Professor says OCC needs evaluation

Some Orange Coast College faculty want to start grading their bosses as tempers have flared over what some teachers view as a lack of effort from administrators to address some issues.

Biology professor Ann Harmer, along with a few others, has proposed an evaluation process for administrators she hopes to present to the Coast Community College trustees at the next meeting in April.

“This is not a vendetta, not a ‘we’re out to get you,’ ” Harmer said. “Administrators need a vehicle to find out what we are thinking.”

Administrators have dismissed complaints or have failed to act when teachers have come forward with issues, Harmer said.

Harmer preferred not to elaborate and provide examples of the issues.

“The problem is these things have been going on over three years,” Harmer said. “Many [faculty members] have talked to administration individually, and nothing has changed.”

She sent the proposal to all faculty and staff at OCC and has received about 55 signatures in support. She said she would have more, but some fear reprisals.

“We wanted to let everyone know what we are doing,” Harmer said. “We are not being underhanded or sneaky.”

Some have singled out Melinda Nish, OCC’s vice president of instruction, for criticism related to the disconnect between faculty and the administration. Nish is the liaison for faculty when there are issues.

“I really don’t believe there is an overall issue between faculty and administrators,” Nish said. “I think there is a minority of faculty that are upset.”

Nish added the school is in a period of rapid growth and that the changes could be a source of some frustration.

Some professors agreed with Nish’s assessment and testified to her work at OCC.

“We’ve all got along with her fine here,” computer science professor Steve Gilbert said.

Nish was previously the dean of the Business and Computing department.

Nish believes Harmer and her associates chose the wrong way to make their point. Instead, they should have consulted with the academic senate or other campus organizations, Nish added. Still, Nish supports administrative evaluations, saying they are “of great merit.”

On the issue of reprisals from administrators for those who sign the proposal, Nish said it was absurd.

“I think it is wholly and completely unfounded,” she said.

“I have heard people have felt they were being bullied to sign the petition,” she said. “I think there is a lot of misinformation out there.”

DANIEL TEDFORD may be reached at (714) 966-4632 or at daniel.tedford@latimes.com.