DIVE FACILITY MANAGER RESIGNS AFTER BOARD OF TRUSTEES FAILS TO ACT ON HER HARASSMENT AND RETALIATION CHARGES AGAINST THE SCHOOL’S PROVOST— WHO IS SLEEPING WITH A TRUSTEE
Commentary by Rhonda Linseman-Saunders
The dive facility manager at Florida Keys Community College (FKCC) resigned early this week after the FKCC Board of Trustees made the decision not to investigate her claims of sexual harassment and retaliation by the college’s provost, Dr. Randy Charles. This is the same board that tripped over itself trying to work with employees who claimed the previous president created a toxic environment.
Dawn Cline, an exemplary ten-year FKCC employee by all accounts, had previously gone to HR for help. What resulted appears to be, at best, a half-hearted attempt to verify her claims. HR’s “investigation” was seemingly complete with Randy Charles’ response to the effect that nothing happened. Cline had witnesses. HR did not speak to them.
Cline’s competency has never been disputed by anybody at any level, but she said that after the coerced sexual encounters with Dr. Charles and her subsequent stopping of the behavior, she was, at Dr. Charles’ discretion, written up on two occasions. “I believe that both of these incidents were in direct violation of FKCC disciplinary procedures which Joanne Tinker in HR appears to have ignored,” Cline said.
But why is Randy Charles so seemingly well-insulated from consequences of his actions at FKCC? Charles earned the nickname “McBoyfriend” last year after his live-in romance with FKCC Trustee Dr. Antoinette McPherson Martin was made public. Antoinette is the sister of former Key West Mayor Morgan McPherson who admittedly called in a political favor to have Antoinette “McSister” Martin appointed to the board.
The appointment to the board was allegedly necessary to help get rid of the previous president who was unpopular with yet another McSibling and FKCC administrator, Michael McPherson. It worked. The president was essentially ousted.
And McBrother Michael’s career is soaring to new heights. His most recent appointment was as interim dean of arts and sciences. And yes, McBrother reports to McBoyfriend who sleeps with McSister.
This McFavor–the board appointment–procured by Mayor Morgan may have been one of the abuses of his position that cost him the mayorship. He suffered a landslide loss to Craig Cates in the election that followed. Regardless, McSister is on the board and in love with the provost, and that seems to be all the provost needs to escape any meaningful consequences for what may be perceived as the actions of a womanizing pig.
As many as four other women have allegedly suffered sexual discrimination and/or harassment at FKCC but are not willing to speak on record or to report the abuses to HR. Can you blame them, especially now? They’ve just seen what happened when Cline had the guts to do that.
Cline’s bravery has spurred some positive change, though. The board wouldn’t help her, but they did recommend policy revision that would have the potential to help prevent such an occurrence in the future.
FKCC President Larry Tyree said this week that while there is no current policy regarding fraternization, rules are in development and are being vetted through the labor attorney for submission to the board for discussion, revision, and approval.
“I do not believe it is appropriate for employees– administrators or otherwise- -to develop romantic and/or sexual relationships with employees who report within an individual’s chain of command,” Tyree said. “I also don’t think it’s appropriate for an employee to be domiciled with a person to whom he or she reports.”
FKCC’s past vice provost, Gary Martin, is also concerned about the situation. “It would appear that the HR director and the provost may be exposing the college to incredible liability. The act of having a relationship with a board member, alone, demonstrates a lapse in ethical judgement,” Martin said.
“Faculty and staff have called me to express their mistrust in current leadership. Management is largely by example. Executives who do not know how to make themselves effective in their own lives, job and work, set the wrong example.”
Trustee Kim Bassett said she has heard several sides to this story and can’t comment on this specific situation because she didn’t personally witness or have knowledge of a relationship between Cline and Charles. “I can state, however, I do not believe it is ever appropriate for any leader to have a romantic relationship with an employee in their organization,” Bassett said.
Regarding Dawn Cline’s resignation, President Tyree’s was disappointed. “She was really good at her job,” he said. “Her work ethic and standards of quality were as high as you will likely find, and her passion for her work was very clear.”
Randy Charles did not respond to a request for comment regarding sexual relationships with subordinates.
As an aside, FKCC has launched a campaign to solicit suggestions for naming the new dorms at the college. If I had the sizable monetary contribution to back it, my humble nomination would be “Randy’s Shag Shack.”
Rhonda@kwtn.com
Yes Bryan is a Rat and a gossip queen.
How fast can FKCC play rewind? Really fast in the new age of digital technology. Place a few remaining in a time bubble and travel back to early-Jill era and see if you can bring back everyone that she let go. Tim, Doug, Jean, Bill, Mo, Lynne and Lisa. Finally, the college will run like it’s supposed to, and all will be happy. Whew, thank goodness for that Brittomatic time travel machine they invented. I also heard Seeker coming back as interim.
I think I’m going to be very sick…what a nightmare you paint
Hi there, I found your blog via Google while searching for a related topic, your web site came up, it looks great. I’ve bookmarked it in my google bookmarks.
Larry wants quiet on the Blue paper he thinks that his stupid mistakes will just die a silent death.
He has lined the halls with misfits and lazy collectors of pay checks. Who will be the next President or will Dade College have to step in and correct this mess. Larry Tyree worst employee at any level this school has ever had.
Tyree and his leadership team are just working summer away and soon fall will be here with dorms, students and a SACS visit. What’s exciting about that story? My prediction is that come the first negative blip from enrollment, sacs or financials, there will be some bantering in the blogs and that’s it. Until new board members come on board who can be trusted to select the next President, everything will be very boring and status quo out there. Of course, there will be lots of front-page dorm grand openings and dignitary visits this fall and all will be happy and cheery as usual.
but I don’t think the drug testing should stop in Marathon. Of course if you are mentally ill, i apologize.
Today’s Citizen editorial another dorm glory piece. All is looking on the up and up at FKCC. A great Fall Term is ahead, and we can thank Larry Tyree for his awesome leadership, oh and Jill Boyle for initiating the dorm project in the first place.
Tyree for President!
Larry is a joke.
Pul-eeze! Everyone knows Tyree didn’t want anything to do with the dorms. By the time he came on, things were already in motion. Every positive thing that can be attributable to FKCC was initiated directly or indirectly by Jill Boyle. Tyree takes credit for successful initiatives but distances himself from problems and is quick to point fingers at others and plays the swapping out game rather than working with people towards finding solutions. By the same token, Jill Boyle took the time to learn how things worked inside and out (admittedly at times, to a fault), but, in so doing, knew what had to be done to move forward, succeed and repair broken components. Two vastly differently “leadership” styles but the latter hands-on knowledge is what made her particularly successful for a place such a FKCC as opposed to a place that now is treading water, at best.
Call some place paradise… kiss it goodbye!!!! – (“Don Henley-The Eagles”)
Published: Friday, Jul. 15, 2011
Updated: Friday, Jul. 15, 2011
Edison College caught up in degree controversy
The Associated Press
Two administrators at Edison State College have been suspended with pay while authorities investigate accusations that students were awarded degrees without completing core classes.
College officials admitted the practice Thursday after announcing that Bill Roshon and Dennette Foy, the dean and associate dean for professional and technical studies, had been placed on paid leave.
Records show students swapped core classes required for their degrees for unrelated electives. Officials say the swaps were made with the approval of academic advisors and deans to help increase the graduation rate.
College officials are now trying to figure out how many students were given degrees they didn’t earn. According to records, the college allowed 3,605 course substitutions over a five-year period. Substitutions are allowed as long as students take all required courses.
