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Open Letter To CCSF BOT Pres. Shanell Williams & Bd: Do You Know Who Dr. Rajen Vurdien Is?

by Students For Accountability
San Francisco Community College Board of Trustees President Shanell Williams and her Board have hired a new interim Chancellor Dr. Rajen Vurdien from the same Community College that corrupt former CCSF Chancellor came from Pasadena Community College. He had a record of discrimination against African America staff at the college and was condemned by the NAACP for his actions.
sm_vurdien_rajen_dr._.jpeg
Open Letter To CCSF BOT Pres. Shanell Williams & Bd: Do You Know Who Is?

Open Letter To CCSF Board Of Trustees President Shanell Williams & Board: Do You Know Who President Dr. Rajen Vurdien Is & His Record At Pasadena City College & Why Are You Hiring Him?

"Terms of the contract being offered to Dr. Vurdien include a salary of $340,000 plus benefits for one year and up to $10,000 to reimburse him for moving costs."

Dear CCSF Trustees,

I would hope that before you approve of the contract* to hire Dr. Vurdien as CCSF’s interim chancellor that you verify the accuracy of two articles cited below.

One accuses him of discriminatory hiring practices. The other concerns his being fined for violating Government Code Section 87207 for not disclosing gifts from a company that sells bonds while he was president of North Orange County Community College District.

If either or both of the articles are accurate, please inform the college community what you plan to do.

Excerpts from two articles are below.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Rick Baum


From: https://www.pasadenajournal.com/black-audacity-at-pasadena-city-college.html

August 2015, under President Dr. Rajen Vurdien, 36 new employees were hired and not a single one was African American. At the time, Black Student enrollment represented 6% of the PCC Student Body (Source: California’s Chancellor’s Office)

Since 2015 PCC has had two President’s, four Human Resources Vice President’s, two Vice President’s of Instruction, two separate Chief Business Officers and countless other personnel changes.

The institutionalized discrimination, which has continuously and boldly passed from PCC administration to PCC administration, for at least five years if not more is what prompted the Pasadena NAACP to release in March 2020 “Pasadena NAACP Demands Solutions for the Hidden Figures at Pasadena City College: Black Women.” The full two-page document is available by request by contacting the Pasadena NAACP office….

Allen Edson, Pasadena NAACP President, and his predecessor, Del Yarbrough received numerous inquiries to the revered civil rights organization by black employees, yet they have been told over the course of the past five years by various PCC presidents, administrators and Trustees that they were “looking into the matter.”

The lack of respect showcased in the five plus years “looking exercise,” has resulted in no investigations nor corrected behavior by the Aspen award winning institution.

Over the years various local media including the campus newspaper, The Courier have also investigated and raised concerns about discrimination at PCC.

Black employees’ concerns are valid, yet they have been placed on the proverbial back burner, which has a compounding negative effect when ignored, of stress & income inequality as they juggle the lack of upward mobility and not getting a fair share of promotions.

“PCC has not arrived in the 21st century. It has stuck with discriminatory employment practices that most of us assumed had ended long ago. The invidious discrimination at PCC is not limited to an isolated incident - it exists across the board - at an institution that is fundamentally important to our City and society. I am outraged to learn that such discrimination still exists in the hiring and promotion process at PCC.

Supporting the leadership and call of the Pasadena Branch of the National Association of Colored People, I have a reasonable belief that the new President of PCC, Dr. Erika Endrijonas, will take all steps necessary to remedy the situation post haste.” - John J. Kennedy, Former President, Pasadena NAACP, Former Senior Vice President; Los Angeles Urban League; Former Vice Mayor and Current Pasadena Councilmember.

https://ocpolitical.com/tag/rajen-vurdien/

According to the Sacramento Bee one of the bond advisers named in giving gifts to the seven NOCCCD officials is E.J. De La Rosa & Co., Inc , which has underwritten 375 bonds totaling $14.5 Billion for local governments since 2009.

