Can you remember your days in college and how you enjoyed doing simple things like going to a basketball game with friends, enjoying group study in the dorms or playing an intramural sport? Why is everyone so determined to not allow OUR students these same collegiate benefits? Yes, college is about learning and preparing for the future, but it is also about making and cultivating life-long friendships that are started by these activities!
I came to this school a little over two years ago and was shocked at how small it was compared to how big the surrounding city is. I'm shocked to see how up in arms everyone got when a new president comes in with a vision to grow this campus into one of the best in the CSU system. It's as if they are happy with the school the way it is, yet complain and complain about it not being ok the way it is.
In my mind, the students 10 years down the road will thank the students of today for passing this referendum. In fact, I would venture to guess that the percentage of that vote would be 80/20 in favor! We need to think to the future and to do that we need to follow the direction of this president or instead of being the best in the CSU system, we will be the laughing stock.
Well, you were wrong! the vote was carried by something like 23 votes or maybe 29. That is very close and that was with athletes getting extra credit and not having to do required jogging if they forced enough students to vote for it. I think that are very few people who want CSUB to be involved in sports at all. I think what this community needs are more theater events. I remember some football in high school but I was burned out by my junior year of HIGH SCHOOL. There is no way that I went to any sporting events in college or university. I hated it. I did love going to interesting speakers, theater and music events. If there are some people interested in sports, where are they. They had a pack the stands night for CSUB and with free tickets they could not get people there. It was almost empty. So where are the people who care>>>
I came here as a student because it was a small campus, with small classes. Smaller classes means more access to faculty and support. Why should the campus grow into something like CSUN? Just about every program on their campus is impacted.
Some students come to college for an education. Why should every student have to fund some jock's unachievable dream of playing for the NBA? Should someone actually get picked up by a pro team and injure themselves, shouldn't they have a EDUCATION to fall back on?
yeah, that small number of votes to carry an election for a huge increase in fees is terrible. I think many students will refuse to attend CSUB in the fall. Many students say they come here because it is cheap. If they had more money they would do a private like U of pheonix or Chapman which have much better reputations for helping students get through the program.
I think we need to privatize sports. They should not be connected to a university at all. There are so many interesting things to do that don't cost an arm and a leg. We will now have a Division I campus that is piss poor. We will have to pay for sports first and screw the library, technology, and teaching. I suspect that some of our best faculty will decide to leave rather than be part of a rah-rah campus. One of my favorite things about CSUB was that we do not have a football team, but I would like it better if we only had fitness programs for everyone rather than bring people from across the country to play sports for us - like gladitors of old. I heard that only 2 basketball players have graduated from CSUB in the last 10 years. So what are we doing? That is not fair to them or us. If people want to play sports for a living, then have professional teams and keep them away from CSUB where they can not drain us of all our funding. There is only a limited amount of money in Bakersfield. I think that Division I will try to use it all for sports. Sick, sick, sick. I am very unhappy about this fee thing passing!!! And I know of many other people who are also very upset. I wonder if all this focus on sports will turn the tide against Mitchell? Is the honeymoon over?
I think the honeymoon is definitely over. A man who assures staff he won’t expect them to do more with less, then authorizes the only layoffs in more than a decade at CSUB AND lets a VP suggest that overworked staff buy design programs and do the layoffees’ work themselves; a man who spends something like $60,000 on a pointless inaugural display in the face of those layoffs and a campus budget crisis, then claims it’s a vital service to the campus; a man who allows the virtual slander of his predecessor, and even supports that slander publicly, ignoring the fact that in so doing, he may have alienated a large group of latino/latina supporters that Arciniega brought to the campus; a man who won’t communicate directly, but relies on his subordinates to do it for him; a man who hails a 25 percent turnout as some sort of notable achievement, but won’t investigate or address the fact that student athletes were bribed to vote yes and get other students to do the same--all this strikes me as very poor leadership that no pretty vision statement can overcome. Without leadership we can trust and believe, any claims made by that leadership about the pursuit of excellence seem hollow.
Students may complain about higher fees, but if they didn’t vote to stop it, what right do they have to complain? I made sure I voted, and I made sure as many people as I could also voted “no.” It was a slim margin of victory for that referendum, so if those students who oppose higher fees (and I sure don’t blame them for that) had taken some initiative to get out and vote, the outcome would probably have been very different.
I find it very interesting that so many people who have responded to this post don't like the fact that we have athletics on campus. I also find it interesting that they don't realize how much an athletics program brings to the campus. Not only does provide diversity as well as life and excitement to the student body experience, it also enhances the image, reputation and prestige of a university. For example, Gonzaga's recent success in basketball has allowed their campus to grow by leaps and bounds. Not only have they experienced a 65% increase in the number of applicants since 1997-98, but they have received a lot more financial support. And this isn't just to the athletics program. In 1997, the school raised $8.4 million from alumni and fundraisers, but the fiscal year after making it to the NCAA Final Four, they took in $16.5 million. Again, this is the university not the athletics department! Another interesting note is that the average freshman SAT score has gone up from 1151 in 1997-98 to 1192 in the 2003-04 class. Why? Because they invested in their athletic department and the program became one of the best on the west coast. Now they have higher quality students applying (and more of them) plus they are bringing in more money to help pay for the other areas of the school like the science and art programs.
Oh, and privatizing sports? Please. That's the most asinine idea I have ever heard. Name one campus in the United States which has privatized sports. Let's think of REAL SOLUTIONS and not ridiculous pipe dreams.
I looked up kgilmore2 in the online campus directory and found out it belongs to katrina gilmore, who is an ASA in Reprographics, and that's a departmnet that was hit hardest by the layoffs. but why would we want to "come out" to her when we decide to stand up for our principles? what power does she have to address our questions, concerns, or comments? if you want to stand up for your principles, it seems to me you should go to someone who can actually do something. and if you're afraid of retaliation, then go to the union.
I beleive that is true about the people always having secret meetings. Then at the last minute they come up too you and tell you bad news. It just shows faculty/staff/students how people are on campus. Everyone talks about team work but where is the team work if there is always gossip going around and meetings behind closed doors.
I didn't tell you to come to me for help, I was asking that you route your responses to my email address if you had any regarding my post...you view it anyway you would like. I apologize for not being more "specific". Apparently, I didn't realize that I can be hung for not jumping on the "gripe" bandwagon.
Apparently, I'm a person with a name, unlike yourself. I can stand behind my statements and not cloak myself in anonymity.
once again you can contact me if you would like to reply: kgilmore2@csub.edu
Thank You
Don't blame us if we want to remain anonymous. I have faced administrative retaliation when I did speak out, and the effort I had to make to fianlly escape it is not something I want to go through again. This blog is a place where we can speak out without fear. And now that others are speaking out here, too, maybe it will help in some way to ease that culture of fear that's a part of this campus. I hope that's true, but I doubt it.
I have mixed feelings about CSUB going to Division I in Athletics. There are benefits as well as costs.
However, some of the good things about going to Division I are the additional rules, regulations, and scrutiny that the coaches, athletes, and administrators will have to abide by. The current small school culture of being able to do whatever they want will probably change for the better.
For example, actions by many to promote passage of the referendum were questionable at best and unethical if not downright illegal at worst.
Besides coaches telling student/athletes to miss class or be late for class in order to vote as a team, athletes were given the list of HOME PHONE numbers of other students to call to promote the referendum. Who provided these lists of private information?
Some students were also told if they signed a pledge card stating they would vote for the referendum, that they would get free Barbeque.
I was also told by many students that groups of athletes were standing very close to the voting area 'encouraging'(some saw as intimidating) them to vote yes on the referendum.
