Dr. Jose Gomez: Interim President to start at PCC

Dr. Jose Gomez will serve as interim superintendent/president from August 1, 2023, to August 1, 2024. Prior to that, he served as a special consultant to the college from July 24 through July 31. Dr. Erika Endrijonas’ resignation as superintendent/president takes effect on July 31, 2023.

Gomez’ Contract with PCC

pcc-jose-gomez_2023_interim-amended-superintendent-president-contract-finalDownload

Prior to choosing Dr. Gomez as interim president, several administrators had been vocal about their own preference for a replacement to Endrijonas, who left the college in strife. They spoke in unison at May-June 2023 board meetings urging the board to pick Dr. Candace Jones, PCC’s Chief Business Officer head of Business and Admin. Services, to be interim.

Before interim-President Dr. Gomez took over, the VP of Instruction Dr. Laura Ramirez stepped in temporarily to be the Superintendent-President.

Dr. Gomez’ contract will expire in one year on August 1, 2024, and his salary is $330,000. The Board of Trustees will be conducting the search for a longer-term replacement to Dr. Erika Endrijonas.

June-July 2023 Admin. Org Chart

interim_june2023_district_org_chartsDownload

PCC loses lawsuit against PCC faculty

notice-to-employees-posted-by-order-of-perb-6-26-23Download

For being a learning institution, PCC doesn’t seem to learn from past lessons. Just about 8 years ago under PCC President Mark Rocha, the administration unilaterally cancelled winter quarter and instead turned it into a second summer intersession. This time, under PCC President Erika Endrijonas, they did it again. Both times the professors at the college, vis a vis the faculty union, sued and won.

May 9, 2023: Erika Endrijonas leaves PCC and goes back to Santa Barbara City College

A year after the professors at the college voted No Confidence on PCC President Erika Endrijonas, and in recent months after applying to be president at Mount San Antonio and LA Community College, Endrijonas has been offered the position of president at Santa Barbara City College, starting August 1, 2023.

These last few months have seen discontent amongst the managers at the college, followed by some classified staff, demanding that the PCC Board extend Endrijona’s contract, rather than let it expire June 30, 2024.

In the end, it doesn’t matter: After 4 years at the college, she is set to leave.

Recent press

SBCC Announces Selection of New Superintendent President, Santa Barbara City College Press Release, May 8, 2023

Reaction to PCC President/Superintendent’s Impending Departure Varies, Depending on Whether Friend or Foe, Pasadena Now, May 9, 2023

Reaction to PCC President/Superintendent’s Impending Departure Varies, Depending on Whether Friend or Foe

“Endrijonas, like an annoyingly lingering house guest costing the district about $27,000 a month has definitely overstayed her welcome – it is well past time that she left Pasadena City College. Now this current Board of Trustees, led admirably by Board President Sandra Chen Lau, after showing intense backbone by not retreating or being cowed by her petty attacks, has the incredible opportunity to seek out and find a much better fit for Superintendent-President of Pasadena City College,” Bernardo wrote to Pasadena Now.

Pasadena City College President Endrijonas to take helm at Santa Barbara, Pasadena Star News, May 8, 2023

Pasadena City College president Endrijonas to take helm at Santa Barbara

PCC’s Dr. Erika Endrijonas Names New Superintendent/President of Santa Barbara City College, Pasadena Now, May 8, 2023

PCC’s Dr. Erika Endrijonas Named New Superintendent/President Of Santa Barbara City College

“On behalf of the Pasadena City College Board of Trustees, I extend our congratulations to Dr. Endrijonas on her appointment as the next President of Santa Barbara City College. Dr. Endrijonas began her career in community colleges at SBCC and indicated it is where she’d love to return,” Chen Lau said. “We appreciate Dr. Endrijonas’ service to PCC in her four and half years as its President. We look forward to working with her during this transitional period.”

May 22, 2022: Check out our YouTube Channel!

Watch Trustee Berlinda Brown talk about what a GOOD DAY it was for her
when the faculty senate reported on the campus wide No Confidence results (5/18/22)

Don’t miss Trustee Anthony Fellow blaming the students for the graduation debacle with Dustin Lance Black, or telling the faculty they should be grateful to the board for finally approving the first raise in 7 years, and more!

Check out our YouTube Channel and subscribe so you don’t miss out!

Student Trustee David Ramirez does the bidding for Trustee Linda Wah as his report at his last Board of Trustees meeting (5/18/22)

Watch our Board Follies series to hear what the current board members say on LGBTQ students, climate change, exploitation of part-time professors, and more!

