OCC professor protesting administrative rebuke

Deirdre Newman

OCC CAMPUS -- A veteran aviation professor has appealed an ultimatum

from the Coast Community College District’s trustees telling him to

change his behavior or risk getting kicked off campus.

Ernest Maurer received a notice of unprofessional conduct from the

trustees after a unanimous vote Sept. 19. He appealed the notice to the

state Public Employment Relations Board, which in turn filed a complaint

against the district. A settlement conference will take place in

mid-November.

The district contends Maurer failed to follow administrative protocol

and had problems relating to his supervisor, Robert Mendoza, dean of

technology.

But he did not break any explicit rules or policy, said Daniel Casey,

the district’s director of human resources. Mendoza said he would not

comment because the case is being handled as a personnel matter, and

Maurer was unavailable for comment Tuesday.

Maurer’s Web site, which is currently not accessible, also became

embroiled in the controversy for its content, although there are no

restriction’s on professors’ personal Web sites, Casey said.

Maurer was the dean of technology for more than a decade and resumed

teaching aviation classes in 1996. But as tension flared between Maurer

and the administration, he was placed on administrative leave in May.

When classes started in the fall, Maurer was allowed on campus but was

transferred to the mathematics department, which answers to a different

dean.

OCC now has to deal with the prospect of another teacher under fire.

After a Sept. 18 class, political science professor Kenneth Hearlson was

placed on administrative leave by college officials after reportedly

calling a Muslim student a “terrorist.” An investigation is underway in

this case and should be resolved soon, college spokesman Jim Carnett

said.