Hopefully Division I will prevent these abuses in the future.
Does anyone know how to start a new topic...this is supposed to be about the culture of silence, not about going Division I
Why remain in a "culture of fear" when you can go out and get other employment? Who's forcing you all to come to work at CSUB? Ultimately it is your decision and your decision alone to remain in this "culture of fear". The fact is that you will always have the option of removing yourself from this apparently traumatizing work experience.
It seems to me from previous posts that those who have spoken out have faced ominous consequences and that the culture of silence is very real indeed.
Katrina advises those who are fearful to find other employment. Interesting coming from an ASA who is still working in the department that was hit hard by layoffs. It sounds like she is working overtime brown-nosing - maybe she's fearful of layoff as well. If that's the case, she should be more mindful of the time she spends on this blog during work hours.
I don't think a dispute over whether there is or isn't a culture of fear or a culture of silence is necessary, especially regarding gossip. There is no culture of silence at all at CSUB regarding gossip. Gossipmongers live for and thrive on it, and management promotes and takes part in it. If you are lopping an ear to listen to it, you are just as corrupt and vile as they are. However, it's the TRUTH that sets us free and separates us from evil. The culture of silence or fear that many of us experience and that is referred to in this forum is pertaining to factual truth, not gossip, lies and deceit.
When we are honest and stand up for what is right, we have to fear reprisal, and have been shown what happens when we do so. There has been gossip since the beginning of time. Gossip isn't worth a penny, but the truth is priceless. I, too, am shocked that kgilmore2 would post so boldly, considering half of her coworkers were layed off. Just the fact, that she cannot follow simple directions (like posting her name to an anonymous website) screams dumb and immature. Or since this forum is intended for management as well as staff, faculty, and students, she feels overwhelmingly insecure about the stability of her own job. Could it be that Reprographics was and still is overstaffed?
and yet again another cheap shot response from a unnamed person...typical....
I don't think that we should use this forum for cheap shots. But I do think that the fact that only ONE person on campus is comfortable giving their name IS indicative of the culture of fear and silence.
I think that we have a lot of gossip BECAUSE official things are not announced openly and because we need a more open communication system on this campus. Most of the gossip I hear has to do with job changes, lay offs, plans for work change. Many of us are anxious about all the coming changes and want to have the most stable information possible. Many of us must keep our jobs to survive. We have too much invested in this job to change now so we need the best information we can get to understand how we need to adapt to new changes. I don't see this as a gossip site and much as an information site.
I agree. Let's not use this site to attach each other. Let's use this site to pull us together, to share ideas and to form plans to make this campus the best work place we can.
I just want to say that, after reading other peoples postings, I feel better already. It's nice to know that I'm not the only one feeling a certain way. I also want you to know that I really like this campus, as most of you do too. The reason that we do complain about things that we don't think are right is BECAUSE we care about the campus. Many of us have been here a long time. It's home. Some of us have invested a huge part of our lives. We just don't like feeling like we are a number, that our opinions don't count, that we don't know how to do things better, and ultimately that we are easily expendable. We want a sense of empowerment. We want to be a part of the whole process, and not just trade our time for money. My 2 cents... anonymously.
If Dr. Mitchell and his cabinet truly want to build excellence through partnerships, they should be reading these posts daily. They'd have a much better sense of the environment in which we all work, and hopefully have enough sense to recognize the need for change, starting with an open and responsive dialogue with the WHOLE campus community.
Hi!
I wonder if administration is actually going to read this.
Kudos to the maker of this board. Its nice to hear sentiments voiced about the CSUB administration (and I use the term administration lightly.)
Easy for you to say what you say Katrina Gilmore ... yet you are still employed.
Provost Candidates ...now that was interesting ...2 of them had no clue about technology and that cannot be the best three out of any pool of candidates ...Was it a set up for a candidate who was already "hired" in the minds of the mighty?
Has Katrina Gilmore checked the job market in Bakersfield? Obviously not since she says in essence, "If you don't like it here, get another job." Easier said than done, Katrina. Better wish you aren't put in a position to have to try to find another job.
I think the problem with the layoffs is that people feel threatened by them for the simple fact that they would never make it in the real world. They work their way into a state job and feel that they are insulated from the pressures and economic realities of the outside world, and they collectively work and set up a system that excludes new people from coming in while continuing to tolerate their meaningless, petty work lives. Many take advantage of the system by soap-boxing it, whining and complaining every chance they get because they "should" be heard, and they take advantage of every loop-hole the system has to offer to make their life easier. In the midst of state-wide unemployment they cry for higher wages and less to do, when the average Joe is penny-pinching it. Then, lo and behold! -one day the system takes a dump and gets rid of its excess dead weight and they are like "oh my god, my skills are absolutely worthless anywhere else!" Welcome to the real world! People get laid off and lose their jobs all of the time, and why it should be any different for a Cal State? Maybe if you would continue to better yourselves and make yourselves competitive, rather than whining and bitching and moaning and waiting for the day you can go out on disability or retire - you WOULD still have a job. Too many people float around in this system doing nothing, and I hope more people are laid off so a fresh new group is brought in. That should shake things up a bit and keep everyone on their toes.
Interesting comments about the work world. I agree. Jobs at CSUB are better paid than jobs in the community. We have a really good deal here with great benefits. I think it is difficult for us to clammer for more money when the average wage is so low in Bakersfield. That means moving to get even the same money. You can't move anywhere else in California - you can't afford a house of apartment. I suggest that we quite complaining about our jobs and actively make CSUB the place that we want to work. A lot of that is in our control in how we treat each other.
I agree with you about treating each other better. Speaking of that - is anyone else is tired of snide ass comments, rude employees and ERRORS creeping into your work when you have dealings with print shop? I hate even sending work over there anymore or dealing with them. I think if someone is unhappy in their job they should leave and spare the rest of us their malcontent!
I agree with the person who said they have been treated rudely by the Print Shop. Funny, the man who was rude and disrespectful to me is still employed and his rudeness was witnessed by his supervisor! As far as I am concerned, they got rid of the friendliest and most helpful of the bunch.
If you are truly unhappy with the service at Print Shop, I suggest you call off campus printers. I know for a fact we are being overcharged for alot of work, especially full color copies. I guess we are paying for the convenience of not having to leave campus for this service.
In response to the person who said we are not prepared for the real world, you must be very young because many of us have "lived in the real world" for many years and find that the state is no better than any private organization. I too, am amazed at the high paid dead weight the system carries, however, I also personally know all of the people who were recently laid off and none of them were dead weight. If you regularly use the Print Shop as I do, you know who I am talking about. I do know the REAL reason they were all laid off though it's not my place to say. I think they are waiting for the union to do its job and if the union is not successful, everyone will know the reason why.
I have it on a good source that this blog was created by Administration and they are using the IP addresses of each post to trace it back to the users computer to figure out who is saying what. So be careful!!
Yeah right.
Even if what you say is true--what are they going to do to the people who have posted? Fire all of us? On what basis? You are either (1)paranoid or (2)management trying once again to intimidate staff and perpetuate the culture of silence this blog is trying to undo.
Maybe it's a paranoid manager? haha
Since there have been comments about Print Shop staff here, I just wanted to thank the graphic designer who was kept part-time. Jim did a wonderful job on a project for us, a brochure that has increased interest in our program a lot. Not only did he make it "eye-appealing," he also made quite a few editorial suggestions, almost all of which we used. I'm relieved he's still available, because he does a great job. And while I don't know him outside a few projects, nothing about his professionalism, courtesy, and quality work suggests "dead weight" to me!
