Maricopa colleges faculty group makes allegations against governing board
Oct 1, 2018, 2:48 PM
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PHOENIX — Faculty members have formally accused the Maricopa County Community College District Governing Board of behavior that could cost the schools’ their accreditation.
Maricopa Community Colleges Faculty Association filed a complaint last week with the Higher Learning Commission, the accrediting body for the district’s schools.
The complaint accused the publicly elected board of partisan politics, discrimination, retaliation against employees, a lack of transparency in budgeting and failure to follow open meeting laws. It cited numerous examples, with supporting documents, of the board’s behavior.
“We’re trying to protect our 10 accredited colleges from radical actions from this faction of the currently elected governing board,” John Schampel, president of the faculty association, told KTAR News 92.3 FM.
Loss of accreditation would damage students’ ability to receive federal financial aid and transfer credits to other colleges, Schampel said.
Johanna Haver, board member and secretary, told KTAR News that the allegations were unfounded.
“I think when they really look at the whole picture, I really believe that they will see that we have voted in the best interest of the students every single time,” she said.
Schampel, a biology professer at Phoenix College, wants the commission to issue sanctions to board members to “prevent them from continuing the things they’re doing.”
KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Griselda Zetino contributed to this report.
