I will be reading this statement on behalf of the NCCFT Executive Committee. I am Debra DeSanto, President of the NCCFT and I represent the interests of this faculty – your faculty – and I believe I represent the interests of this College and its mission.
Last month I left here with the hope that things were going to change. I hoped we were all going to be able to begin anew. We reached out to the BOT, and we hoped that this time you would reciprocate. It has not happened. We renewed our overtures to Dr Astrab, and we had some hope that this time he would respond. His words at the recent General Faculty and Academic Senate meetings were promising. But words without corresponding action to give them life are meaningless and what we are now faced with is empty rhetoric- words without meaning. Mere promises that, apparently, are never meant to be fulfilled.
In the month since we all last met, there have been two more serious breaches of shared governance: the library and Writeplacer. Two more instances where faculty expertise has been ignored; two more instances where this Administration appears willing to sacrifice academic integrity along with this college’s mission.
The final insult however, to this faculty – your faculty – was just brought to our attention. The Administration in the midst of this financial crisis has given its Assistant General Counsel a $33,165 dollar raise – a salary increase of more that 33%. As soon as this item was brought to our attention, Frank and I made an appointment with Dr.Astrab to confirm the information. Dr. Astrab did indeed confirm the increase was true. This, at a time when the Administration speaks of nothing but the budget crisis and the need for faculty sacrifice… I don’t think I need to explain further why this is an outrage.
I stood here last time and the time before that and repeated our request for you to reach out to us, to meet with us, to collaborate with us, to be our partner in the resolution of this College’s grave troubles. Clearly, those overtures have been repeatedly and consistently rejected. So, all I can say to you right now is that this institution is on the wrong path – I think, I hope, we all understand this. It is time for you to take the initiative to partner with us, to work with us, to reach out to us. Without seeking and gaining our cooperation, you will be responsible for the disastrous failure of this college’s mission, the students we serve, the community we serve and you will lose the trust that your title of trustee implies.