By NORINE GALL

Contact: Jamie Fitzgerald, 206-714-9976 or

Jaeney Hoeney, 253-833-9111 xt 4239

Green River College faculty has ‘No Confidence’ in Board of Trustees, ask Gov. Inslee to make changes

The faculty at Green River College has overwhelmingly approved a vote of no confidence in its board of trustees and is asking Gov. Jay Inslee to appoint new ones.

The vote was presented to the board at its Nov. 18 meeting and comes on the heels of two other votes where 92 percent of tenured faculty said they had no confidence in college President Eileen Ely.

“Our college is in a crisis of governance, and the board has been and continues to be negligent in its responsibility to ensure the college’s fulfillment of its mission,” says a faculty statement explaining its no-confidence vote. More than 80 percent of tenured faculty endorsed the vote.

The statement says the board has failed to:

• Evaluate President Ely adequately and effectively;
• Intervene in the face of a low and grinding morale across the campus where employees are not valued but rather harrassed, and the mission of the college is impeded;
• Provide oversight of questionable financial operations;
• Responsibly and respectfully communicate with faculty and address our concerns about the lack of shared governance;
• Failed to uphold the right of free speech by providing restrictions on presenters to the board;
• Uphold the traditional values and practices of the board which support the mission of the college;
• Question or arrest the declining role of instruction in the operations of the college; and
• Provide reasonable oversight regarding personnel matters.

“For these reasons, we believe the board is derelict in its oversight duties,” says the statement.

The statement asks that when current board members’ terms expire, Gov. Inslee “support union labor” by appointing trustees who understand the concerns of labor. In addition, the statement adds, “we believe the college would benefit from having more board members who represent the growing diversity and changing demographics of our service area.”

A four-page document accompanying the statement provides supporting rationale for faculty vote.

Vote of No Confidence Document

Vote of No Confidence Rationale

As an OESPA member and through involvement in your union, you have an advantage. You have the power to bargain, the power to negotiate; and the power to change things, win improvements, and accomplish the goals that matter to you!

Who can join?

OESPA is the union for OCPS employees whose positions fall under the following job families:
 

• Transportation
• Paraprofessionals
• Clerical
• Custodial
• Uniformed Security
• Maintenance
• Food Service
• Technology

If you aren't sure which job family your position falls under, check Appendix A-1 in your contract.

How to join:

FAX it to (407) 290-8799
EMAIL it to orangeoespa@gmail.com, or
HAND it to your steward, organizer or Uniserv Director

Please click on the image below to download the application:

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• Sep 23, 2015 at 3:08PM 

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