May 20, 2022: Votes of No Confidence in the PCC Board of Trustees and current PCC President Endrijonas

No confidence in the college leadership

The Old Guard Board of Trustee Members (Linda Wah, Anthony Fellow, Berlinda Brown and John Martin) have been picking problematic presidents that get votes of no confidence from the faculty and students. PCC has had 6 presidents in the last 10 years. The faculty and students have even voted no confidence in the Board of Trustees themselves!

• April 2015, the faculty senate voted No Confidence in the PCC Board of Trustees. Read the resolution.

• May 2015, the student government voted No Confidence in the PCC Board of Trustees. Read the resolution.

• April 12, 2022, the faculty senate voted No Confidence in Superintendent-President Erika Endrijonas and cited issues with the Board of Trustees, too. The Board of Trustees hired Endrijonas in 2019. Read the resolution from PCC’s website here. If that gets taken down, you can read it in full in Coloradoblvd.net’s April 12, 2022 article.

• On May 4, 2022, faculty across PCC ratified it. Pasadena Now May 5, 2022 “PCC Faculty, Mirroring Colleges Academic Senate Board, Support No Confidence in Superintendent/President Endrijonas“)
• PCC professor outlines how this latest no-confidence vote could have been avoided.

Jack Scott to the Endrijonas’ rescue?

Not even former Chancellor and PCC President Jack Scott could deter the college from voting No Confidence. On April 26, 2022 he wrote an op-ed in the Pasadena Star News pressuring faculty not to go through with the vote. Three days prior, on Twitter PCC President Erika Endrijonas was showing off her friend in high places – him. More in “PCC’s Vote of No Confidence on College Leadership Finalized”, ColoradoBlvd.net.

Who’s part of the Old Guard?

• Anthony Fellow – on PCC board since 2009; picked past president Mark Rocha (who also got multiple votes of no confidence, including this one) and Erika Endrijonas

• Berlinda Brown – on PCC board since 2009; picked past president Mark Rocha (who also got multiple votes of no confidence, including this one) and Erika Endrijonas

• Linda Wah – on PCC board since 2010 – picked past president Mark Rocha (who also got multiple votes of no confidence, including this one) and Erika Endrijonas

• John Martin – seat isn’t up for election until 2024. He’s been on the Board for 43 years.

While mandating all faculty and students go back to the classroom during the height of Omicron and COVID19 pandemic, the Board of Trustees met safely on Zoom, which lead to subsequent protests at PCC.

Without term limits, the only thing to be done is vote them out!

Starting May 9 – to June 7, 2022, three seats are up for election.

Alton Wang is going up against Anthony Fellow, District 7

Dr. Steve Gibson is going up against Berlinda Brown, District 3

Kristine Kwong is going up against Linda Wah, District 5.

The PCC faculty union has endorsed the newcomers over any of the Old Guard incumbents.

May 13, 2022: PCC Board of Trustee Linda Wah shows her true colors

Kristine Kwong’s campaign released printed material calling attention to long-time incumbent Linda Wah’s track record on the PCC Board of Trustees. This is, after all, why Kristine’s running.

Two basic campaign flyers from Kristine Kwong for PCC Board of Trustees 2022

One side ofKristine Kwong for PCC flyer

---

One side of Kristine Kwong for PCC door-hanger

Linda Wah retaliates with a May 13, 2022 email, sending her followers on a witch hunt.

Who’s playing nasty politics here? You decide.

The link in Linda’s email points to this webpage, paid for by Linda Wah’s own campaign. In it, she solicits “tips” as if she were conducting a criminal investigation.

Kristine Kwong’s response

On May 23, 2022, Kristine Kwong sent a letter to the editor in The South Pasadenan

I am writing in response to the criticisms of an alleged negative campaign tactics from me.  I respectfully disagree and here’s why:

As a local elected official, Linda Wah has a voting record that deserves to be examined in an election and a campaign. An election is the time when voters hold elected officials accountable for their job performance over the course of their terms and evaluate their effectiveness of their service. In fact, since Linda Wah was appointed to office in 2009 and had no challengers for the last two terms, which means her record has not been discussed or reviewed for 13 years. There were no PCC Board elections in 2014 or 2018 because Linda Wah ran unopposed so voters had no alternative choices or had to vote at all.