Here is the rub, the Tech classes are being taught by some that are not qualified to teach them ie: Welding, Marine Engineering, OK for a certificate but not OK for an AS Degree.
Did they take a vow to silence?
There’s isn’t a peep from anyone at the college about any discontent. Finally, the place is quiet.
They are all working and fine with the way things are going.
Either that’s the case, or they are stuffing down some serious angst and grief until it’s safe to exhale again. Not even the award-winning Scuba class could help these poor folks.
Yes, we’re all quiet because we all ran away as fast as we could for a little R & R away from this nightmare that has become our lives. I was really nice to not have to deal with that snake pit for a bit, breath a little deeper without the threat of one of the predators looking for a weakness or an opening to attack you or your comrades. Now, we can just sit back, wait and watch for the next shoe to fall. I can imagine that certain people are working hard alright, trying to bury whatever they can before the SACS visit. I did return to see how the spin machine has been working the papers and other media trying to capitalize on the dorms. Another Dr. Landesberg-Boyle project a success completed. Thanks Dr. Jill. Back to Survivor – Stock Island.
“Tough budget times at FKCC, Really?”
This month’s board meeting agenda is full of more fat raises, justified as “level changes” (aka title changes) and good old “equity adjustments”. No they’re not kidding. It’s the “equitable” thing to do nowadays: you fire a few faculty and staff and then you divy out the cash to the staff, farthest from the classroom and least affecting the student. That’s how you do it, JLB.
It’s all public record: The ladies in student affairs really got some sweet deals. A total of $36,000 more handed out to five worthy ones: Carol Anderson, Liz Love, Sally Kromer, Suzy Park and Susan Urban. Congratulations ladies! You are super stars! Keep that enrollment soaring.
If you have ever had to deal with these women you would know they are all bitches.
Between last month’s board meeting raises and this month’s, it’s now well over $60,000 in just two months of “equity raises”. Oh, and yes the Board of Rubber Stampees will quietly approve these actions.
These ladies may very well be deserving, but my oh my silly me…I thought we were in a budget crisis making “tough decisions” and “tightening our belts”.
So they can keep a paycheck until they find another job or the college collapses Being under the rule of oppressive corruption, vile women who spew forth lies and deciet why filling their greedy pockets with dirty money. Former students no longer tell people where they went to college, local dive instructors who garduated do not even tell their customers, nor do they mention the college at all. I asked one of them where he got his training and he got a disgusted look on his face. I foound out the story by another employee at the same dive shop. He showed me the articles. I spent the next night at my hotel disgusted and horrified of the state of the college. I never thought of paradise as evil and toxic before. I don’t know if I ever want to visit this island again, I am certainly not bringing my kids. They will get certified elsewhere. Horrible situation. Someone needs to alert the tourism council of the kind of government in key west and how the corruption is satuarted here.
The Dive Program is still a good one, however. Pat Rice and team are working hard to keep students engaged and the public interested in the program and getting Federal funding. Paradise is not all evil and toxic, and even though there is rampant injustice and indifference at times, students can make their experience a valuable one by staying focused and out of politics. I sincerely hope the shame you describe in mentioning the college will go away because FKCC relies on that word of mouth endorsement, especially from the industry. A word of advice: if you feel strongly and have supporting facts, it’s worthwhile to attend a board meeting and make your points because for the most part we never hear from the public or students unless they are the “superstars” and have only positive reports. Staff and Board need to hear ALL reports and consider them because back during the Jill Boyle fall out, everyone just ignored or let the situation worsen and that caused irreversable damage.
The fact of the matter is that these two situations, though both representing levels of dissatisfaction, are not really the same. With the Dr. Boyle situation, three people on the board represented the opposition (even solicited input from disgruntled staff members), the same three people, by the way, that support the current administration. Three votes to two, end of story.
Some surprise news will be hitting the scene in the near future. One of the insiders has decided to come clean and fess up to the “corruption” so that the hard core will fall.
Ladies! Gents! Get ready for something new: honesty!
“corruption” is a strong word.
I will believe it when I see it as well. I’m not a dummy but I confess I have no clue what’s going on. All this is so, so sad.
Honesty would be embraced! I would love to see honesty at FKCC for the first time! This college has SOOOO much potential. This college should remain a community college and yet I fear we will lose it.
If so, then who can employees go to for issues related to their boss?
“Solicit input”? You mean “Make sure that there is a clear majority of administration on the verge of a walk-out before you ‘force’ the oppressor out”?
The oppressor… really? Do you mean someone that asks you to work…??? or… a real oppressive situation that is causing EVERYONE to agree with the fact that Nazis have taken control. You know like NOW!!
well one of the many problems with the board is KIM. Remember the meeting when she bragged that knew more than Jill about being a leader? Hmmm where is this leader now? Where oh where is the god/dess of reality? She is the BOT member who solicited anti jill material and dismissed any pro jill material. Lets look at her resume
Hmmm…
You really think they’re the opposition?
Spencer is the chair and has yet to speak up at a meeting to undo any of Tyree’s tactics. Anne makes alot of weird facial expressions, but in the end can’t formulate a motion to make anything happen so they all defer to Ed’s legaleeze and think they are safe. Down right sad. I’d rather resign the Board, then always be one vote short of governing justly.
They represented the opposition to Dr. Boyle.
Are we now pretending that this board is not polarized? Even if Spencer and Ann were Clarence Darrow and Sandra Day O’Connor respectively, the vote would still be three to two.
Time for ALL new faces on that sad entity.
No Ann is a “Sheepeople” she falls for Tyree’s lies and does this dude lie. Ann can not draw her own conclusions.
Does Kim still live in Monroe? If not she needs to go.
Do any of you complainers ever attend a Board meeting. There’s one coming up here this week. Aside from blowing your cover, it may be worthwhile to get some answers, or at least apply some pressure.
What is “sheepeople”?
Sheepeople; one who blindly follows.
Sheepeople can be Googled.
There are several “Sheepeople” at FKCC
Are they truly Sheepeople or just those who keep their heads when all others around them lose theirs?
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:
If you can dream – and not make dreams your master;
If you can think – and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,
And stoop and build ‘em up with wornout tools:
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on!’
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings – nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run -
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And – which is more – you’ll be a [non-sheepeople] my son!
Thanks to Rudyard Kipling for that!
I’ve always loved that poem but, frankly, it seems more like the mantra of those who were let go rather than those that remain. There is always a fine line between Sheepeople and loyalty. Can any leader truly be effective if they do not have the loyalty of their followers? Not all followers are vocal. Many, although they may have opinions about things, just want to do their jobs and leave the politics to others. Alas, some leaders do not know the difference between disagreeing with them and disloyalty. In the same manner, some employees feel that having a different opinion than their leader entitles their opinion to be paramount, their interpretation has to be correct and therefore the leader must be at fault. This is why communication is such a critical element in any organizational environment.
There is a big difference between being Sheepeople within an organization and on a governing board. Those affiliated with the latter should be vocal but reasoned discussion and decisions should only take place after you do your homework. Politics, of course, is the great mitigating factor. It often renders any reasoned discussions and decisions to the back burner.
FKCC could have done better than Ann as she is not sharp and seems to be a follower and lacks leadership.
Hey ever listen to this broad on the radio? She is one of the poorest radio host I ever heard. She rambles on about nothing and has nothing to say.