Below is the stipulation and order by the FPPC for the seven NOCCCD officials due to gift reporting violations:

Staff: Political Reform Consultant Adrianne Korchmaros, Legal Analyst Tracey Frazier, and Law Clerk Kyle Levy. In this matter, Respondent, Rajen Vurdien, as the President of the North Orange County Community College District, failed to timely disclose gift(s) of: one meal valued at $153.86 on his 2010 Statement of Economic Interests; and one meal valued at $180.00 on his 2011 Statement of Economic Interests. All gifts were from E.J. De La Rosa & Co., Inc. and all omissions were in violation of Government Code Section 87207 (2 counts). Total Proposed Penalty: $400.

_______________________


*FYI: terms of the contract being offered to Dr. Vurdien include a salary of $340,000 plus benefits for one year and up to $10,000 to reimburse him for moving costs.


Pasadena Commmunity College Students protest cuts at Pasadena City College by Mark Rocha Who Was Hired By CCSF Shanell Williams & BOT and given over $400,000 in a pay. off to go away because of his wrecking operation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4jFkA8yWFs

Stop The Closure of CCSF Ft. Mason & Other Campuses & Classes At SF Community College
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUlfNdGgUVY

A rally was held on June 22, 2020 at San Francisco Community College Ft. Mason campus which has been shut down by the Board of Trustees with the pretext that it was costing too much money to run.

Speakers discussed the fact that the Community College was actually getting funding from the state for the classes and functioning of the college.

Speakers also reported on the destruction of elderly classes, vocational classes and the cutting of classes for Black and ethnic studies.

This event was sponsored by a variety of students and public education advocates including Fort Mason Task Force, Restore the Dream, CCSF Collective, HEAT, San Francisco Bayview Newspaper, SF Gray Panthers and others.

Additional media:
CCSF Art Students Do Art & MusicTo Save Ft. Mason & Stop Privatization Of Balboa Reservoir
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3jdKvOHzls

Protest To Stop The Destruction of CCSF Through Elimination of ESL, Shuttering of Campuses, Privatization & Union Busting
https://youtu.be/GzGEZRrOWqY

Stop The Cuts! Hundreds of CCSF Students & Faculty Protest 300 Class Cuts AT BOT Meet-SF & CA Demos Lead The Attack On Public Education
https://youtu.be/7ohpgRD_cOg

CCSF Board Of Trustees At Meeting All Support Chancellor Rocha Cuts & Union Busting
https://youtu.be/2uwdqug6Ii4

AFT 2121 CCSF Faculty Speak Out On Rocha Budget Cuts & Public Education
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCjhCG0wunc

Students, Faculty & Community Demand STOP The CUTS At CCSF With Funeral
https://youtu.be/2caDc_WN60g

Shooting Yourself In The Foot & Increasing Executive Salaries At CCSF By Chancellor Rocha
https://youtu.be/3esO55xUlp8

Speak-out On Privatization of Balboa Reservoir For Developers Which Threatens SF City College
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbeRvY-HRhY

BUSTING up CCSF! CCSF Chancellor, Bd President & Bd Majority Wrecking City College
https://youtu.be/pizpoBQcQuQ

The Downsizing & Privatization Of CCSF "Vision 2025" & The Secret Illegal CCSF Board Meetings
https://youtu.be/JhDq_BakeQo

Privatization and Destruction of CCSF
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SnDjK5RAkes&t=2s

Build The PAEC NOW! Stop The Privatization & Developers Rip-off Scam
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkGMe_w6JaU

Conflicts of Interest, CCSF & The Attack On Public Education Privatization With Kathy Carroll
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ux4mRloWBEA&t=3s

Public Education, Privatization, Corruption And The
Destruction Of Our Schools
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_eu5u70tTE

"Are You Out Of Your Minds"? AFT 2121 Faculty Challenge CCSF Board On Mark Rocha Appointment
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEZpOS8p4gQ