Regarding dead weight - I was not referring to the print shop in particular, but to the campus as a whole. And unfortunately alot of these people still have their jobs! (you know who you are - reading this while you should be working, for shame!)
ahhh...irony! unless, of course, you were at lunch.
hahahahaha sounds like Katrina is posting anonymously now....ha hahahah
I like the blank stare I get out of my manager when presenting ideas. I know that managers are not supposed to have the skill level of their employees, they are managers, they manage people. At the same time, they should not be completely clueless about the people they "manage" or the jobs they perform. I have full faith that I could sell a bucket of rocks to my manager as a necessity to accomplish some departmental/campus goal.
As a side note, I looked into it briefly and because CSUB is a CSU there are different standards/contacts required to perform the following action:
How do you go about reporting CSUB for a fraud, waste and abuse case?
http://www.calstate.edu/audit/fraudreporting.shtml
The State Auditor's Whistleblower hotline:
800-952-5665
And since we all forget the obvious sometimes...
DO NOT CALL FROM YOUR CAMPUS PHONE
I find it ironic that we need to lay off staff in the Print Shop and ITV (E-learning), yet all the deans are getting assistant deans to help them do their work. Hmm.. go figure!
Regarding "fraud and abuse", as state employees, are we bound by any guidelines when making purchases?
One Dean is "buying from a friend" rather than through official channels. Is this kosher?
I would say that is a conflict of interest unless that friend can offer the best competitive price. Even then, I personally would do no such thing just to avoid any bad situation that could come of it.
have heard that some Foundation programs are moving to state-stide. Yet most of the people that I have spoken to that would be affected do not seem to have actual facts about this move. Does anyone have information regarding this move. I would also like to know why an official memo wasn't sent out to program directors as well as to program staff informing them about these changes.
Ummm.....yeah......riiiiight! When was the last time an "official memo" was sent out PROMPTLY on this campus, informing people what was going on? Let's see... we have retirements that no one hears about, people who leave, appointments that are made, and... VOILA! a month later MAYBE someone sends out an "official notice." Get real, sister... welcome to the dysfunctional family that is CSUB... where NOTHING that is important is EVER talked about openly.
Does anyone know what happened to those who were laid off? Have their layoffs been mitigated in any satisfactory way? I hope so, but I suspect that once the slight uproar that resulted eventually subsided (and how quickly we seem to have forgotten those poor souls) administration moved forward with their ill-conceived plan. It's a shame, but it is just like a dysfunctional family where objections may be raised about abuse, but it still goes on, and on, and on.
I too have been wondering what is happening with regard to the layoffs. Why didn't the union ever make a statement? I am sick and tired of paying over $200 a year for nothing. Not to mention they haven't been able to get most of us a raise in years and yet we still have to pay. What's the point? It's obvious the layoffs were not due to the budget since the budget is better than it has been in years. It takes forever to get work from Repro so it seems to me they need more than one person. IT"S TIME FOR THE UNION TO TELL US WHAT'S REALLY GOING ON.
Who are the union negotiators anyway? Just some union members who also works at some CSU somewhere?
If that is the case, a good chunk of change out of the union dues should go to pay a professional to just handle our collective bargaining each year.
Union reps should be full time union employees and paid by the union. Otherwise they face retaliation and scorn from fellow workers who view their union activities as a way to get out of "real" work. You can be sure administration would also take them more seriously if they weren't signing their paychecks.
I have heard alot of rumors and speculation about the layoffs. If any of it is true, those people have a great case for unlawful termination and they should call a lawyer.
I agree the union should make a statement, but from what I know it didnt' go well. One person (Jim Duncan) was kept on half time in Repro and half time in Facilities Mgmt. Terry Bulaski in ITV (E-learning) ended up retiring. Not sure what happened with the others.
If you're wondering why the union is so weak, its because there are so many employees that refuse to pay the extra 75 cents or $1 a month to become members. All the non-members out there are represented by the Chancelor's cronies at the bargaining table. That makes it hard for the union to bargain when the union only has a following of 46.8%.
Imagine what it must be like, if you were at the bargaining table and the other side said we represent over half of the employees and they're happy with no pay raises and an increase in parking fees. That's basically what has been happening over the years. So you can basically blame all the non-members for the lack of accomplishment at the bargaining table.
Furthermore, of the hundreds of employees on campus, how many have been willing to put their minds to where their mouths are and become active in the union. Not many! So you really can't criticize the few who volunteer their time and risk their jobs for you.
I agree 100%. It is true that non-member, fee payers basically hinder the union insteand of help. But that doesn't answer the question of why we don't feel a union presence, especially in times of need like layoffs? Why didn't the union take a stand and fight for their employees? There was certainly other public outcries on their behalf. Maybe the union would get the support they need if they took a real stand and made some noise instead of being silenced and subdued by administration.
Come on think about it. You think the Union rep just sat by and ignored phone calls from the people who were let go? Maybe they didn't hold a rally or a picket line, but the Union was involved.
Of course the union was involved but can you talk about anything they did? Anything they accomplished? Any sign that they were even working on the case? You don't agree it would be appropriate in the face of so many being laid off to make a statement to the rest of us? If they can get rid of those people without the union making a fuss, do you think your job is secure? I sure don't and you're ignoring the real problem if you do.
I don't think it was the fact that the union wasn't doing anything, but they have to protect the privacy of the employees. Furthermore, it's a lot easier to work with management when they're not being attacked. Besides, its management's right to lay employees off. They just have to go through the process outlined in the contract to find alternative resolutions. Apparently, that allowed one employee to stay on, but the others couldn't be saved. Maybe those employees still read this and may want to let us know what happened since the union probably can't go in to specifics due to privacy issues.
I'm not sure anyone even reads this anymore, but if you do and have heard how the layoff victims are doing, please let us know. I talk to Jim Duncan occasionally, and he's professional and polite, but his bright and funny personality seems dimmed and serious these days. How are the other victims doing?
Jim Duncan is "dimmed and serious"? Who wouldn't be in his situation? I heard he only got that job because Carolyn Gomez did not accept it and that he has not been able to keep up with demand. I would love to know what really happened since there is no way CSUB can grow and go Div I without several competent, efficient graphic designers on staff. I have tried to design my own stuff and it doesn't even come close to the work I have seen from Carolyn and Jim. How does Mitchell expect to accomplish his "vision" without first rate publicity material? Who is going to be doing this work? I have priced off campus sources and they charge 10x what Reprographics does. So our choices are either pay exhorbitant fees or wait forever for work. How is this cost effective and good for the campus? Can anybody answer this?
I use Jim's design service, too, and have found him pleasant enough; he's certainly competent, reliable, effecient, and very talented. But the days of next-day design when we don't plan ahead are over, I'm afraid, and I'm reconciled to that. Because I know I'll get high-quality work in a fairly reasonable amount of time for an amazingly good price, I won't go elsewhere. I just hope the highlest levels learn to recognize the differnece between secretarial design and Jim's work. No offense to clerical staff (I'm an ASC myself) but c'mon folks, most of us are not capable of the quality work we get from Reprographics. I hope administration learns this, too...eventually.
I would never use a blog such as this to point fingers or criticize an individual on campus because I think of how I would feel if it were me.
It is certainly unfortunate that the administration decided to lay people off because it affects the morale of us all. It's also unfortunate that the anger it engenders in the employees being laid off gets misdirected at those around them, including their supporters. Soon your staunchest allies can turn against you because of your bitterness and because there is nothing they can do to prevent it from happening. The worst thing about layoffs is it can easily turn friends and amicable coworkers against one another.
