Adding to a growing list, current and former North Coast legislators are calling on the California State University Chancellor’s Office to suspend any decision-making on the future of KHSU until new top administrators arrive at Humboldt State University.
HSU President Lisa Rossbacher and Vice President of Advancement Craig Wruck, who oversees KHSU, are both slated to retire this year.
State Sen. Mike McGuire, Assemblymember Jim Wood, retired state Sen. Wes Chesbro and retired Assemblymember Patty Berg penned a strongly worded letter that describes HSU’s decision to gut the public radio station as “a slap in the face to Humboldt County and the North Coast.”
“The reckless manner and timing of HSU shutting down this amazing station could not have been worse and it’s time for the long-term decision making by a short-term administration to stop,” the letter states. “Major decisions made behind closed doors, and with zero transparency, simply do not work for this community. It hurts the credibility of the University and makes everyone’s job harder (especially the incoming President). There was absolutely no reason for this situation to unfold as it has and we want it to stop.”
Find previous Journal coverage on the situation here, here, here and here or pick up this week’s edition.
Read the full letter below:
This article appears in The Green Issue 2019.
The station was shutdown last Thursday (one week ago today), not Friday. But that’s a minor point. Otherwise, great letter to the Chancellor. I hope he’s listening.
Butis this the same Chancellor Peter Pennekamp referred to in his T-S Op-Ed who refused to listen to complaints about HSU administration and sided w/ Rossbacher instead?
First they privatized campus services and I said nothing because my job was spared.
Then they came for Affirmative Action but I wasn’t a minority.
They began early-retiring the most experienced professors but I wasn’t a student anymore.
Then they eliminated Industrial Technology, but few work in Mfg. in the U.S.
When German language and nursing degrees were ended I said nothing.
When Education Department faculty filed a class action suit to enforce their rights I was quiet
When campus staff were compelled to sign at-will agreements, I didn’t protest.
After the $15 million John Sterns scandal, HSU president McCrone was given his full salary for 3 more years as a “consultant” but no one complained.
After the Athletic’s director fired his critics, paid $250,000 to settle the lawsuit filed by HSU’s popular 25-year track coach…and then used donor funds for Alaska fishing trips… he suddenly resigned..and no one called for a criminal investigation.
Millions of dollars pour into recreation, entertainment and leisure activities while hundreds of students are homeless and hammered by student debt…but I.m not poor, so I said nothing.
Campus janitors were replaced by expensive card-locks making campus more dangerous at night, but I’m not a woman so I didn’t care.
Campus corporations keep raising fees since privatization eliminated institutional knowledge, too many are too afraid to speak out.
Complete staff directories are no longer published, concealing rampant nepotism but maybe they’ll hire my friend?
HSU loses 99% of faculty arbitration cases, no hard feelings?
Many wrongful termination lawsuits are filed by faculty and staff to defend their rights with unknown costs for attorneys and settlements, protecting HSU’s incompetent management, but this is another source of community employment.
None of HSU’s administrators have higher education degrees in their field, giving hope to millions of incompetent wannabes.
Then they came for KHSU, and there weren’t enough fingers left to plug this dyke.
KHSU’s demise follows a legacy of mismanagement, incompetence, petty tyranny and a chain of scandals. Where were the “good citizens” while this disaster grew unchecked for a generation causing thousands to needlessly suffer?
After “Saving” KHSU…what’s next??
I understand the need to “serve students first”, but this was a big FU to the surrounding community, who also grew the station for decades.