FKCC needs to be put under Miami Dade to save cost, have professional administrators, uncorupted grade input, no more false degrees. Key West the head of a crooked snake needs to be cut off.
The current Registrar needs to be first to go. The State Attorney needs to interview the past administration for answers.
I think yuo are sensationalizing the “corruption” at FKCC. Stop and think: Yes, there have been many questionable moves, but only from a political who-likes-who standpoint, and not actual illegal activity.
How ‘ bout them thar illegal aliens ?
From the water’s view even mediocre structures intrigue men.
All that glitters is better than gold to the accepting eye.
A sunset glimmer surely turns the facade of mediocre structures into solid treasure.
Wanting to be led; being willing to carry their vision
Working out doubts and affirming abilities;
Taking note of tears and flaws, we learn to mend.
Being broken or short along with a strong friend is like gold.
Miners invade darkness to find reflective light;
Leaders push relentless towards nothing because
followers – both friend and foes- convince them there is gold to be found.
The fool says there is no gold;
Then morning comes casting rays of hope.
We begin to chase and build, and mend.
Until we place the cornerstone.
Oh brilliance, be real.
College now a distant memory.
I feel for those of you who are stuck in that workplace prison.
Isn’t it time for Basset, Scales and Spencer to be replaced?
Does Basset even live here?
Kim who is married to Tom the child molester Mulhall, changed back to hr maiden name and moved from key west to marathon after his conviction in 97. She lives at the adress they use for their business. Overseas highway. Look up on sunbiz.org, he, the computer pediphile, convicted, owns the macintosh computer store in key west. This is so he can continue to predate small children on a larger scale. By the way, during is trial one fact was not allowed only because the women it was done to were already 18 yrs old. Kim allowed her perverted husband to put video cameras in their bathroom. She would invite nursing sudents to their house. They were video taped using the toilet. Kim is just as guilty. Worse for staying with him. She needs to be fired off the board, she already lost her position at fishermans hospital. Thinking of that woman and her husband cruising the childrens ward makes me sick to my stomach.
Hearing the rumbling of better numbers for enrollment which makes me laugh. The cabal is running around like they’ve done something, then we look at it and we haven’t even come up to where we were in 2008 and they can call that success! Way to go Building A, we are mediocre again, yahoo! Looks like Jean Mauk might be up to her old number crunching tricks. LOL!
Wasn’t it Jean that used Continuing Education numbers to collect FTE?
FKCC is such a joke.
It’s a little deceiving when the college would report to the board the “headcount was up” even though they through in con-ed students who were there taking a seminar or class. Because Con Ed is mostly self supporting, having more con-ed students didn’t mean you had more tuition revenue.
No they do not you are fudging the system. Jail?
Randy Charles the disgraced former Provost it is rumored is now a dive shop worker at Sub Tropic in Key West. Isn’t that place owned by boy friend of former Vice president Crowley?
Funny, isn’t it? All the crap pools at the bottom of the cesspool. These turds like Robin Lockwood, Maureen Crowley, McPhatty + family and now Dr. “McBoyfriend” Randy Charles stick together like a stain. If that doesn’t demonstrate it for you, I don’t know what will. I bet McBoyfriend has miraculously is a fully certified dive master now. Can you say, “unearned credits are us!” LOL!!!
Randy was lost in his job at the college, confused never listened and was a hatchet man for the non productive, lazy people that claim to work there.
Remember grades are made at FKCC not earned.
The SACS team will confirm that come November, and then Tyree and the Tyrranicals will laugh at all of you!
Explain Tim Jones? Even the court of appeals nailed it as un earned credits. The Registrar awarded them and knew they were not earned.
One more time: credit by institutional exam allows one to “earn” credit by exam. Like the old CLEP. Now, I agree that you shouldn’t be able to test out of a whole bag of credits, but at the time it looks like there was no policy in place for the Registrar to over ride the Dean.
Nonetheless, you can’t keep throwing one case out there and then saying that the students don’t earn their degrees, or credits.
Why are you so hell bent on this whole grade thing?
There are more cases. The Dean or anyone else must not be able to corrupt the Registrar. Other instructors did this to be able to teach classes and pass SACS.
Division of Administrative hearings State of Florida Case # 08-5086
Tim Jones vs. FKCC
Look it up.
Nice one. Don’t dare use a name because then someone will sue you for libel. Give it a rest. One person does not a scandal make, and if even if this was the practice of former deans, waht makes you think that anyone cares now? They are gone, the instructor is gone, the new President runs a tight ship and there is no talk of this anymore.
Let’s see the instructor that signed off on the “Institutional Exam” says it never happened. The Registrar knew this but still did not blow the whistle. Looks like a fake grade, smells like a fake grade it must be a fake grade(s). Registrar needs to be shown the door.
“There is no talk of this anymore”? Could it be because the inmates are now in charge of the asylum?
The Cows in Student Services trying to defend the disgraced Registrar. Institutional testing, I doubt it and so did the courts. There are more of the same so I agree with the other writer, the grades are “Fake”. I looked up the court case that was posted and it covers the matter. The Registrar needs to resign.
First you call for the Provost’s head, then the President, now the Registrar…COME ON!
You can’t really think that you’re helping the situation.
You coming to the Dorm Ribbon Cutting tomorrow with Dr. Boyle?
Devin, can you say “uninformed gumflapper”? Cuz that’s what you are on this topic. Anyone who has three weeks under their belt in Key West and the other Keys knows that a person in relatively fit shape can get a Divemaster Certification in one week (sometimes less) FROM A DIVE SHOP. NOT from the college. DUH! Wow! What a concept! Your stupid harping on illicit behaviors where none exist just says it all about you: an arrogant shallow thinker whose illicit leanings are barely contained.
I don’t even like that pinhead you are criticizing, but I loathe uninformed and unwarranted carping even more. Blech!
Illegals need to return to their home land. With the economy tanking why should we support, educate and feed them.
Let’s not send them back. Instead, let’s train them and put them in uniform and send them overseas to fight for their place in our country. If they survive in Afghanistan, Iraq, and other centers of dispute, they get to stay.
Any takers?
FKCC has left the students in the cold. I go to class and it is so hollow most of the instructors say the school has been in a down hill slide since Dr. Tyree came to the school. Enrollment services paints a picture of it is a great place but put us in classes that do not make sense because they don’t offer the ones we need when we need them if at all. Didn’t anyone check Dr. Tyree out to see if he was qualified or maybe because he is so close to retirement he has just given up. It is the students that suffer from such a negative in our school.
If you really are a student, you need to speak up to the Board. There is never a word of negativity from a student at FKCC. Instead, the admins prop up a pretty face and a “success story” and the Board falls for it every time. Amazing how they even PR spin their own Board.
Dr. Boyle used to do this also, but she would also address the “bad stuff” and bring to attention of the board what was being done to fix problems. Nowadays, “there’s no problem”
At FKCC it is a known fact that if you speak about the bad things at a board meeting that the Provost and Tyree’s thugs will make life hard for you. The favorite punishment is cutting Financial Aid and dropping you from class with out notification.
It takes a sharp teacher to catch this at roll call but most do not and when you go to FA to get it corrected you are too late.
I will tell you right now a few problems: Tyree is part time, some instructors lack proper credentials, advising is poor in Marathon it is really bad students don’t like being talked down to, the schedule is bad it seems that all teachers want to teach at the same time so you have to wait extra semmesters. I am thinking about going to Central Florida there are jobs and you can stay in a really nice apartment and have money to spare over and not staying in a dorm where big brother is watching your every move on a smelly lagoon on a small FKCC parking lot.