For more information:
https://ccsfheat.wordpress.com and endorsed by the
CCSF Collective
https://www.ccsfcollective.org
Production of Labor Video Project
http://www.laborvideo.org
§Pasadena Community College Students Protesting Rocha Cuts
by Students For Accountability
pasadena_community_college_student_protest.jpg
Shanell Williams who is the president of the San Francisco Community College Board has again reached out to Pasadena Community College to recruit Dr. Rajen Vurdien who has a record of discrimination against African Americans in the staffing. The NAACP formally complained. Apparently Williams either is unaware of his record or is taking her directions from the same corrupt people who brought Mark Rocha to CCSF. The systemic corruption at CCSF by the top management with the collusion of Williams and the BOT is destroying CCSF.
§Rocha Downsizing Of CCSF Backed By Shanell Williams & BOT
by Students For Accountability
sm_ccsf_ccsf_rocha_agenda_to_downsize_1-24-19.jpg
The organized downsizing and demolishment of campuses at CCSF was led by former Chancellor Mark Rocha and backed unanimously by CCSF Board President Shanell Williams and the BOT.
§Mark Rocha $400,000 Retirement Deal
by Students For Accountability
sm_rocha_mark__400_000_retirement_deal.jpg
While CCSF Board President Shanell Williams and her board made a secret agreement to pay over $400,000 payoff to make Mark Rocha go away they are demolishing the Fort Mason campus of City College with the pretext that it costs too much.
§Climbing For More Power While Destroying CCSF
by Students For Accountability
sm_williams_shanell_at_ccsf_bot_12-12-19.jpg
While CCSF Board President wants more political power she is supporting the hiring of a new $400,000 a year interim chancellor
Dr. Rajen Vurdien who has a record of discrimination at Pasadena Community College. Why is Williams and the board going back to Pasadena Community College for an executive when their last hire Mark Rocha helped wreck and downsize CCSF? Their new chancellor also has
§CCSF Board President Supported $400,000 Pay Off Rocha
by Students For Accountability
sm_shanell_rocha_payoff.jpg
CCSF Board President Shanell Williams supported paying over $400,000 to Mark Rocha to go away. They did this illegally violating the Brown Act. The flagrant violation of the Brown Act and CCSF rules for transparency is another example of the systemic corruption that these politicians are exhibiting while they. spend millions of dollars for consultants and payoffs to corrupt executives. They are now spending thousands of dollars for lawyers defend their illegal actions while they cut classes and layoff faculty.
§Rocha Helped Wreck City College With The Support Of The Present BOT
by Students For Accountability
sm_rocha.cartoon.3of3.jpg
Mark Rocha from Pasadena Community College helped liquidate and massively downsize CCSF spending millions for consultants and personal cronies. This was backed up 100% by present president of the CCSF Board Of Trustees Shanell Williams.
§More Privatization With CCSF BOT Chancellor Pick
by Students For Accountability
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CCSF BOT president Shanell Williams with the support of the Board of Trustees despite the record of Dr. Rajen Vurdien have hired him at more than $400,000 a year. Are there any candidates without a record of corruption and violation of the law? Apparently not for Williams and the Board of Trustees. The continued privatization and the closure and selling off of the campuses comes directly from the playbook of privatizers, speculators and union busters. It is part of the destruction of public education.

Staff: Political Reform Consultant Adrianne Korchmaros, Legal Analyst Tracey Frazier, and Law Clerk Kyle Levy. In this matter, Respondent, Rajen Vurdien, as the President of the North Orange County Community College District, failed to timely disclose gift(s) of: one meal valued at $153.86 on his 2010 Statement of Economic Interests; and one meal valued at $180.00 on his 2011 Statement of Economic Interests. All gifts were from E.J. De La Rosa & Co., Inc. and all omissions were in violation of Government Code Section 87207 (2 counts). Total Proposed Penalty: $400.
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Transcription of Race Baiting CCSF Administrator's Jill Yee Report To 6/25/20 BOT Attacking AFT 2121 Rick Baum and AFT 2121 Former VP Wynd Kaufman

This is the transcript of Jill Yee's statement that she gave for the Administrators Association as Co-Chair.
https://www.ccsf.edu/en/about-city-college/board-of-trustees/board-live.html