In regards to the quality of work generated by clericals versus professionals I think one needs to ask, is every department willing to spend the big bucks on something like a flyer, for instance, when they can have a clerical 8-5'er do it as part of their regular salary. While I agree the professionals do a job that is infinitely superior to what rank amateurs can accomplish, not every department requires this level of professionalism and certainly there are few departments who can afford it. It's the sad reality of operating within the confines of a reduced state budget.
Who is being criticized here? What bitterness are you referring to? How do you even know if any of these posts are from the people who were laid off. Not sure where you are coming from in that regard. It's too bad you don't feel that every department should be represented with professional quality print materials. This is, after all, a state university. If the move to Division I becomes a reality, it will be of utmost importance that the entire university, academics included, be represented in a professional manner. There is no reason to produce cut rate material unless you are a cut rate organization. This should have been and should still be a priority of this campus' administration.
Nobody is criticizing anybody. I have heard Jim himself say there is no way a half time person can do all the work and he didn't know how it was going to get done. The fact he got the position by default only means he needed the job more than Carolyn and we should all be glad he took it or we'd really be screwed.
I'm sorry if I implied others were criticizing Jim - I don't see that as being the case. I wanted to point out that *I* would not criticize Jim (or anyone else for that matter) in a public forum regardless of what I thought about them personally.
As far as bitterness, all I have to do is read your post - it reeks of it!
Your assertion that every department on campus needs "professional" quality print material because we are going to Division I is both naive and unrealistic. Naive in the sense that, regardless of what YOU think it isn't going to happen, and unrealistic in the sense that it would take far too much time and money to do even if it were a priority for this campus.
I went to a private out of state university before relocating here and I can assure you the quality of materials coming from our departments is on par with the quality of materials coming from other (more prestigious) institutions. Cut us some slack - you're just mad because we're going D1!
I could care less about going Div 1 and shouldn't EVERYONE be bitter that our campus has laid off valuable employees despite the fact the state budget is better than it has been in several years? Doesn't that make ANYONE suspicious?
I am also definitely not naive or unrealistic...the quality of material being produced by non-professionals is obvious and embarassing. Raise your priorities and open your eyes.
I, for one, am very thankful for the recent raise in my salary. It's been a LONG time coming. Some people I know got REALLY nice raises and I am happy for you as well. But I am still left wondering why 5 employees were laid off. I would hope, for all of our sakes, that this is not a dead subject. If it can happen to them, it can happen to us. The reasons given for their layoffs, no work and no money, aren't holding a whole lot of water lately.
I also received a nice raise which I am very thankful for since it has been a long time coming. I too am wondering how a campus that just experienced layoffs can afford raises for all employees, some of which received much more than cost of living. The Print Shop was downsized, yet I have seen it operating after hours on several occasions. I appreciate this since my department and others, I've heard, are not receiving their jobs as quickly and efficiently as before the layoffs. If they are indeed working overtime, that is time and a half that has to be pre-approved by an administrator. How is a lack of work justified in this situation? I notice that Print Shop and Reprographics positions also received nice raises and that alone is a slap in the face to those who were laid off for lack of budget. I find it hard to believe that lack of budget and lack of work can still be used as justification for these layoffs, yet none of the employees have been brought back as they should be. I agree with the above post, none of us are safe.
I know that no one posting here is griping about poor service from Reprographics (graphics and print shop), but I have heard other people complaining, and I just don't understand why they're blaming a department who has lost almost half its total workforce--graphic design is down by 75 percent, for heaven's sake. If you're going to complain, complain to Sharon Taylor and Mike Neal, who promised us that half a staff would give us the same full service. How they or we can expect that is beyond me. And let's face it, both those departments are still giving amazing service, even if it is a little slower.
My prayers are always with the layoff victims, but right now my sympathy is with Kendyl Magnuson and Steve Herndon. It must be awful knowing before you have even interviewed that you will not get the job. Dr. Mimm's qualifications are impressive, and losing to those would offer some comfort, but the sad fact is that Kendyl and Steve won't lose to experience or expertise, they will lose to gender, ethnicity, and UC affiliation. Call it racist (although it isn't), it still remains true Bay area black women are now the candidates of choice.
If I'm not mistaken Dr. Mims also applied for the Vice President, Student Affairs position. If what you said was true why didn't she get that job? You could just as easily say Steve & Kendyl have an insider's advantage, depending on how you want to misrepresent the argument.
The point is no one knows who is going to get the position until after the interviews are over and the hiring committee has ranked and selected its choice. Whoever is chosen will be the most qualified, regardless of race, ethnicity or affiliation.
Yeah, right.
Your comment about hiring Bay Area black women is offensive, chauvinistic and racist.
First of all, you belittle Steve and Kendyl by assuming they do not have the qualifications, experience and expertise necessary to compete with an equally competent off-campus candidate who happens to be an African American woman from the Bay Area. If anything, I would think on-campus candidates would have an advantage in that they know our university and the "players" here and the campus knows them.
Using your "reasoning" one could easily say that if Kendyl was hired this would be yet another example of the white man being moved into a position of power.
Is Steve was hired your comment would probably be that he was chosen for affirmative action reasons and/or because he was a man.
If Jacqueline were hired you would (and do) say it's because she's a black woman from the Bay Area.
You ignore the fact that these interviews, from start to finish, are done in a professional and transparent manner to ensure that no favortism is shown to any one person. The committee that interviews AND selects the final candidate is a diverse group composed of faculty, staff and student representatives. The qualifications of each candidate selected for interviews are posted on the web and the campus community is invited and encouraged to meet with each candidate and give their feedback.
Was this done when Dr. Arciniega's was president? Did anyone comment on the fact that he primarily hired people of hispanic origin? Furthermore, there seems to have been little if no complaint when the four vice presidents were all white males.
You ignore the fact that President Mitchell is trying to make this a diverse university in all respects and keeping up with his idea of excellence means the best candidate will be selected for this position regardless of their race or gender.
Set your racism and bigotry aside for a moment and ask yourself - are you upset because the final candidate might be a woman, an African American, or the ever-hated Bay Area "liberal" that Bakersfield loves to despise?
Was this done when Dr. Arciniega's was president? Did anyone comment on the fact that he primarily hired people of hispanic origin?
Yes, I noticed, along with every other white, black, Asian, etc. person on campus trying to get ahead. I have also heard a lot of comments on know why Dr. Mitchell needs an office full of Spanish speaking staff. There must be an awful lot to do in that office considering he wasted no time hiring a high dollar execuitve assistant.
Funny last time I was in that office I saw alot of different races and only one that I know of speaks spanish fluently. Maybe you shouldn't equate skin color with language!
And how do you know what the president pays his assistants and what do you consider high dollar? If you are in payroll then you should be fired for revealing this information, but like so many chickens you don't make your concerns known to anyone who can solve them you just anonymously whine about it.
Are you disputing the fact that Arciniega only hired Hispanics in his office? I remember the position announcements which read "bilingual preferred" which is not common for CSUB job positions.
I am also not suggesting that only Hispanics speak Spanish, but give me a break...unless you are new hire, there have been nothing but Hispanics in the president's office until Mitchell came on board.
As far as I know, all of Arciniega's people are still employed in the president's office plus Mitchell hired a few more to boot (the other races you are referring to are new hires, temps and/or reassigned employees). I am not trying to knock or degrade anybody, just stating the facts and agreeing with earlier posts.
As far as the high dollar salary of Mitchell's executive assistant...no, I am not in accounting and therefore shouldn't be fired, nor am I a rocket scientist...I simply read the job announcement for the position, which listed the salary range and I would bet part of my pitiful salary that it is significantly higher than most of the office staff who have been working 20+ years here. And remember, it was only the starting pay.
...but like so many chickens you don't make your concerns known to anyone who can solve them you just anonymously whine about it...