These problems are real, but the Board doesn’t want to hear about them, mainly because you wouldn’t have the evidence to prove your allegations. How the heck are you going to prove that the Provost and Financial Aid are in cahoots to drop or stall students who speak up? Think about it.
Nonetheless, the problem of all classes being scheduled at the same time block has been around forever. Why do you think there is no weekend college or anything else offered? It’s because it’s not convenient for faculty or staff.
But all is well at Lagoon Lunatic Hall!
Oh, and yes Dr. Boyle is coming back.
Tyree has a problem seperating the facts from fiction. Best to stay clear of this one not a good manager.
You are wrong. Students are just as paranoid as staff. If students complain, or even ask advisers to (go figure) do their jobs they are then ridiculed or told to go to their own school, their grades are affected and the student enrollment talk about them-loud enough for other students to hear!!! I have been ignored while susan urban laughed and joked on her phone for over 45min, then told me she couldn’t help me as she had to go to lunch. You can find half the admin at hurricane an hour of the morning taking their extended lunches past 1pm. When they get back from lunch (yes still sitting here) susan goes in her office without acknowleding you, then gets back on the phone, she is the worse person I have ever spoken to in a college situation. You get better service at the DMV!!!! This administration is there to make a paycheck and go to luncheons. As a student I have never felt welcome by anyone in A building. Then you try to go to the library to study and the short girl with her boobs hanging out and the heavy eye bags is on her cell phone, or worse gives you an attitude. Unless you a young guy, then she instants reverts to gushingly sweet ass kisser. I can’t turn to HR because , well thats a disaster over there. My only alternative is leave the keys and go to Miami University. All I had to do was send this article and others of the corruption to my parents, next semester I am leaving for Miami-I can’t wait to get out of here.
What a great day for FKCC when those new out-of-state students come rolling in Saturday! Congratulations Dr. Boyle; All your hard work and persistence paid off for us students and families.
Even Rep. Ron Saunders was on the radio talking about it today. This has caught everyone’s attention. And, it’s all positive. Great gift to the Keys!
Hard work and persistence pay off afterall.
Even if she’s not here to take the credit, there’s no questions the women left a legacy that still speaks loudly for her vision and drive at FKCC, an era now passed.
(Cow in charge) Will never let the credit go where its due. We all know Jill saved the dorms from becoming Ed Scales private condo, then they left her name off the dedication, yet Larry the lounge lizards was right there. The CIC (britney) takes al the credit when she has done nothing but destroy the school. The paper shredders were going overtime once Dougie got his hands on them, and the falsified forms were drawn up-ah…..just in time for SACS. With the current lawsuits filed against the college I am sure they are making their lawyers rich. Oh well, the crime spree will continue until there is no school. Then they will all be out of a job, lets hope someone besides me is keeping track-everyone should copy all BOT meeting paperwork, especially the HR reports that show how many people were forced out, fired, not-renewed or resigned due to horrible work conditions, harassment, discrimination etc. VS all the promotions and pay raises and keeps notes on WHO was brought BACK. The corrupt have fat wallets now.
FKCC is only part 1 of the educational career.
Once you transfer, or go to work, then you have more say.
There’s just no will to improve things at FKCC…not by Tyree, not by Snyder, not by alot of people.
Does anyone know if Jill Boyle is still being considered for superintendent in Monroe?
FKCC is the worst school under this administration. If the leadership of a semi retired old man is what you want then stay. If you want Technology that is behind the times then stay. Visit other schools before you chose and you will see others are leaps and bounds ahead of the Old School on the Rock.
Had Boyle stayed she would have gotten rid of the dead wood and propelled the school into the 21st century. She rubbed some people the wrong way but those people are what is the problem with FKCC and needed to go, now some of them are coming back, bunch of low life losers.
Doesn’t the school drug test their employees? They need to and start at the off campus locations.
This si why FKCC enrollment went from 1098 FTE to 1013 FTE under Larry Tyree as President. That’s a drop of 9% in just one year. The Board meeting reports have fancy charts with more increased outreach, great dorms and more financial aid being processed, but for some reason the college can’t stem the outflow of students. The enroll, but don’t seem to graduate and end up dropping out.
Under President Tyree and Provost Brittany Snyder, Florida Keys Community College enrollment has plummeted.
This si why FKCC enrollment went from 1098 FTE to 1013 FTE under Larry Tyree as President. That’s a drop of 9% in just one year. The Board meeting reports have fancy charts with more increased outreach, great dorms and more financial aid being processed, but for some reason the college can’t stem the outflow of students. They enroll, but don’t seem to graduate and end up dropping out.
Under President Tyree and Provost Brittany Snyder, Florida Keys Community College enrollment has plummeted.
OUT is to LEAVE!!! Don’t enroll (it takes a semester just to enroll by then you could have 12 credits from an actual college) Don’t let them win. Go to Miami like the last student, then visit the keys for fun. You will wilt and die here, worse, you will move over to the dark side like some….you know who the turncoats are. GET OUT B4 YOU ARE DESTROYED. Or if you have to finish the semester-DONT GO INTO THE A Building! That building reeks corrution like an infected boil leaks pus. Stay as far away from it as possible. Don’t talk to those people at all. Do everything by phone or mail or with your faculty if possible. Be careful what you say to the faculty in some areas, find one you can trust and stick with that one. Keep your head down, don’t talk to staff, do your work and get the hell out.
A 9% reduction for a year in which they projected a 5% increase? So the revenue estimates were off by a cool 14% just by enrollment declines alone? I don’t recall the board ever discussing this. Didn’t Tyree claim that it was all due to the mistake of the now-discarded budget preparers? Where is enrollment accountability?
They have many students on waiting lists
for required courses but won’t add another
course when there is a demand. It’s called basic business sense. When there is a demand for a particular product, your stock more.
They are loosing money not providing these courses to their students who need these
courses to graduate. The attitude is always…
Oh Well, it’s too hard, too much trouble to
keep their budget in the black. They keep on coming up with excuses, but they only
have themselves to blame!
Had Tyree kept the Jill team enrollment would have gone up. Instead he listened to the Bill Clinton of schools Randy and Brittany who have limited knowledge. Tyree it would appear knows how to be a figure head but can not do the hands on running of a college.
The school has even hired back the losers that Jill sacked so now there is a major vacuum of talent. Bunch of low quality workers with shakey credentials, The question is will SACS do it’s job or get bought off by fancy dinners and keys bull shit?
If the college gets rid of the talent that had enrollment soaring high, and then settles for board-meeting-one-liners…what can we expect?
All the former employees are back and in charge. Every month the board meeting agendas are chock full of more raises and new positions for old employees. How can this happen? Simple, no leadership on that Board of Stampees. Think about it: At any of Board meetings in the last year, have you heard the inquiries about enrollment? No. Well that’s because first you have to understand the science of enrollment management, which the Board or the administration does not. So they aren’t capable of asking the right questions. “Headcount is up”…yippy, when really fee-paying credit-seeking tuition students are on the decline and to make matters worse, a 40% retention rate in degree programs means that for every 10 that enroll, only 4 finish.
Brilliant, getting rid of the enrollment leaders! But hey, the Board members aren’t paid, so let’s face it, it’s all SUPPOSED to be political mostly and that it is!
I’m not sure it was ever brought to their attention or if it was they are too dumb to put two and two together.