In my campaign, I have put forth facts and not lies. It may be uncomfortable for Linda Wah and her supporters to see the negative impact of Linda Wah’s decisions on the PCC Board, but these are facts not lies. She made these decisions and it’s time for voters to decide whether she deserves a third term or not.

I am running because I am deeply concerned with what is happening at PCC. I have met and spoken to many voters who have appreciated the opportunity to talk about their experiences with PCC. I plan to continue doing just that, informing voters and letting them know they have a choice for change.

Sincerely,

Kristine Kwong, candidate for Pasadena Area Community College District Board – District 5

May 6, 2022: Press clippings – Why PCC needs new leadership ASAP!

Here’s your one-stop-shop to votes of no confidence resolutions, articles and videos, then and now.

Original Take Back PCC logo from 2013

Near Loss of PCC’s Accreditation

• Pasadena City College Placed on Probation Following Accreditation Review (KPCC, July 2015)
• Pasadena City College’s Accreditation Placed on Probation (Pasadena Star News, July 10, 2015)
• Why did PCC nearly lose its accreditation? (TakeBackPCC)

Votes of No Confidence in PCC BOARD OF TRUSTEES

• Resolution: Faculty-wide resolution on the Board of Trustees (2015)
• Resolution: Vote of no confidence on the Board of Trustees from the Faculty Senate (2015)
• Resolution Vote of no confidence on the Board of Trustees  from PCC students (2015) 
• PCC Board of Trustees – Potential Brown Act Violations (TakeBackPCC)

Votes of No Confidence in the PCC PRESIDENTS (which the Board of Trustees hire and fire)

Pres. Mark Rocha

• Vote of No Confidence and Censure from Associated Students (TakeBackPCC, February 2013)
• Vote of No Confidence – Ad Hoc Committee for Faculty at Large (TakeBackPCC, March 2013)
• Vote of No Confidence –  Academic Senate (TakeBack PCC, April 2013)

Pres. Erika Endrijonas

• Pasadena City College Faculty Senate Votes No Confidence   (ColoradoBlvd.net, April 2022)
• Academic Senate Condemns Endrijonas with ‘vote of no confidence’ (PCC Courier, April 13, 2022) 
• PCC Faculty, Mirroring College’s Academic Senate Board, No Confidence Vote in Superintendent/President Endrijonas (Pasadena Now, May 4, 2022)

The Gutting of the Vocational Ed:  Graphics

• Brown Act Violations: Pasadena City College Eliminates Graphics Program, Coloradoblved.net, Dec. 2021
• PCC Gutting a Popular Program, ColoradoBlvd.net, Feb. 28, 2022
• Pasadena Residents, Business Owners Cry Foul After PCC Cancels Screen Printing Program , Pasadena Star News, March 25, 2022

Recent Protests

• PCC Trustees Meet Safely at Home While Staff to Resume in Person Classes, ColoradoBlvd.net, (Jan 2022)
• Faculty protested the premature face-to-face return to campus this semester (Jan. 2022)
• PCC Adjunct Professors Protest Working Conditions (April 22, 2022)

Lawsuits

• PCC Accused of Violating Educational Employment Relations Act, Pasadena Star News, Dec. 2013
• Pasadena City College Professors to File Unfair Labor Lawsuit  Coloradoblvd.net, Jan. 25,  2022

Op Eds and Editorials

• May 5, 2022:  PCC’s Vote of No Confidence on College Leadership Finalized ColoradoBlvd.net
• April, 17, 2022: No one Has Won here, Least of All Faculty PCC professor guest opinion, Coloradoblvd.net
• April 12, 2022: VNC could have been avoided, PCC professor guest opinion, Pasadena Now
• May 13, 2015: PCC Board Needs to Go to School on the Brown Act, Editorial Board San Gabriel Valley Tribune

Video

• “Board Follies” Videos of Board of Trustees in action (starring Anthony Fellow and Berlinda Brown)
• PCC Board of Trustees video channel

May 5, 2022: Why did PCC nearly lose its accreditation?

Here’s why the Old Guard Board members need to go

Once upon a time, the state-wide accrediting body called the ACCJC dinged PCC pretty bad on several counts, including because the Board of Trustees didn’t follow its own code of ethics, lack of collegiality and participatory governance. Pasadena City College was put on probation by the ACCJC. Energy, budget and resources had to be expended to get PCC back on track.

Without term limits, many of the same Board of Trustees are STILL on the PCC Board, including Linda Wah (appointed around 2009), Anthony Fellow (since 2009), Berlinda Brown (since 2009) and John Martin.