Not sure exactly what you meant by that...I have no concerns or anything to solve, just agreeing with the previous posts that that's the way it is around here.
At least you included yourself in that statement when you posted anonymously as well.
"I have also heard a lot of comments on know why Dr. Mitchell needs an office full of Spanish speaking staff."
-Do you mean Dr. Arciniega? mi no hablas el Espanol. lol.
I agree saying "bilingual preferred" is a way of excluding people, but some positions (in healthcare, etc) warrant being bilingual, such as interpreters.
I noticed during Dr. Arciniega's time the campus did not have a problem overly promoting hispanics - look at HESF for instance and yes, even the makeup of his office. What shocks me is that even today there are ads posted for Latina Sororities & Black Men on Campus (for example) but you will NEVER, EVER see any for white fraternities like Kappa Kappa Kappa. This is statewide though and not limited to this campus, I've seen it at other cal states and You See's.
I wish I could make alot of money - I think that new people sometimes make more than the old to lure them here, like that old dude with his ice cream truck that hangs around daycare. But then using the old bait and switch technique they never make another raise. I earned more moving from job to job than I ever did staying in one place. Of course, I was robbing each employer I worked for and as an alcoholic I kept getting fired. Now to just slide this campus pen into my pocket and take a snort of this brandy - OOH YA.
How interesting that Div I is so hated. Exactly who does want this? Have Mitchell been taken down the wrong road? Does he realize how thin the support?
Welcome Dr. Brownlee, and congratulations on your appointment as VP of Student Affairs at CSUB.
You'll all be happy to know there are no black bay area candidates in this recent applicant pool!
Horace Mitchell
Did they already hire a new student affairs VP?
It was disappointing to read in the Californian that the only reason a recent administrative hire accepted her position had nothing to do with CSUB, its reputation, potential, or students; it was only because Dr. Mitchell is here that she decided to accept. Nothing like the suggestion, in print no less, of cronyism to inspire confidence.
What reputation?
Any reputation that CSUB has is probably bad, but Dr. Mitchel seems like he is trying to change it. I wonder what the critics will say about Dr. Ruleas because she's not from san francisco, she's not black, she doesn't know Dr. Mitchell. Maybe they will accuse him of only hiring women, or Californians, or brown eyed people. Oh wait, she went to school at a UC! I don't know about the rest of you but I won't associate with royalty. Give me a community college grad or nothing!
"...but Dr. Mitchel seems like he is trying to change it [CSUB's rep]." What exactly is he doing? I sure haven't heard of much.
He certainly hasn't done anything to improve the morale on campus. You'd think after laying off 5 people upon his arrival he would have at least pretended to be interested in the rest of us. I am sick and tired of doing all the work, getting microscopic raises every 8 years and witnessing incompetent administrators get their salaries increased by 49%. What a joke.
Rumor has it he is paying attention to the rest of us and is planning more well deserved layoffs. Too much dead wait and malcontents around here. Heads need to roll!
I can only hope by your lack of sensitivity, not to mention your poor spelling skills that your "head" will be among those that need to roll.
I can't speak for the rest of you but I know my head is rolling right down the stairs and on to bigger and better things! Adios CSUB!
Am I the only one that finds the obviously fake comment "signed" by Dr. Mitchell racist and offensive? Moderators - is there a way his name can at least be removed? I believe everyone is entitled to their 1st amendment free speech rights and personal opinion (I'm speaking from a personal and not professional standpoint) but to make insensitive comments and sign them with someone else's name can be misleading to those who don't know better, may be libelous and it reduces the credibility of a public forum that otherwise discusses valid issues and suggestions. Just my two cents worth, and now let the stone throwing at me begin...
Erik
etbartley@yahoo.com
I agree with Erik. It is not right to post using another person's name...keep the blog honest or it's pointless to post.
Since the last post was about Erik (and I agree, he is right) I wonder what his qualifications are to serve on the new Campus Image Committee. And why isn't Nancy O'Kane or Jim Duncan included?
Erik seems to be on campus PR for the president, who better to be on the image committee? It's obvious why Nancy wasn't included and since the campus has little regard for the way it appears on paper, it's no surprise Jim wasn't invited to participate.
This post has been removed by a blog administrator.
Since so many people are complaining about the President hiring the "supposed" influx of Black women/men on campus, what's to explain the blatant lack of Black people in the Business Administrative Services (BAS) division on this campus?
The lack of minority staff is noticeable, and wrong. But mentioning it now seems equally wrong, if the accusations of criminal conduct, mismanagement, and incompetence made about someone in a cabinet level position are true. Regardless of race, no one who has committed such egregious acts should be in that position. And while the effort to improve diversity in the staff at CSUB should definitely continue, that effort should never be used to excuse illegal or inappropriate behavior. What should be of most concern now is ARE THESE ACCUSATIONS TRUE?
This post has been removed by a blog administrator.
Erik...are you still employed on campus? I know some people who spoke out less than you and they've been gone about 10 months now. Good luck.
This post has been removed by a blog administrator.
Unfortunately, the legacy of hiring incompetent administrators continues....
"Erik Bartley said...
I agree a campus needs to be a diverse place where everyone feels welcome, but I think it should also reflect the diversity in the community. You can only hire so many of the same kind of people (be they black, white, men or women) before others will start asking questions if a pattern seems to be developing."
Wait, when all the white people (administrators, staff, faculty and so on) were hired on campus who asked questions???? The truth of the matter is that people didn't start asking questions and throwing accusations until a black administrators started being hired on campus.
This post has been removed by a blog administrator.
Erik makes some good points however, I highly doubt if Bakersfield/Kern County is at this moment predominantly white. If so, it will not be for long. Then who are people going to cry to about discrimination? I have never seen a White Man on Campus club or Caucasian graduation ceremony and while I take no offense to those people, I do get really tired of hearing about the rights of blacks and hispanics. White people always have to bite their tongue for risk of being labeled racist but you'd better believe their would be backlash to a Caucasian graduation ceremony. I do think it was unfair that Arcinega filled his office with nothing but Latina women. I knew I would never have a chance at one of those positions. And I do think it is unfair that Mitchell is filling high paying positions with black women but no one should complain if these people are competent to perform the duties they were hired for. The fact that CSUB has been run predominantly by white men may be because they were the only people who applied. Afterall, most of them were hired by Arciniega and it seems to me that he gave as many jobs as he could to fellow Hispanics...some of which are now back in "regular" faculty positions since Arciniega's retirement.
I guess what I am trying to say is...everyone feels discriminated against at one time or another. The only factor the masses should consider when people are hired for certain positions is their qualifications, knowledge and competence in the position--when these are all lacking, then we have the right to question the appointments. Unfortunately, as the poster above stated, CSUB continues to not only hire incompetent administrators, but continues to reward them along the way as well.
Amen, sister!
"The fact that CSUB has been run predominantly by white men may be because they were the only people who applied."
Well now it's real clear where your logic comes from...no need to elaborate LOL....
Am I the only one not surprised that when you put a black person in power they still act like the black thug on the street? I see it happen all the time.
Do you have a more logical answer considering Arciniega did most of the appointing of those white men? Don't mock, participate with intelligent responses or stay off the blog.
well Bakersfield is considered the "Deep South" of California, and it definitely shows....
WHO considers it the deep south? I've never heard that term when referring to Bakersfield and if you are trying to insinuate that all people who live in Bakersfield are hicks or okies...try leaving the 08 once in a while.
I love how anytime something bad is said about blacks it is automatically called racist even if its true. Yet hiring all black people is considered ok. Is it a double standard, or are you just being delusional?