Tyree does not care he is retiring and could care less, the rest of the pack is not able to manage and think money grows on trees. The board are lacking the basic skill set to run a college so they beleive what Dr. Retyree tells them. Tyree’s major fault is that he does not listen he just opens his pie hole and pushes BS out.
It takes a long time for Key West to recede in the rear view, but there is a bigger, better world out there for former FKCCers. There was a time when I believed that leaving FKCC and the keys was the end of my career and–almost–my life, but I have moved on and up until even the sting of the bitterness I felt then is only a dim memory. I have found a new home and new employment in a place not riddled with corruption and a school that is well run by staff and faculty who support each other with the common goal of student success. My eyes have been opened to a work life without rancor and angst. I see around me every day students who take pride in their education and their institution. This is what FKCC is supposed to be but can’t manage because of the greed, ruthless ambition, and selfish shortsightedness of its so-called leadership. Too bad. Eventually, FKCC’s trustees and executive officers will figure out that the new trend in funding is that money is directly tied to GRADUATION RATES, not enrollment, and their failure to retain students and ensure student success will be biting them in their collective fiscal asses. The only thing that bothers me about that is that the students continue to suffer in the meanwhile–so sad. I probably won’t know when the bottom finally drops out unless someone drops me a line eventually, because I am too happy and satisfied with my life to devote any more time to following the sordid saga of the kollege of the keys.
Bye bye blog.
Not seeing any good things at FKCC. Will SACS do thier job and put this folly in it’s place.
THIER??? Really?
IT’S??? Really?
Asking a question without using a question mark???? Really?
Using the pitiful excuse that you are sending this in on your phone or that you have to type quickly while sneaking on the site at work is unacceptable.
If you work at the college and are making comments here, try to show that you have some education, some level of proofreading experience, even at a student level.
Wretched, ill-formed comments that hardly make sense are no help to anyone. And if you (anyone of you out there) do not like my criticisms, I am not apologizing for expecting US citizens to speak and write our native language properly AT THE THIRD GRADE LEVEL. Yes, that is true; the errors above are third grade in nature. One of them is at first grade.
And if you are doing it purposely to “conceal” your identity, HAH! A likely story.
Sorry went to Key West High then on to FKCC.
Buy lunch and bring it to the teacher is all you need to do to advance.
Faculty is quality at FKCC, and the students transfer and have a high completion rate at Florida universities. Get over it; FKCC students succeed and id doesn’t matter where you went to high school, it’s how you handle your studies and your academic drive that determines your outcome.
Why trash students? I don’t get it. If you’re angry because you left the college, then you may need to see about going back to work there, or coming in and speaking with an administrator about your aweful experience so you can get a second chance. Dr. Tyree listens, but you need to be rational.
Yeah, go talk to re-Tyree. Tell me how that works out for you. LMAO!
Please the one thing Tyree does not do is listen.
I see Ed Scales wants another term, he is part of the problem as well.
Clean house, Jill started it but Tyree brought the losers back, FKCC grade 13.
Did you read where the up in Coral Shores the High School has documented the artifacts under water in the sancutaries? Seems that FKCC has been paying this topic lip service for a few years but never delivered. Well aleast the high school can take up the slack.
What do you expect when you have zero direction? Better get out the strategic plan! Oh, that’s right, no one pays any attention to that. Nevertheless, we should dust if off with SACS fast approaching.
SACS seems like they do not care at FKCC, It seems that you have unqualified instructors giving AS degree credits, a Registrar that has awarded fake credits and hides as if they were awarded by Institutional exam. The Student Service department has a lack of leadership guided by a sleeping captain. Time to clean house.
Ms. Malshiemer you really need to seek professional help, really. Your anger is palatable, your just a scared, angry little person who until you get help will attack everything and everyone around you. You see yourself as a victim but look at yourself, I know it is hard, you were definitely not given the gift of beauty but these venom spuming rants against anyone who criticizes your ugly bunch does not advance your argument. You are driving an institution once moving in the right direction right to not only the sad mediocre “twelfth grade” but right to the brink of evaporation. Have you looked outside your office lately? It is scary out here. If it wasn’t for “Landesberg Lagoon” it would be leaving an echo. I’m just happy I have a second job to carry me over. P.S. we need students to run classes. Just a thought.
Actually Devin, you are the one the needs to seek professional help along with many other “posters” on this article. You guys are sick individuals that swear your life is so much better without FKCC but just can’t seem to let it go. You guys call yourselves adults but act like little children constantly writing hurtful things on employees at FKCC, but in all honestly I understand it must be JEALOUSY that ruins thru all of you alls veins. It is okay that you may never get to be where Ms Malsheimer, Ms Snyder, Dr Tyree, and etc. you just have got to accept who you are and move on in life. FKCC has been in down in the dumps ever since the great Dr. Boyle drama, but these employees love the college, love their jobs, and love their students. Why dont you try spreading the love rather than hate? As for your second job to carry you over? Why dont you make that your primary job because honestly you are the one who isnt devoted to the college posting such non-sense comments.
It’s hard to move on and heal, but can be done. People who insist on playing the same broken record, just keep bringing us down and that doesn’t help. The solution is so far from what happened, now it’s going to take people forgetting an letting go of the past in order to make something good of what’s left. Once Tyree is gone, there won’t be another punching bag, and whoever is left is deaf ear to you mean bloggers.
Love their job, yes they do because they would never make it at a real college. This group of women are the problem and in some cases sold out to award degrees and grades unearned.
No Devin you are the hero not the “Chubbies” at Student Services.
FKCC is just an extention of Key West High School and a poor one at that.
There you guys go again with bashing these employees personal looks rather than work ethics. Grade changers? Sure you guys continue to make these allegations over and over and over, but where is the freaking evidence already? I dont want to hear about oh this one student, show it to us already! Do you not realize Ms. Malsheimer has a supervisor that directs her to certain tasks and that also signs off on these changes. GET REAL!
Also, if FKCC isnt a “real” college to you then why the f*ck do you care about this article or anything that has to do with the college? Leave it alone already, unless you think you are capable of making the change (highly doubt it).
Many posters on here swear the college needs changing. The hard-working employees that have been to hell and back without giving up are always being bashed so negatively on this site, give them credit for sticking around, unlike the ones that ran but “loved” the college and their students so much (I call bullsh*t). Really, most of these post are non sense of false allegations and bashing others personal looks.
We teach our kids in school to not bully, but here are many grown adults doing it. What kind of wonderful impression are we setting? Oh wait, we aren’t.
If you EVER worked in a professional workplace you would know not everything runs smoothly and not everyone likes eachother, but for some reason when that happens at FKCC, there is someone that has to blow it out of propotion. No one is perfect and they never will be, so get that little fairytale dream out of your heads. Either support the college with what it has (all of the employees) or leave it alone and take your negative opinions with you. Thanks!
You seem angry, yes Malsheimer did enter bogus grades, proof Tim Jones, held up by the 3rd District Court of Appeals. No it was not by Institutional Exam, read the case file. Let’s see was her supervisor a Bubba? Of course these are all allegations but let’s put it to an independent audit. Not one of Tyree’s or Scales’s buddies. Are there others?
There is reason to be hopeful about FKCC these days.
The dorms, enrollment on the rise, new faculty and old former staff …all working towards a common goal.
Why did Tyree keep Randy Charles on so long even after he knew he was dating a Board member?
When is the Board member going to resign? Tainted goods, she should know better and must resign.