20:23:35 >> WE WISH TO THANK DIANA GONZALEZ FOR PROVIDING THE CONTINUITY OF LEADERSHIP WHICH WAS SO CRITICAL JUST AS WE WERE HIT WITH THE PANDEMIC. WE RECOGNIZE THAT THE INTERIM CHANCELLOR RESPONSIBILITIES WERE ADDED TO HER ALREADY FULL PLATE

20:23:57 AS SVC OF ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES OF STUDENT AFFAIRS. WHILE IT'S PRETTY TYPICAL TO OVERWORK OUR ADMINISTRATORS, NOTHING COMPARES TO THE WEIGHT OF THE RESPONSIBILITIES THAT DIANA SHOWED FOR THE PAST 3 MONTHS. WE ARE INDEBTED TO DIANA FOR STEPPING UP.

20:24:11 NOW I WANT TO TURN MY ATTENTION TO SOME DEVELOPMENTS WHICH I WAS JUST MADE AWARE OF AND IT LEAVES ME ANGRY AND DISAPPOINTED, AND I AM COMPELLED TO ADDRESS IT DIRECTLY.

20:24:27 EVEN BEFORE DR. VERDEAN HAS BEGUN HIS TENURE AS INTERIM CHANCELLOR, THERE ARE ALREADY ATTEMPTS TO TARNISH HIS REPUTATION AND UNDERMINE HIS AUTHORITY QUESTIONING HIS HIRING RECORD.

20:24:56 WHAT IS PARTICULARLY APPALLING IS THAT A WHITE MALE, PART-TIME FACULTY, RICHARD BAUM AND WHITE WOMAN HAVE DIVERSIFIED THEMSELVES WITH THE POLICE AND CALLED ON HIS RECORD OF DIVERSITY HIRING.

20:25:02 HAVE YOU LEARNED NOTHING OF THE SOCIAL MOVEMENT OF THE PAST 3 MONTHS. CHECK YOUR PRIVILEGE.

20:25:20 FIRST OF ALL, THERE IS ALWAYS TWO SIDES TO A STORY, BUT THERE IS A TOXIC DYSFUNCTIONAL FACTION OF THE COLLEGE WHO IS NOT INTERESTED IN GETTING A BALANCED PICTURE OR THE FACTS BEFORE PUBLICLY CALLING SOMEONE OUT.

20:25:38 BECAUSE THEY KNOW YOU CAN'T UNWRING A BELL. THEY PREFER ATTENTION GRABBING GOTCHA MOMENTS, FANNING DIVISION WHILE SEEMING TO LEAD A CRUSADE FOR DIVERSIFY.

20:26:20 OPPORTUNISM AT ITS WORSE. THIS FALLS WITHIN DIVERSITY HIRINGS. THIS IS AN EMBARRASSMENT AND HAS BEEN THE CASE FOR DECADES. WHEN LOOKED AT THE LACK OF DIVERSITY OF AFT'S OWN LEADERSHIP AND REFLECT ON THE FACULTY'S OWN FAILURE TO DIVERSIFY. PERHAPS BY FOCUSING ON AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDIES IS A CONVENIENT WAY TO DEFLECT AND APPEAR TO SUPPORT DIVERSITY

20:26:42 BUT NOT REALLY BECAUSE WHERE IS THAT LEVEL OF PRESSURE TO DIVERSIFY THE FACULTY AND DEPARTMENTS WHICH SERVE VASTLY MORE STUDENTS OF DIVERSITY.

20:27:01 WHO IS AFT TO DEFINE THIS AND THEY POSTED FACULTY OF AFRICAN AMERICAN ADMINISTRATORS WITH A DOLLAR AMOUNT QUESTIONING THEIR WORTH.

20:27:15 PERHAPS THE EXCLUSIVE FOCUS ON AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDENTS IS COMPENSATORY BEHAVIOR FOR THEIR OWN RACISM.

20:27:32 WHILE CRITIQUING SOMEONE IS RELEVANT AND WHAT IS CIRCULATING THE BOARD IS CHARACTER ASSASSINATION.