All the arguing about racism misses the original point. Racism exists; I've witnessed it too many times to deny it does. And it's wrong. But equally wrong is using racsim as a means to cover-up INCOMPETENCE and a CRIMINAL PAST. AND IT'S THAT INCOMPETENCE and CRIMINAL PAST in a cabinet level administator we should be worried about. It's not as important an issue as racism, but it damn sure is important, and should not be overlooked.
When there are so many of us who worry about making ends meet, the president should be damned sure the people HE appoints to the high paying positions HE creates should at LEAST be competent to perform those jobs. A criminal background as well? Good Lord, what an embarrasing joke this campus has become.
Check out what was sent to me:
http://www.geocities.com/etbartley/EvelynsResume.pdf
Would you say this experience merits that kind of pay?!
She seems to be acting more and more like Sarah Brothers (her sister) everyday! That woman was WORTHLESS as an employee, no one liked her, and when they tried to get rid of her she SUED for, you guessed it - racial discrimination!
I have not read any postings in a long time and I am amazed at the way things are going. I hate to see all the comments about racism. First of all, CSUB has not had a white president for almost 25 years! There have always been a significant number of people on this campus who value diversity and encouraged the hiring of the diversity we now have. Yes there are still too many good old white boys running the show but that is being corrected slowly. If you hire 10 minority people, some of them will be great and some will be weak. I look around at the people that Mitchel has hired and I am impressed with most of them. My favorite is Soraya Coley the new provost. MItchell was very smart in hiring her and I really believe that she will make this a better place. It is too bad that one of his hires may be in such bad taste. I get the feeling that he likes to mentor others. The real trouble about being a minority is that you are judged more harshly and you are noticed more often (hispanic, chicano, gay, female, etc.) If you are good - no one notices, but if you are weak - it is because they should not have hired a minority for your position. I think that minorities are judged too harshly and too often. I know of a significant number of white loafers on this campus. They have been here a long time, they are protected by the union and they will not be touched. Competence is not about skin color. I know a white woman on campus who does all the things that are being said about the president's assistant and she gets away with it. No one is even talking about her. In fact, people who do not have to work with her, seem to really think she is doing a great job. Of course no one will work directly with her for long. The turnover in her office is the most important piece of information. Time will tell with Evelyn. Anyone in an administrative position must rely on others for help and support services. A good director will engage staff and produce excellence with a positive atmosphere and high employee morale. People feel part of something that they value. A bad director will destroy office morale, people will hate to come to work, and people will flee. IN one case, the employees are happy to work hard together with their boss for a valued goal, in the other the employees feel that they are slaving so that their boss can take all the credit and achieve their own personal ambitions. In short, they feel used and abused.
There are so many changes going on at CSUB right now that many people just can't keep up. These are exciting times. It is the little decisions we make daily that will determine where we end up as a university.
"I know a white woman on campus who does all the things that are being said about the president's assistant and she gets away with it. No one is even talking about her."
I think her name is Sharon Taylor, because I've heard PLENTY about her from other people on campus and you're right, nothing is done about it. I don't think anything will be done about any administrator that steps out of line because to punish them is to admit that you made a mistake in hiring them.
It's sad people aren't more vocal about ANYONE that mistreats them, regardless of their skin color. It's the fear of reprisal that accompanies any job, and the fear of losing the pittance they get every month that compels employees to accept their supervisor's antics when they should be filing lawsuits against them.
As in any instutition, this type of behavior will drive away the best and brightest and leave only those who are willing to put up with it. It's the whipped dog mentality, the master struts around with the whip while the employees (the whipped dogs) grovel, whine and lick at his/her feet in hopes they won't feel the lash next.
As for me, this pup's been adopted and off to a new home lol...
I know of a significant number of white loafers on this campus. They have been here a long time, they are protected by the union and they will not be touched.
Excuse me...you must be completely ignorant about the four people who were "laid off" less than a year ago. None of those people were loafers and the big bad union you refer to did absolutely nothing to help them.
The union's a joke. Your better off sucking up to management than relying on the union to help you.
NEVER underestimate the power the ability to kiss ass has. It's far better than skill, competence, or commitment when job security is your goal. Convincingly ACT like you really care; convincingly ACT like you think your boss is a worthy leader; and convincingly ACT like you know what you're doing, and you will have a job forever...at least at CSUB.
Unfortunately, you are absolutely, positively, 100% correct.
Even if your supervisor is an incompetent moron making $82,000 a year who seldom shows up, and when she does show up for a few hours only scribbles notes down on a piece of paper like a receptionist, throws it on her inundated desk, and pawns her work off on everyone else in the office while she garners all of the praise from the President, er, her supervisor? SOUNDS LIKE A PLAN, WHERE DO I SIGN UP FOR THIS JOB?!
Sorry...all THOSE jobs are already taken. I think a lot of employees will recognize their female bosses in your description though.
How to excel as a manager...hmmm...is somebody actually watching this blog? More importantly, it's too bad they are trying to get the managers trained after the fact. Why the HR director still has a job is beyond me.
After reading the above blog and approaching my latter golden years, searching for a forum to keep my senility at bay, is there any hope that CSUB has any compentent, happy, successful employees or management?
If I wasn't so old and tired, I'd consider a consulting position.
Don't worry, old and tired are prerequisites for consulting upon retirement at CSUB.
Unfortunately, you don't appear to be blind or stupid so you probably ought to think of something else to entertain you once you retire.
Well, the idiotic approach to crucial changes continues. The campus facilities reservation process is too disjointed and has needed revision for some time. They've finally put together a committe to make some changes, but as far as I can tell the members of the committee have no practical knowledge of the current system, or the needed changes; I doubt any of them have even made a reservation. And can you guess who heads the committee? Well, Erik's not around to cover her ass, so committee meetings are gonna be a long trip to nowhere.
Evelyn Nelson is a bitch. She came into our office once with her cut up lip and walked past me without saying a word and into my manager's office like I didn't exist. The only time I see her is when Dr. Mitchel is around and she has her wigged head up his butt. They should fire her sorry ass.
I knew her sister when she worked here, and from all accounts Evelyn is just like her. If they try to fire her she will cry discrimination and sue, just like her sister did.
It's ironic how someone could go from living in her car with her son, diverting child support payments from a well-intentioned husband to a failing business, and then suddenly end up in such a high paying position at the President's side. A staff member I knew (who applied for this position) once told me Evelyn said Horace recruited her for the position and that she used to babysit for them, but I'm wondering if there wasn't a little "téte a téte" going on behind the scenes, if you know what I mean. How else could he justify keeping such an incompetent administrator?
Someone close to Horace once told me an informal poll was done by staff members about prospective candidates for the various positions (Exec Asst, Provost, etc.) and, without taking into account the candidate's qualifications for the position for which they were applying the staff members were able to surmise, with 100% accuracy, the final candidate for each position. It makes one wonder if race and realtions actually played into the selection process.
Yeah, sure...they polled the staff. I'd like to hear from ANY staff member who participated since it sure wasn't me or anyone I know.
It was the staff in the President's office that did the informal survey amongst themselves and you're right, they weren't involved in the selection or hiring process because staff members on campus, like faculty members, are given very little say in the administration of the university.
And based on a poll of staff in the president's office you still wonder if race and relations played a part in the selections?
Ya kind of hard to believe that out of four recruitments and numerous candidates four people would unanimously agree, before the interviews, that four black applicants would all be selected and be right each and every time. This isn't science, it's ESP, and those witches in that office should all be shot!
Aren't witches normally burned?