How is it that Larry Tyree can know about Randy Charles and still allow it to go on as long as it did? The Board member (McSister) must resign as well for the school and the community. It is also time for those that have served on the board to step aside and allow some fresh blood to run the school. There are allegations that Ed Scales is “Micro” managing the school and that Tyree is just his puppet.
You really make it appear really easy with your presentation however I find this topic to be really one thing which I believe I would by no means understand. It seems too complicated and extremely wide for me. I’m having a look ahead for your subsequent put up, I’ll attempt to get the hang of it!
Miss Hiroko, Thank you for participating in the blog. The blog started many months ago and is based, generally, on a great and looming dissatisfaction that employees at the college held in their hearts. The old President, Dr. Seeker, was replaced by a dynamic, but not well received outsider to the island who initiated many changes that some saw as improvements and some saw as torture. Employees found working with this new president difficult for many reasons, and a movement was organized to encourage the new president to leave. The new president was very cagey, but she could not fight the deeply rooted resentments around her. She eventually departed from the college and found another position in Colorado. Various factions at the college vied for power and influence during this tumultuous time. During the struggles of the new president to retain her job, the married Provost that the new president had hired to replace one that was dismissed, one that quit and one that left to take another job in Texas began an affair with a dive instructor, broke it off with her, and then began an affair with a Board of Trustees member. The instructor filed a complaint against the Provost and much controversy and accusations ensued. Meanwhile, the married Provost and other individuals on campus sought to rid the school of any staff or instructors who had even momentarily aligned with the now-gone new president (or displeased them in other, ridiculous ways). Many people lost their jobs. The school hired a temporary new president to replace the other new president who left. Several people switched job descriptions but retained their jobs and got increases in pay, and others received pay increases despite the fact that the rumor and reports around campus indicated that the school was short on funds. An outcry against this seeming wrong was made in the blog. Many cruel comments were made and unsupported allegations against many people were also made. While all this was going on, someone insisted that unauthorized and improper grade changes were occurring for years. Names were named, and blog contributors demanded justice, closing of the school, and other things. Then the Provost (a man) left and a new Provost was appointed. This Provost (a woman)sustained vicious attacks in the blog for many things, including her appearance. It was said by one blogger that she enjoyed seeing the comments because that was the only attention she had ever gotten in this manner. According to the commenter, her ego inflated each time her proper name or one of her many defiling nicknames were mentioned. This was possibly all opinion. Along with the changes of presidents, changes of provosts, firings, positions changes, disputes with the Board members and accusations against them for improper action, lots more small issues arose, lots more name-calling was published, and some people who worked at the college under Dr. Seeker, who were fired or quit under his replacement, came back to work when the temporary president was installed. Then people started attacking the temporary president, calling him names and suggesting poor character and other flaws. All in all, this is a tawdry story of the basics of all dramas: greed, the struggle for power, jealousy, lust, and a persistent kind of mental illness that manifests in the constant attacking of persons in power. Think back on the struggles of the Sengoku period and the ensuing Tokugawa Shogunate in Japan, only without the honor and seppuku. Hope this helped unravel the blog strings.
Wow. This was entertaining, I think…not sure. But, now that FKCC passed SACS with flying colors, a few people were shut up; you know those people who demanded that Dr. MacWilliams be taken off the SACS team; that she didn’t know what she was doing, etc. Guess YOU WERE WRONG Dr. B. Anyhow, it turns out, they knew exactly what they were doing and despite one mark up for finances, the College smelled pretty rosey at the end. It’s a glory story for sure. Chairman Scales must be elated, and the bus keeps rolling forward. Wow whodda thunk it? Just goes to show you that things can be spun to look bad on the outside, but when you get inside and look, it just doesn’t pan out.
What a screwed up place, Tyree must have called in a lot of “Markers” to get out of the jam. The staff at FKCC should be ashamed of what they have done and that is fake the system.
Just for the record the so-called “bookkeeping error” figure is also inclusive of the revenue lost through a 9% decline in enrollment and an overall built in overestimation of revenue of 14%, exclusive of any “mistake”. Of course, no one bothered to tell SACS or the Keynoter that. Why should they? They control their own press releases.
Not only did the college pass accreditation with flying colors, but they were even commended, bringing to an end all the negative posts about the College failing miserably. Despite declining enrollment and still needed leadership, the staff has held their own and demonstrated that they core functions are there. The question is “Who can this be attributed to?” The President that arrived just 18 months ago, or the President prior to that? Hmmm, maybe neither. Maybe, it should be attributed to the staff who have managed to survive both.
SACS was a shame,Larry cheated the system. The college/high school grade 13 has cheated the system and Larry, and the Trustee’s all know it.
FKCC is a terrible place to send our kids and needs new leadership and firing of lazy staff. SACS has taken the low road on this one by letting shady things go on.
FKCC is not coming clean, you are correct
FKCC you re right, FKCC is a joke and SACS has lost all their credibility.
The staff just went along with Tyree and the only extra work was to bull shit SACS but bull shit is FKCC.
I have been trying to register for next term at FKCC. I drove to Key West and was told to register in Marathon. The lady in Marathon was so not helpful and confused me so dizzy. Now I read these stories in the Blue paper, maybe I should go to St. Leo.
I feel your pain trying to register in the middle keys. I have worked with the advisor and she would not have had that job if the person that promoted her did their home work. I agree and the word unprofessional comes to mind.
I have to agree that the advisor there is a bit “off”. The cause may be organic in nature. People who have had minor, untreated strokes often behave that way. Diabetes, thyroid issues, hearing loss, and of course, some behavioral issues can contribute to the “spacey” demeanor and delayed responses in speaking. It may be that the work environment – the physical building – can be causing all of this. Perhaps they should check for carbon monoxide, paint chemicals, and formaldehyde. All of these can affect the brain and, subsequently, the functioning of the individual.
Why? Well, student fees on October were off by about $100,000 over last year, and get this: the recruiter Liz has resigned from the glorious FKCC. No enrollment manager, no recruiter, no leadership, no effort to increase enrollment…as Faculty Council President Dawn Ellis reported in her Board monthly letter “We hope efforts are underway to determine the cause of the enrollment decline…yadda yadda yadda, pass the ball, hope, think, feel your way into further decline, FKCC. Hurry up and get Dr. Boyle back in town.
I wonder who is taking responsibility/being blamed for this? With Liz’s resignation, one scenario that can be surmised is that she may have been the sacrificial lamb. Even though she was a recruiter, her time was often spent on campus doing other things. She herself was often recruited to organize special events and had her hand in a number of other things, often involving students who are here already. To address Dawn’s statement, enrollment generation was never a priority under this administration. Obviously, they are offering a product that no one wants and no attempt was made to make their product appeal to student/community needs nor have they seen fit to beat the bushes to generate student interest. The powers that be have no idea where or how to start. Agreed, no leadership here. Speaking of which, the Board has never expressed any interest in this either. Get out the old rubber stamp and acknowledge Dawn’s report. Two straight years of double digit percentage declines. “How low can you go?”
The recuiter became a “Bubba” and learned to be too easy going.
I can not figure out why Rick Scott keeps this place open, it is a loser both financially and as an educational institution.
I can’t believe it! I just cannot believe that enrollment would be down in a time when we have 10.3% unemployment in the state, increased fees, and a toxic history of poison-spewing blog entries. I guess the totality of what has gone on with the school and the contributing factors of economic decline have finally come home to roost. The reports that everything on campus was “fine” and “working well” may have been true for that particular moment, a mere lull in the storm that is FKCC. Students there need a college, not a roiling ball of controversy and finger pointing. Who cares who is at fault! JUST FIX IT!
