School of the Redwoods President/Superintendent Jeff Marsee makes $222,602 every year, in addition to an advantages bundle worth another $11,432. That compensation places him in the main 20 percent of junior college presidents in the state, as indicated by the Association of California Community College Administrators. He gets 16 paid occasions, 20 excursion days and 10 days of expert leave every year. He’s utilizing a portion of the last right now, visiting Russia on a Fulbright Scholarship to trade thoughts with Russian junior college executives. www.mathrevolt.com
Since taking control at CR in July 2008, Marsee has ended up being something of a torch, settling on intense choices to procure new instructional locales, reshape the authoritative structure and rearrange timetables and schedules. Not the greater part of his endeavors have been effective: He as of late moved in an opposite direction from a proposition to buy the empty Jefferson Elementary School working in Eureka after subjects made it clear the school wasn’t welcome in the area. Still, from the outside Marsee’s residency looks soundly compelling. Enlistment bounced 13 percent this scholastic year. There are new instructive destinations in McKinleyville and Arcata and one underway for Garberville. Marsee spared the Redwoods Community College District more than $10 million by saving the principle grounds’ understudy administrations working from the destroying ball. Also, above all, in January CR was expelled from notice status by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC).
Within view, nonetheless, gives a bleaker display: personnel pioneers who say Marsee is a despot, jumpy staff members persuaded that their telephones are bothered and an inescapable atmosphere of dread and rotting ill will. (For the early phases of this contamination, see “Push Fracture,” July 30, 2009.) A representative fulfillment overview of 121 employees, 100 staff members and 19 heads, directed in February by advanced education counseling firm Noel-Levitz, illustrated an organization on the slope of debacle. Or, on the other hand maybe rebellion.
The crude information implied at a specific dissatisfaction; the unknown respondents gave the school low stamps for arranging, collaboration and straightforwardness. Be that as it may, these workers’ actual sentiments came streaming out in the second piece of the overview, in which they were welcome to answer open-finished inquiries. Their reactions filled 34 pages with about consistent vitriol, hatred and despondency – the majority of it coordinated solidly at Marsee.
“Dr. Marsee has essentially without any help made a workplace that is dastardly, destructive, cryptic and out and out alarming,” understands one delegate case. “The President has an administration style that is dictator, sporadic and distancing,” peruses another. Confidence is over and again evaluated at an untouched low. Grounds culture is depicted as “antagonistic,” “dangerous” and “shameful.” Marsee is called imperious and pernicious. “It is truly an autocracy,” one individual construes. “Dread of retaliation is unavoidable,” watches another. “Individuals who do talk up are “boycotted” … furthermore, openly chastised,” concurs a third.
About each page incorporates maybe a couple clearing evaluations of practically prophetically calamitous extents: “A large number of us genuinely trust that the President will crush this foundation.” … “This used to be the best school I’ve ever worked at; now it is basically a position of across the board wretchedness.” … “We are going down the wrong street at a high rate of speed and the transport is setting out toward a precipice.” Several admit they’re thinking about taking off. One basically says, “This is the most spoiled place I have ever worked.”