Comments about Evelyn Nelson are mostly about jealousy. I am white and I don't know her but shouldn't the President be able to hire someone he likes rather than a stuffed shirt overachiever? And the black thing is overblown. I sure wish I could make a fraction of what Evelyn gets but now we know the legend of higher pay exists for some. If she is a lowsy employee time will tell. Management receiving a 49% raise over the next five years at the expense of starving their staff is more of a priority than an attack on Evelyn who got lucky. And how could she have been the presidents babysitter when his kids are grown and he came from another town?
Does anyone fear more layoffs?
No, I am not afraid because I know the real reason why those people were let go. It was the only way BAS management could "hide" their incompetent mistakes. If it was for budget or lack of work then why are those positions that were laid off being relisted less than a year later?
If you don't know Evelyn at all how can you possibly say the previous posts were because of jealousy? Erik's posts have been deleted but I assure you they were not posted out of jealousy and since he worked very closely and knew Evelyn very well, I believe him. Regarding the rest of your post--you are absolutely right. Not only are most of the administrators already grossly overpaid, they are being paid for work their staff does. It's sickening and if everyone would join and/or support the union, perhaps things could be changed. Everyone knocks the union, but the truth of the matter is there is only power in numbers and our union definitely does not have the numbers it needs to be effective.
True, Layoff is a polite word for firing.
If jealousy describes me wishing I could make $82k/year, come in late and do nothing while I am here but pawn my work off on to a subordinate then yeah, I'm jealous.
The positions in Reprographics (print shop and graphic design) haven't been relisted. What they've done is advertise for 90-day temporary help. Hiring temps will hopefully help with the huge workload, but it will certainly mean administration doesn't have to pay for benefits. It's a tacky means to correct the mistake those layoffs are proving to be. I'm sure the union will take issue with this plan, and I hope they can stop it.
The position descriptions are the same as those who were let go. Those people should have been reassigned on campus long before they were laid off and at the very least they should have been offered their positions back, even if only for 90-day appointments. It makes me wonder what's really going on since neither one of those departments has ever been at a loss for work.
I heard Reprographics dept. has to be "self Supportive" now which means their state supplied funds for their staff were moved elsewhere to make it appear that it is a budgetary issue but in reality I believe it is more sinister. Does anyone know why they would cut them so low?
I think one of the main problems with CSUB is that there are a number of "yes" administrators who do nothing but nod and agree with what the Cabinet does. Included are deans and faculty members. I don't know if they keep their mouths shut because they're still holding their breaths in the vain hope that something positive will change at the university, or if they are afraid for their jobs and careers.
Of all of the people that can and should do something about the injustices they perceive at the university, such as staff layoffs, favortism, faculty issues, budget cuts (etc.) the most powerful group chooses to remain silent.
The only vocal member I have seen is Dean Lowenstein, and I commend him for having the guts to stand up to an administration and let them know what's really on his mind. Are the others just not as vocal, or are they simply blindly following the leader like lambs to the slaughter?
Erik you are absolutely right. Dean Lowenstein not only has a backbone, but he gives credit where credit is due. He uses his power in the correct way and does not condescend those who are under him. If only we had more administrators and deans like him, this might be a nice place to work.
You may see one side of Dean Lowenstein, but for many of us in BPA it is a hostile work environment because of him. He is petty and vindictive and never lets the facts get in his way.
You may see one side of Dean Lowenstein, but for many of us in BPA it is a hostile work environment because of him. He is petty and vindictive and never lets the facts get in his way.
That's too bad about Dean Lowenstein, I had no idea but unfortunately, I, for one, am not surprised. If there is a happy, productive department on campus, I'd sure like to hear from them.
My encounters with Dean Lowenstein have always been pleasant. Evelyn was slandering him at one time to the President, saying that he was staring at her tits and she made several appalling comments about his religion and made fun of his height. She spent several work hours emailing the Provost, President and her ex about her delusion. Only problem is, the Dean was preoccupied that day and had receipts and phone records to prove it. I provided him with copies of her emails should she ever try this again. It's a sad fact that white males have to face the vindictive wrath of veangeful females who survived failed, abusive relationships and thus hate all men. She was pulling the same shit her sister did, throwing out racial and sexual harrassment allegations to prove her point. I'm glad the dean was not cowed by her fantasy and responded the way he did, confronting the issue head on.
Also, does anyone know of the proper way to document and report flagrant waste of taxpayer money, i.e. the whistleblower act? I spent many a work hour, per Evelyn's instructions, working on purse brochures, family photos, and her New Life Crisis church project crap for her. I'd like to report that because, as my supervisor, I felt compelled to follow out her demands. She had her cronies in IT, who always came to bitch about Frankie (who I found was a great guy, one of the best I've ever worked with) work on her personal computers for her on company time. She'd throw around the weight of being a "Cabinet Member" to try to bypass the fact she is a glorified secretary.
Speaking of throwing around the weight, can you believe I was accused of "demanding" she had a PhD hood at winter's graduation ceremonies? Evelyn, who barely passed her bachelors degree with a C- average (information courtesy a letter of exception admitting her into the grad program), had the gall to sit with the stage party - Ph.D.'s who worked hard and EARNED their laurels, simply because she has her head up Horace's ass. She insisted I get her a bachelors hood, throwing the President's name out to me and Stella saying he insisted she have one, and then through whatever last minute rush by the bookstore she gets a PhD hood instead that is about a foot longer on each side. After Dean Lowenstein's BPA staff made inquiries into its appropriateness, she shifts the blame to me saying I demanded the bookstore give it to us and that I twisted their arms to get it for her, as if I cared one damn bit if she wore the hood. Of course, my bookstore contacts told me everything and confirmed she was lying, and Stella reaffirmed that Evelyn told us that the President wanted her to have one.
How typical to have a shifty, lying and manipulative person on the Cabinet, trying to get something for nothing. I hope, if at this year's graduation ceremonies if she shows up in a hood and the stage party members rip it off of her, throw her off the stage or, better yet, get up and walk off and leaving her there, looking like a complete fool. They won't, of course, but it would be a good sight to see!
I remember spending several mornings on her personal errands. One day I was duct taping a window in the back of her convertible (which someone in her part of town had knifed), using pillows and towels to prop it up. She even had me try to hot glue the damn thing. According to an email from her husband, she used to sleep in it with her son when she was homeless, and wouldn't use child support to get a place for her son. She doesn't even pay child support despite making double what her husband makes. Can we say GHETTO?
One morning she whisked me away from my work down to UHaul on White Lane, where she wanted me to bid on her Dress for Success 7,000 pieces of clothing that was about to be auctioned off because she defaulted on several months of payments. I had to walk around in the heat with her tottering above me in high heels and crotch grabbing miniskirt, secretively whispering comments to me so they didn't recognize her and ask for their rent money. In the end, they didn't even auction off the damn thing and my whole morning was wasted and ruined.
And this is the person who represents the President in his absence. What a joke.
Erik, what you have described above is gross misuse of state funds. You have more than enough information to file a Whistleblower Complaint. You can download the form and get the address information on the California State Auditor website.
Erik:
I haven't been keeping up with the blog. Hopefully, this is still timely information:
WHITLEBLOWER INFORMATION
1 (800) 952-5665
https://www.bsa.ca.gov/contactus/complaint.php
Go Erik Go!
I intend to, not that I think anything will come of it, but it never hurts to try! To many administrators think they are above the law because they are "cabinet level officers" or other such nonsense. Pontification and hubris - that's what they're all about.
You'd be surprised how effective a Whistleblower complaint can be.