It is interesting that our KW “investigative reporters” have not picked up on the fact that the faculty had to make a PLEA to the Board for the administration to do something about declining enrollment. Pathetic. Oh, that’s right, as long as it was not contained in a press release, it’s not news.
Sounds like a deja vu from last year, except that was all blamed on a mistake. Who is to be blamed for making a mistake this year? Two years in a row of double digit enrollment percentage declines. Someone has to take the heat, you can bet it’s not the President. Interesting that the news outlets have not picked up the story from the last public meeting where the faculty had to make a PLEA to the Board for the administration to do something about declining enrollment. Pathetic. Oh, that’s right, as long as it was not contained in a press release, it’s not news.
Two years in a row this school has experienced significant double digit percentage enrollment losses. Seems like no one has been held accountable. Interesting that the news outlets have not picked up the story from the last public meeting where the faculty had to make a PLEA to the Board for the administration to do something about declining enrollment. Pathetic. Oh, that’s right, as long as it was not contained in a press release, it’s not news. Board just rubber stamps and doesn’t ask questions. Not a trace of leadership here.
For the multiple entries. When I went to update a comment, the old one went away. I thought it was erased. My bad. It was something that had to be said, however.
At some point, you have to hold the people accountable who continue to ALLOW the decline and NEVER DEMAND answers or “meaningful” performance. Make no mistake, not Mr. Scales, not Mrs. Martin, not Mrs. OBannon nor Mr. Slate and…none have shown that they can set policy or “govern” FKCC. The President’s glaring resume did not translate into anything measurably good for FKCC. Dorms here thanks to Boyle. SACS passed thanks to good ole boy networking ( but this is not good, just hid the problems). Good ole Kinney at the Keynoter must be charmed by the college spokesmodel, and the Citizen just refuses to investigate or apply the pressure they did back when they were trying to axe Seeker. There’s simply no will to bring FKCC to the front and center of attention and resolve the issues to make it flourish. As for Liz, gal has to have been exhausted doing the Dorm Mom’s job and everything else she was handed. Poor thing.
FKCC will not miss the Blue paper as it brought out the shady dealings at the Grade 13 high school.
This story about a Provost who it was claimed had sex with staff members and dated a Trustee on the very board he reported to but the lack of management on the Presidents part by allowing it to continue was unheard of.
The report or lack of report by SACS could only show us that accreditation is a farce as grade 13 does not deserve a passing mark.
We will miss Rhonda, Dennis and Sandy Downs who added a new fresh prospective to the Blue.
Many problems exist here in the Keys and it takes guts to clean up a very shady environment that we call home.
One of the Top Stories of 2011 was the exposure the Blue paper brought out at FKCC of the Provost Randy Charles and his affair with a college Trustee, who by the way is still there, McSister because she is Morgan McPherson’s sister former poor mayor of Key West. The lack of ethics rings in 2012 under Larry Tyree at FKCC for allowing this hanky ethics to continue as long as it has. Let us not forget while McSister is on the board her brother has been promoted to a position of power that boggles the imagination.
Tyree does not appoint or remove Board members; he must work with whoever the Governor appoints. Provost has been gone for 2 semesters now, and the effect on the REAL college problems has been zero. Enrollment still in decline, financial struggles and poor student retention can’t be blamed on one Board members personal relationship. Even if Tyree had denounced the relationship publicly, the larger mor critical and measurable problems exist. BTW, the brother was not promoted, but rather given a title change (a-la-Tyree), does not supervise anyone and was handed twice as many duties for a little less pay. Don’t see the “power” in that, but hey you are still stuck on McMayor…McSister and all that fabricated scandal made-for-tv to deflect from the real problems at FKCC. Tyree may be to blame to an extent (top guy always is) but change the coversation already. No one cares about personal relationships, and everyone gets political influence is at play all the time. People still have tp perform in higher education leadership positions, regardless of who is kissing who at the end of the day! Oh, and as for “ethics”…FKCC needs a Code to govern by.
Fabricated… “YOUR FUNNY!”
That is a no brainer but he should have removed Randy, like duh!
True, the provost relationship was yesterday’s news but the point is that he exercised very poor judgement. He took no action even though he was a self proclaimed “expert” on boards but instead let this situation fester for months. Any person in position of authority can see that when one has the power to prevent a conflict (or at least a very potential conflict) of interest, immediate action should have been taken.
Sure you have inherited board members and staff, every leader does. But, in this case, he is now two and half years into this steady decline. You can’t say, the top guy is to blame to an extent as an aside or a footnote. The buck always stops there. Fortunately, for him the board is not holding him accountable.
but this is absurd. Does anyone even recruit students anymore? ..
Gavin is the latest musical chair person to fill that role. She will be working for Dean McWilliams. No need to shop around for someone from outside the school. From I.T. to Distance Ed to SACS, this gal, like her boss, can do it all!
Gavin is not a person I would put on any assignment, she talks in circles, no she can not do it all. We had someone identified for that job but she was too old. That federal grant monie will be gone soon and it appears there are no funds to fill the hole. Will we stay open? I mean why would Gov. Scott keep funding us?
I heard administration wants to rent the dorm room out to other people from other agencies; is that legal?
This place is a mess and I am so depressed.
Just so you know, when I made my previous comment about “they can do it all”, my tongue was firmly implanted in my cheek. As for the dorm, I’m not sure whether it’s legal to rent to outside entities or not. I guess it depends on their promulgating documents. If I were a student or a parent of a student, however, I don’t think I would want to be sharing my dorm facility with people who were not students. From what I’ve read when this whole thing was unveiled, I don’t think state money is permitted to be used to make up for any shortfall. So, if you can’t get students in the dorm . . . . .???
Dear FKCC Trustees and Employees,
(cue the musical chairs music…)
I’d like to open this week’s President’s Friday Report with a few personnel announcements, of which many of you may already be aware. I would like to formally congratulate and welcome the following individuals in their new roles.
Filling the vacancy of QEP Coordinator left by our new Enrollment Management Director Gavin McKeirnan is Nadia Klausing-Hall. The hiring committee was blown away by Nadia’s knowledge and insight of Island TIME and overall passion for developmental math. I echo their sentiments in having the utmost confidence in Nadia to continue the momentum of this major college project.
Nadia’s transition, of course, left the Coordinator of Instructional Affairs position open. The internal search for her successor yielded five phenomenal candidates—particularly the prevailing candidate, Christina Pichardo. Tina’s similar experience within the Nursing and Allied Health department will provide her the tools necessary to soar in her new, broader role.
Julie Bailey is our new Director of Institutional Effectiveness. Julie’s experience in several positions at FKCC, including most recently that of Instructional Designer, combined with her strong analytical and project management skills, will enable her to continue the good work of her IE predecessors Jillian Manzer and Dr. Erika MacWilliams.
Lastly, but certainly far from least, I’m pleased to report that Michael McPherson has stepped up to the role of Interim Dean of Arts and Sciences. Most recently the Director of Academic Affairs, Michael has also served in multiple positions at the college, providing him with essential knowledge, skill, and perspective as he serves in this much-needed position.
We are very fortunate to have such multi-talented individuals at FKCC who are willing and motivated to lend their skills in new and different capacities. Congratulations and best of luck to all in your new roles.