So how does this story end?

All but Martin are facing challengers this June 7, 2022. #VoteThemOut

ACCJC Accreditation Findings, 2015

• Pasadena City College Placed on Probation Following Accreditation Review (KPCC, July 2015)
• Pasadena City College’s Accreditation Placed on Probation (Pasadena Star News, July 10, 2015)

May 9, 2023: PCC President Erika Endrijonas Set to Leave PCC for Santa Barbara City College

More here

May 1, 2022: Votes of No Confidence in the PCC Board of Trustees and current PCC President Endrijonas

No confidence in the college leadership

The Old Guard Board of Trustee Members (Linda Wah, Anthony Fellow, Berlinda Brown and John Martin) have been picking problematic presidents that get votes of no confidence from the faculty and students. PCC has had 6 presidents in the last 10 years. The faculty and students have even voted no confidence in the Board of Trustees themselves!

• April 2015, the faculty senate voted No Confidence in the PCC Board of Trustees. Read the resolution.

• May 2015, the student government voted No Confidence in the PCC Board of Trustees. Read the resolution.

• April 12, 2022, the faculty senate voted No Confidence in Superintendent-President Erika Endrijonas and cited issues with the Board of Trustees, too. The Board of Trustees hired Endrijonas in 2019. Read the resolution from PCC’s website here. If that gets taken down, you can read it in full in Coloradoblvd.net’s April 12, 2022 article.

• On May 4, 2022, faculty across PCC ratified it. Pasadena Now May 5, 2022 “PCC Faculty, Mirroring Colleges Academic Senate Board, Support No Confidence in Superintendent/President Endrijonas“)
• PCC professor outlines how this latest no-confidence vote could have been avoided.

Jack Scott to the Endrijonas’ rescue?

Not even former Chancellor and PCC President Jack Scott could deter the college from voting No Confidence. On April 26, 2022 he wrote an op-ed in the Pasadena Star News pressuring faculty not to go through with the vote. Three days prior, on Twitter PCC President Erika Endrijonas was showing off her friend in high places – him. More in “PCC’s Vote of No Confidence on College Leadership Finalized”, ColoradoBlvd.net.

President Erika Endrijonas’ Employment Contract (Jan. 22, 209-June 30, 2022)

endrijonas_employment_agreement_paccd_and_dr._endrijonas_1-22-19_to_6-30-22Download

Who’s part of the Old Guard?

• Anthony Fellow – on PCC board since 2009; picked past president Mark Rocha (who also got multiple votes of no confidence, including this one) and Erika Endrijonas

• Berlinda Brown – on PCC board since 2009; picked past president Mark Rocha (who also got multiple votes of no confidence, including this one) and Erika Endrijonas

• Linda Wah – on PCC board since 2010 – picked past president Mark Rocha (who also got multiple votes of no confidence, including this one) and Erika Endrijonas

• John Martin – seat is up for election until 2024

While mandating all faculty and students go back to the classroom during the height of Omicron and COVID19 pandemic, the Board of Trustees met safely on Zoom, which lead to subsequent protests at PCC.

Without term limits, the only thing to be done is vote them out!

Starting May 9 – to June 7, 2022, three seats are up for election.

Alton Wong is going up against Anthony Fellow, District 7

Dr. Steve Gibson is going up against Berlinda Brown, District 3

Kristine Kwong is going up against Linda Wah, District 5.

The PCC faculty union has endorsed the newcomers over any of the Old Guard incumbents.

April 29, 2022: What Berlinda Brown really thinks about the professors at Pasadena City College

From Berlinda Brown’s application for LA County Democratic Party endorsement

Is this who should be representing Pasadena City College – someone who hates professors and has no vision if (re-)elected?

Berlinda Brown submitted this application for endorsement stating that her main opponents in this election are the faculty at PCC. Needless to say, on April 12, 2022 she did not get endorsed by the Democratic Party.

Berlinda Brown has been on the PCC Board since 2009 – it’s time to go!

#DownwithBrown

Hilarious videos of Berlinda Brown on the Board of Trustees

Brown in denial about the Vote of No Confidence that was delivered by the faculty Senate president, May 18, 2022 “Today was a GREAT day for me!”

Jan. 26, 2015: Faculty Senate trying to explain to the Board – repeatedly – why they didn’t approve the accreditation document that the administration wrote and presented to the ACCJC. Brown doesn’t get it – or doesn’t want to.