I just saw the email from Roads and Grounds. I would like to know...why, when the budget is in an upswing, are we so short handed of ground and custodial staff? Mike Neal must be getting major kudos from somebody for his penny pinching budget. Many parts of the campus look terrible. Why? Smaller campuses have full facilities, custodial and grounds staff. DOES ANYBODY KNOW WHY MIKE NEAL IS ALLOWED TO RUN THE BAS LIKE HE DOES? I am particularly surprised since Dr. Mitchell himself was the Vice President of BAS in his former position. He of all people should know what's going on here is not right. He should have stopped the layoffs when he had a chance and he should most definitely take a look around and see how few BAS staff there are to do so much work. (I am not including overstuffed, I mean overstaffed HR!!)This campus will never grow and become the best in the system when the weeds are growing as tall as trees and the definition of cleaning a building is no more than emptying the trash. It's ridiculous and I, for one, am SICK OF IT! Thank you to all who try and work very hard to keep this campus looking as nice as possible. I can only hope you are all receiving the compensation you deserve.
They're too busy planting flowers once a week in front of the President's Office to keep it looking good to worry about the rest of campus. Or they are utilized off-campus at Dr. Mitchell's home setting up for the next Beg-a-thon where the local gentry are wined and dined and their pocketbooks emptied.
Yes. How is it that the President can use state personnel for his personal home decorating? Arciniega always used them too...hanging xmas lights and such...they probably throw faculty xmas parties so they don't have to pay to do any of that work themselves. Does anyone know if facilities is paid for that?
.
I actually think that's quite "legal" because most campuses provide a Chancellor's Residence (or, in this case, a President's residence) that is maintained by state personnel and is technically part of the campus, used for entertaining guests. I think Dr. Mitchell gets reimbursement for not having one. Of course it does little to quell the ire most people feel when grounds staff are used elsewhere and the campus itself looks like a tumbleweed garden. Whose to blame, I don't know.
If you think the pittance of work and money spent at CSUB is bad consider that at UCD our Chancellor Vanderhoef also had a maid and at UCLA Chancellor Carnesal had a chaffeur! Evelyn told me that when she's president she's going to install a heliport to ferry her from the campus and back to her home in DreamLand.
You are too damned funny!
I understand that ultimately it is the president who is responsible for the embarrassing state of this campus. However, everyone knows that the real reason it looks the way it does is because of Mike Neal. He keeps a skeleton crew in facilities, grounds and custodial. Although the size and population of the campus has nearly tripled since his employment, he has yet to employ the additional personnel necessary to accommodate this growth. He should be ashamed of himself and embarrassed of this campus when there are much smaller campuses who employ twice as many facilities people and it shows by the appearance of their grounds. Ask any union person how many facilities people are employed at Monterey, or other smaller campuses and you will understand why our campus looks the way it does.
All I can say is have you seen Cal State LA? Talk about a dump of a campus!
No, I haven't but who's to say it's not being run in the same way CSUB is? I still stand by my statement that facilities, grounds and custodial are all severely understaffed and Mike Neal should get the pink slip he deserves.
I agree he needs to go. I only wish he'd take Sharon Taylor with him.
I can't believe she's still there. She was throwing pens at people, throwing temper tantrums and screaming at her own employees. Of course, no one cares and everyone looks the other way.
Anyone else on the "Image Committee" know when, or IF, the new campus webpage will be put in place? It was supposed to be up in time for the Jazz Festival, but maybe I was thinking of the Jazz Festival in 2012. I know everything done at CSUB is done with excellence, except of course the decision making. Is Evelyn having a little trouble making the meetings without her prop?
Regarding the post about Sharon Taylor. I often wonder why those who have suffered her maniacal tirades don't get together and file a harassment suit against her. The way she behaves is not only against the law, but CSUB is supposed to have a zero tolerance policy. Of course, there's no way her buddy Kellie Garcia would do anything about it on her own. In fact, I don't think Kellie does much without Sharon's approval. She's just another administrator I would label incompetent.
Kellie's a nice person from what I have seen. I have always liked her. However, I often find HR managers are too timid and cautious. You'd think HR would provide support for staff, and not just another advocate for administration. It's systemwide. At CSUN I had a complaint against someone in employee relations for an anti-gay remark he made. Who was I referred to to handle my complaint? The same person in employee relations. What a joke. Anyone, staff, faculty or student that has had a complaint at CSUB probably feels the same way - you get recycled back into the same crap you are trying to get out of.
By the way, does anyone know if there's a university Ombudsman? I know other campuses use them as a resource to handle many of the complaints people here have brought up.
Willis Hill used to be the ombudsman but I'm not sure if he's still on campus or not. I don't have a directory at home.
Has anyone seen the proposed CSUB President's Office webpage? http://www.iescentral.com/sites/csubpresident/index.cfm This design was created by Dr. Attaran (who also designed the BAS site). It was done quickly and efficiently for an original amount of $1200, which Dr. Attaran later graciously waived. The site has not been updated since I left. The site was designed early last year and has not seen the light of day since. This is another example of a university that does nothing but blunder and stumble around all over itself because people can't make up their minds what to do. Evelyn didn't want the site hosted on Dr. Attaran's server because "CSUB can do it just as well". The people in Joan's office didn't want to use the site, created in Cold Fusion, because they said the software was incompatible with the servers. So instead of spending the $1200 (which, did I mention, was graciously waived?) the university has probably spent thousands of dollars paying administrators that do nothing but stumble, mutter and "uh, uh, uh..." their way through their careers because they HAVEN'T THE FAINTEST IDEA WHAT THEY ARE DOING.
And I repeat again - these are the people that are leading CSUB into the bright and glorious future to be the best university in the system?!
A long, hard laugh is in order...
I have found the university's antics quite amusing for some time now. I love to sit back and watch the administrators on this campus make complete and utter idiots out of themselves. Most of them are flunkies who couldn't hack it in the "real world." They are the ones who give state workers a bad name which is completely ironic since they rarely do any useful work at all.
The only thing you have to do to make it in state employment is bow, nod and say "yes" to everything your boss suggests. As for not being able to make it in the real world, why do you think many of them are in state employment? They probably fell into their jobs for that very reason.
Before you spend too much energy lambasting the administration, have you ever been in an administrative position? It is always easier to criticize. Try and walk a mile in someone else's shoes before you stomp all over them.
Yeah, right. Unlimited vacation, 50% pay increases...I'll take those shoes any day.
You're right. Poor, poor administrators. They have it so bad. Someone get me a hankie.
Must be hard spending all day trying to see who you're going to "delegate" your work to next, and where to go on that next vacation! I don't think all admninistrators are like this, but far too many of them are.
So far, most of the one's I've come across fit your description. Can anybody name one, just one ADMINISTRATOR who you believe is worth his/her salary?
Probably Dr. Ruelas, whom from what I've heard everyone likes.
It's funny that the original position description was changed and enrollment management taken out, and that position is the one that Dr. Mimms applied for and got. She makes more than Dr. Rueleas despite being an AVP, but then again, Evelyn makes more than most Administrators despite having an inferior education, experience and skill.
Yes things are bad. Bitching is easy to do. Ask yourself this: Are things bad enough to warrant a strike vote via the union? Would YOU vote for it and participate?
If you were involved in the union you would know we are not allowed to strike. It is prohibited by our contract. In fact, I think the CSU wrote our contract, not our union. And unfortunately our union representation is weak weak weak. If you had any dealing with them you'd know our labor rep is a wimp who lets Kellie Garcia pull him around by his nose.
Just have to let the contract expire, which it practically does each year negotiations take so long. That is going to be the only way to send a strong message to the CSU. Let the contract expire, and do a strike vote.
I would strike. Year after year, we get piddily 1+ % raises and year after year administrators get 35+ percent and WE do all the work. That sucks.
Oh now now Administrators work their butts off to help us and this is how we repay them? How ungrateful!
Oh wait, I was in Fantasy Land for a minute...
Post a Comment
<< Home