Snow-Flamer’s Side
(Aug. 20, 2009) Editor:
College of the Redwoods is experiencing a time of significant change in its commitment to re-connecting with the communities it serves. CR has revised its Education Master Plan with a focus on increasing access to classes and programs and helping students attain their educational goals. Opening new instructional sites in Arcata and McKinleyville, offering classes at a number of local high schools and presenting more online, night and weekend classes result from that focus.
I would like to offer some additional thoughts to the July 30 issue of the North Coast Journal article, “Stress Fracture.” As the co-chair of the 2008-09 Education Master Plan Committee, I disagree with the assertion that the College of the Redwoods Draft Educational Master Plan (EMP) was “seriously flawed.”
I acknowledge that the speed in which we had to create the EMP for the accrediting commission meeting in January 2009 necessitated moving on a draft document in December that we knew was going to be revised and that prevented us from receiving as much input as we would have liked from the entire CR community, including staff, faculty, administrators and managers.
Subsequent to the submittal of the EMP to the accrediting commission in late December, the CR administration made a commitment to the EMP co-chairs — Allen Keppner and myself — that the EMP committee had free rein to revise the document. It was understood that enrollment growth had to remain as the foundation of the plan as a driving force to ensure that CR would have the financial foundation to grow and maintain programs.
The EMP committee’s work culminated with a document that was approved by the committee as a whole and subsequently by the CR Board of Trustees in May. Even though the plan was adopted, CR is committed to a continuous planning improvement process. Therefore the EMP will be revised and strengthened annually with input from the entire CR community.
As CR’s vice president of student services, I believe the CR administration is committed to a student-centered and rational approach to realizing the educational and economic development needs of its community.
Keith Snow-Flamer, Vice President for Learning and Student Development, College of the Redwoods
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THREE Comments
Comment / By B. Harmon / Aug. 20, 2009, 9:51 a.m.
Snow-Flamer states the usual “spin” to attempt to justify his position after making numerous mistakes. Charging for tests that are not to be charged for is ridiculous. Not knowing the laws that CR operates under is proof he should be terminated. Also whoever is in charge (supposedly the President) isn’t doing a very good job either if they don’t know what their staff are or are not doing properly. Good luck with your accreditation.
Comment / By Nice Try / Aug. 22, 2009, 10:50 a.m.
This all sounds well and good, but Dr. Snow-Flamer knows that a collegial process did not occur and the change in January only happened after outrage and protest. The missing parts of Dr. Snow-Flamer’s summary:
The Ed Master Plan Committee that Snow-Flamer co-chaired was not informed that there was a plan to rewrite the report in their absence during winter break. The rewrite was substantially different than what the committee had agreed upon and it included many pet projects of the administration that were not approved by the committee or in the pre-December version of the report. The rewritten report was sent to the accreditation commission as if it had been written by the full committee (their names were included and the names of ghost authors were not included). Only after the committee revolted and threatened to resign and take their names off the deceptive report (including Dr. Snow-Flamer’s cochair of the committee) did the president relent and agree to a rewrite. The rewrite looks nothing like what was sent to the accreditation commission in January. The January report was flawed in terms of process and input required by the accreditation commission, and that is why it was rewritten. The accreditation commission would not have accepted the January report had they known the listed authors did not write, or have input on, the January report. The process did not occur collegially, was initially hijacked, and was only resolved after the threat of being exposed. Dr. Snow-Flamer knows this, but appeasement of his boss has proven to be his highest priority during the last year.
Comment / By WhoCares / Aug. 24, 2009, 1:22 p.m.
Faculty @ CR are just upset that they are loosing their grip on the power they have at CR.