20:27:47 ANYONE WHO HAS A CAREER WHO SPANS 3 DECADES WILL HAVE BATTLE SCARS, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU HOLD A HIGH PROFILE POSITION.

20:28:17 FOLLOWING RICHARD BAUM'S LOGIC AND THAT IS HIS CAREER AND WE NEED TO CONSIDER HIM FOR HIS FULL-TIME POSITION. WE APPLAUD THE BOARD'S DECISION FOR BRINGING DR. VERDEAN ABOARD DURING THESE UNPRECEDENTED TIMES.

20:28:30 HE WILL BE CHALLENGED WITH INSTITUTIONAL CHANGES THAT NEEDS TO BE MADE IN ORDER TO BALANCE THE BUDGET WHILE STILL MEETING THE NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS AND STAYING TRUE TO OUR MISSION.

20:28:38 HE WILL FIND THERE WILL BE MANY COMPETING NEEDS WITH LIMITED RESOURCES AND CONFLICTING OPINIONS ABOUT OUR PRIORITIES.

20:28:48 DR. VERDEAN WILL HAVE TO DISCERN BETWEEN A GROUP OF SELF INTEREST AND WHAT'S BEST FOR OUR STUDENTS.

20:29:03 HE NEEDS TO ASSESS WHAT IS SUSTAINABLE AND WHAT'S NOT. HE HAS TO SEPARATE THE CRACK POT CONSPIRACY THEORYS AND THE FACTS FROM REALITY.

20:29:32 WE COMMEND THE BOARD'S WISDOM TO RECRUIT FOR AN INTERIM CHANCELLOR AND SELECT AN EXPERIENCED CANDIDATE WHOSE CAREER AND FUTURE EMPLOYMENT WILL NOT BE CONTINGENT ON THE SUPPORT AND APPROVAL OF ANY CONSTITUENT GROUP. AND THUS LESS SUBJECT TO THE POLITICAL WINS AS AN INTERIM CHANCELLOR DR. VERDEAN WILL BE LESS SUSCEPTIBLE TO THE THREAT OF POLITICAL BACKLASH

20:29:39 AND BETTER ABLE TO RESIST THAT PERSISTENT SQUEAKY WHEEL.

20:29:54 PERHAPS THIS IS WHAT THE WIND KAUFMAN AND THOSE ARE AFRAID OF LEADERSHIP NOT SUBJECT TO SPECIAL INTEREST, SELF INTEREST, POLITICAL CAPITAL.

20:30:19 WHERE MIGHT THAT LEAD THE AGENDA. WE WELCOME A FRESH SET OF EYES INGRAINED PROBLEMS TO THIS INSTITUTION AND A FORTUNE TO HAVE SOMEONE WITH A TRACK RECORD TO PURSUE THE HELM OF AN INSTITUTION IN CRISIS AND LEAVE IT IN BETTER SHAPE.

20:30:46 A YEAR FROM NOW, HE WILL HOPEFULLY HANDOFF A SOLVENT AND REIMAGINED COLLEGE TO A PERMANENT CHANCELLOR. TO DR. VERDEAN, IF YOU ARE LISTENING ON BEHALF OF THE ADMINISTRATORS ASSOCIATION, WE THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT OF RETIREMENT TO TAKE ON WHAT IS TO BE THE MOST CHALLENGING TIME OF YOUR CAREER.

20:30:56 BE SURE THAT WE ARE THE BETTER AND THE FEW OF THE LOUD ALARMIST VOICES WHO WILL NO DOUBT REAR THEIR HEADS AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN.

20:31:04 THE ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM WILL AVAIL OURSELVES TO SUPPORT YOU IN ANYWAY WE CAN.

20:31:10 YOUR SUCCESS WILL BE OUR SUCCESS. FAILURE IS NOT AN OPTION.

20:31:12 WELCOME TO CITY COLLEGE.

20:31:13 THANK YOU.

20:31:28 >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. JILL. WE'LL NOW GO TO DARLENE.
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