Vote failed at Scottsdale Community College; Chancellor, Faculty to attempt to mediate dispute
Maricopa Community Colleges Chancellor Dr. Maria Harper-Marinick
Maricopa Community Colleges Chancellor Maria Harper-Marinick received a “no confidence” vote in her leadership from faculty representatives in nine of 10 colleges in the Maricopa County Community College District. The vote failed only at the Scottsdale Community College.
John Schampel, president of the Maricopa Community Colleges Faculty Association, wrote in an email that: “This vote, however unpleasant, has been necessary to preserve the values of teaching and learning that form the foundation for student success.”
The “no confidence” resolution began circulating to faculty leadership earlier this month, claiming the chancellor has failed to provide effective vision and oversight and accusing her of being “complicit” in governing board actions last year to limit faculty authority.
No-confidence votes don’t obligate the college’s Governing Board to take action. Their purpose is to send a message to the Governing Board that a group has lost confidence in the chancellor.
Some faculty criticized the resolution claiming it failed to reflect the sentiments of all full-time faculty in the college district because it was cast by faculty senate representatives and not by the faculty at-large.
The dispute arose from the former Governing Board’s decision to abandon a “meet and confer” process that had been in place for 40 years. Faculty claimed it served as the cornerstone of “shared governance”. That is, it was a system of collaboration between the administration and faculty.
A newly elected Governing Board reversed the action of the old Board.
An investigative report by the American Association of University Professors concluded as follows: “[T]he administration’s silence was deafening. As a result, this committee regards the MCCCD administration as entirely complicit…. Just prior to the vote on the [Governing Board] resolution [to abandon the “meet and confer” process] the Governing Board called upon Chancellor Harper-Marinick for comment. She replied that it would be inappropriate to comment on the resolution.” The AAUP report stated that, “in the view of this committee, that decision was a profound dereliction of her duty as chief administrative officer of an educational institution.”
You may read much more about the vote in a story posted on the web by reporter Anne Ryman, Arizona Republic, published April 18 by clicking here.