Throughout this whole post-Dr. Boyle era at the College, the so-called “sides” have continued to thrive and the ensuing comments have reflected points of view both the pros and cons of the administration in power. The unfortunate aspect of this whole scenario is that students have been unwittingly caught in the crossfire of these “sniper” attacks. When we were hoping for someone who was brought in to be a healer, we expected someone who would be objective and not sell-out to either side. For those of us who remain, we are relegated to the anonymous voices of those who were trying to be neutral but were somehow lumped into one or the other camp (usually the other). It is obvious where Dr. Tyree’s sympathies lie and thus, every day I feel the stress of being identified as a “neutral” which, in this administration’s “speak” means that I am somehow associated with the “other side”.
Dr. Tyree, you are not being clever with your “personnel actions” but rather hurtful to those of us who come to work every day and do our jobs but don’t want to get involved in this divisiveness you have perpetuated. We are not evil people but people who also have families to feed and lives to live. We all come to work every day to do the best job we can and give it our all. I only hope I last long enough to see the new president and hope that he/she is able to objectively run this cesspool which FKCC has become.
Let’s have they ever taught? No
So what do you mean experienced? These are Bubbas enjoying the fruits of just being Bubba. I watch them daily and this is an insult to the faculty.
FKCC wll on its way to flourishing then I guess. Right? With all these bright minds, there’s no way that enrollment will continue to plummet. I mean, sure they may not have strong pedagocial backgrounds, but as a wise woman once said, “I don’t need competency, I need loyalty.” “I can teach people competency.” Something like that. These new hires should be given a full chance to succeed before we sarcastically dismiss them to “musical chairs”. Furthermore, there is one President being lined up for a full return to FKCC that will make sure everyone is “terrrific”!
Mo back? What a joke really, this place is on the slide.
One big (legal, ethical) question for the administration: where are the student’s lab fees? Students are charged HUGE lab fees (go look at other colleges, to compare) and then instructors are told they CANNOT SPEND THEM ON THE LABS!!! So, where are the lab fees going? Hmm… how exactly was the administration able to magically fill the $750K deficit from last year? I have a guess. Hey, students: thanks! You saved the bubbas and even paid for lots of bubba promotions. Wow. You guys are really generous. But, gee, aren’t you angry that you have to suffer through middle school-ish science labs and missing safety equipment in diving classes, just so the bubbas can keep their jobs? No? Wow. You guys are AWESOME! Wait, what?– and you donated your technology fees to the bubbas too? And now your FKCC internet sucks? Damn. What would we do without you?
Someone needs to call the State Attorney General Fraud Hotline. Now. 1-866-966-7226
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The school, if it continues on its current course will always have problems. The student count is down because of the product it is trying to sell. There is nothing special about this school execpt for its location. Every community college has the same curriculum except maybe for the marine sciences. But that has to expanded into a more enhanced marine science curriculum to be really noticed in the general US ocean science community.That
will attract $ and more students.
Why would a student want to come here, the costs are to high. There is nothing special about the curent course selection. Why would they come here and pay $4K for a room where at the other florida schools is approx $2500.
There are over 500K tech related jobs available and no one to fill them. There are stories evey week on the news, even the president has commented on it. That includes graduate to 2 years degrees. But FKCC has no idea that this is the case, not the president, not the administration, not the BOT, and certainly not the search committee. Other community college have stepped up, FKCC better do so as well.
The adminstation of these schools in general has been selected from the ranks of educational administrators who don’t have a clue about the future work force requirements. They jump from college to college till they retire and do little along the way. This drives the real technical community nuts. Courses and degrees that mean nothing in the real work force? FTE student count gets raised and it is money to the institution. FKCC is an ideal example of this. However, the FTE count continues to go down and will untill the educational product changes. It can be done with the right technical leadership.
The current presidential search committe is concentrated on the educational academic. A lot of colleges are going outside this club to select thier leaders. It’s difficult and out side the current comfort zone. But it does work. This type of leadership also leads to better and relavent workforce development programs. Running a small community college is not difficult.
The school has the potential to be moved in a more technical direction, it is the only logical direction to go to increase the student enrollment and outside funding. But this will not happen with the current committee, presidential selecties, and board. Thus the school will thus remain poor at best. If the faculty is so interested in the colleges future and in undergraduate research we better have more of a say in the presidential selection and be ready maybe to move ouitside our general comfort zone for leadership. The state has no $ the feds have no $, but there is $ in the science foundations and other Gov agencies and industries that fund science and technogy. But FKCC’s president must have the credentials to open these doors. An academic paper pusher does not.
I have no confidence in the current search committee as it is composed of a lot of bubbas who will protect themselves and could care less about the school’s potential. I am totally dumfounded by thier current presidential selections.
Let’s try this again. The college will continue to have problems. There is nothing special about it
except maybe its location. Ever community college has the same curriculum except maybe for the marine sciences. But that has to also expand so as to be noticed by the general ocean science community. That will result in increased students and dollars. Why would a student come here? The curriculum is nothing special and it costs too much. The tuition is maybe average, but the dorm fee of $4K for a room is outrages. It is about $2600 at most other Florida schools.
The school has to stand out and it can do this by becoming more tech orientated. We have to make it stand out. The administration, BOT and search committee do not have a clue. They are recruiting the typical educational administrators. They jump from school to school until they retire and along the way do nothing but push paper. They have no idea what is required for the future work force. Bad courses, useless degrees this increases the FTE count and it looks good for the school. That’s what FKCC has been doing. The result is what we have and it will kill us.
The faculty here at FKCC wants to do undergraduate research and deems it critical to our survival, then we better get more involved with the search and be ready to choose someone who has those credentials and can lead in this area. It may be outside our comfort zone but it has worked at other colleges. The feds have no $, the state is broke, but there is $ in the various foundations, industries, and a few feds that fund science. We need a leader that has the credentials to open these doors. If you think that an academic can do that, guess again. This type of technical leadership will also result in better workforce development programs for Monro county. We at FKCC need different type of leadership than we have had in the past. It is not difficult to run a small community college.
I am dumbfounded at the presidential choices the committee in making. Same old educational types. I would have expected more from upper keys, middle keys, and the two faculty reps. The rest of the committee which is composed of the Bubbas will look out for themselves. They don’t want the cart shaken. With this attitude and mindset, we will remain mediocre at best. Lets fix this before it’s too late
The lab fees are just part of the continuing problems at fkcc.This faculty had better play a lot closer attention to the search committee. They will choose an other academic who has done nothing. They jump from school to school, recommended by their buddies. They will never help the school because in general they don’t have a clue. Things like the lab fees issues will always continue; the place will not move into the 21 st century untill leadership is from outside the academic arena.But this is outside the comfort area. I am very troubled by the current group of candidates. Some execellant ones were to easily dismissed.
If the selection goes with a dumb academic we knopw what the result will be more of the same
Watch the search committee, same old academic same old school.
Michael McPherson Interim Dean of Arts and Sciences.
You have got to be kidding. This guy does know how to manage a McDonalds. We need some one with broadbased STEM credentials to be in that position.
Hopefully his position is short lived.
This clown only got the job because of his connections and is not the best choice. Bob, McDonald’s requires some talent. Mc also has a wife in the school system; why is it these Mc’s are in the public pockets?
FKCC and Monroe schools need to get rid of the Bubba’s and speaking of Bubba’s, hey what happened to Sunny Booker?
This guy does NOT know how to manage a McDonalds
(sorry about that)
So very obvious indeed.
Thanks for the post.
What about unemployed Puerto Ricans, Australians, Cheks, Haitians, etc?