C.O.D. election

[slt]

As a result of my "get educated and vote" column, someone mailed me some information about the College of DuPage trustee election. I have to admit to not being aware of the controversy swirling in this election.

I have a flier with quite a bit of info and referring to the website www.friendsforeducation502.org/

Do any of you have more information?

Here's part of it:

The current Board has increased closed sessions and one-on-one conversations with each other to discuss public business. As a result, little real dialogue, deliberation or debate takes place in the open. The Board micromanages and repeatedly disregards the voices of students, teachers and administrators. It should let the administration and faculty do their jobs and trust their recommendations. Only if there is clear evidence that a recommendation is deeply flawed should the Board delve into the details.

Two female board members have resigned during Mike McKinnnon's tenure as board chairman. He is running for a third six-year term.
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The other side has snippets from news articles and comments about them. The female board members allege that Mike McKinnon inappropriately talked to or touched them, and then he filed a defamation suit. The other story is about Mike McKinnon's challenge of other candidates on the ballot. All challengers remained on the ballot.

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The recommendations are:
* Six year candidates
o Kim Savage
o Nancy Svoboda
o Tom Wendorf
* Two year candidate
o Sandy Kim

[gatordog]

check out this dupage group's take.

www.dupageunited.org/

Incumbents Nowak and McCinnon would not respond to the questions posed.

the candidates recommended above all did.

[gatordog]

from Trib

College of DuPage election seriously complex
13 candidates, 4 offices, many hard feelings

By Ted Gregory | Tribune Reporter
April 3, 2009

In its simplest context, the College of DuPage Board of Trustees election boils down to 13 candidates seeking four positions.

But most who spend a fair amount of time at the nation's third largest community college know it is anything but a simple place. Lately, the Glen Ellyn institution of 28,000 students may be bordering on the downright byzantine.

Here are a few examples:

In May, College President Sunil Chand abruptly was reassigned—with little explanation—about a year before his contract expired.

Revelations surfaced in October that three former board trustees had made allegations in 2007 that Board President Micheal McKinnon sexually harassed them. The allegations came to light when McKinnon filed a defamation lawsuit alleging the complaints were false and "part of a political vendetta ... to undermine McKinnon's position and influence on the Board." A judge tossed out McKinnon's lawsuit in February.

Unrest continues over the board's handling of COD's 254-page policy manual, which details the college's procedures on nearly everything, including communicable diseases, the budget, graduation requirements and facilities usage. The flash point in that unrest may have occurred at the board's packed November meeting, where about 50 students rimmed the meeting room, their mouths taped shut in protest of a revised policy they contend limits their free speech.

Faculty members have become involved in the campaign and are expected to funnel about $50,000 to four candidates—Sandy Kim of West Chicago; Kim Savage of Darien; Nancy Svoboda of Downers Grove; and Tom Wendorf of Glen Ellyn—through the faculty association's Friends For Education.

Another candidate, Lisa Wehr, of Wheaton, not endorsed by the Friends For Education, is the sister of current board member David Carlin, a philosophical ally of chairman McKinnon.

All of this is occurring while the college is in the middle of $300 million in capital improvements that include construction of four major instructional buildings and the renovation of two others.

Debate stirring around Tuesday's election generally boils down to one fundamental disagreement.

Challengers Kim, Savage, Svoboda, and Wendorf contend for the most part that the current board is heavy handed, non-communicative and micro-managing COD. Much of that criticism stems from the production of the policy manual.

McKinnon is running for re-election and said he voted early for candidates Allison O'Donnell, of Winfield; Michael Ledonne, of Lombard; and incumbent Mark Nowak—an Addison man who works as an auditor for the Chicago Tribune. McKinnon said he and his supporters on the board are attempting to rein in spending and be more responsive to taxpayers. He noted that the first draft of the board policy had been available for public review in October.

Also running are Ivan H. Fernandez of Downers Grove; Sharon Giorno of Lombard; Jeffrey J. Handel of West Chicago; and Matthew H. Nelson of Wheaton.

Biographical sketches are available online for almost all the candidates at www.cod.edu/adminstr/board.htm (click on "candidate biographies" in the right rail).

[gatordog]

Cod 502 Trts
Total
Number of Precincts 709
Precincts Reporting 697 98.3 %
Vote For 3
Times Counted 103053/519159 19.8 %
Total Votes 217451



Allison O'Donnell 27504 12.65%
Kim Savage 36958 17.00%
Tom Wendorf 26667 12.26%
Matthew H Nelson 13972 6.43%
Ivan H Fernandez 6979 3.21%
Micheal E McKinnon 18769 8.63%
Lisa N Wehr 17394 8.00%
Sharon Giorno 12418 5.71%
Nancy Svoboda 40410 18.58%
Michael V Ledonne 16072 7.39%

[Arwen]

Apr 7, 2009 22:32:46 GMT -5 gatordog said:

Cod 502 Trts
Total
Number of Precincts 709
Precincts Reporting 697 98.3 %
Vote For 3
Times Counted 103053/519159 19.8 %
Total Votes 217451



Allison O'Donnell 27504 12.65%
Kim Savage 36958 17.00%
Tom Wendorf 26667 12.26%
Matthew H Nelson 13972 6.43%
Ivan H Fernandez 6979 3.21%
Micheal E McKinnon 18769 8.63%
Lisa N Wehr 17394 8.00%
Sharon Giorno 12418 5.71%
Nancy Svoboda 40410 18.58%
Michael V Ledonne 16072 7.39%

The 2 year winner was Kim:

Sandy Kim 37723 48.19%
Jeffrey J Handel 10962 14.00%
Mark J Nowak 29309 37.44%

[title1parent]

www.suburbanchicagonews.com/beaconnews/news/1518182,COD-gets-change_na040809.article

COD gets change, but will it matter?

April 9, 2009

By RON PAZOLA [e-mail]
You wanted change? You got it.

In a highly charged election, voters on Tuesday swept out of office two controversial members of the College of DuPage board, Chairman Mike McKinnon and Vice Chairman Mark Nowak.

However, COD may still be responsible for $32,000 in legal fees related to a lawsuit McKinnon was involved in.

Will the change make a difference, or will it remain business as usual?

Time of change

Come May, four newcomers — Sandy Kim, Nancy Svoboda, Kim Savage and Allison O'Donnell — will sit on the COD board.

Critics of McKinnon and Nowak say they have arrogantly dismissed the concerns of faculty, students and residents by making decisions behind closed doors.

The defeated board members contend they were only doing what they were elected to do — make decisions about the college's future.

In recent months, COD has been a hotbed of controversy. Some of it has surrounded McKinnon, who filed a defamation suit against three former trustees — Mary Mack, Jane Herron and Mary Sue Brown — who accused him of sexual harassment. A DuPage County judge dismissed McKinnon's suit in February.

McKinnon is now asking COD to pay $32,000 in legal fees involved in the lawsuit. COD lawyer Ken Florey conceded there's a chance the college may end up picking up the tab.

The issue will probably come up in a court appearance scheduled for this morning at the DuPage County Courthouse.

Power and anger

In addition, apparent power plays on the board have led to an avalanche of angry accusations.

"When you come down to it, that's what this is all about — power and who holds it," Nowak said. "The current controversies have been generated by the faculty, who in recent years have lost influence with the current board members."

The reason for that is simple, Nowak believes. He noted their last pay raise was only 2 percent.

Teachers union groups were active in the election, donating nearly $60,000 to the campaigns of Kim, Svoboda and Savage. The groups also backed board candidate Tom Wendorf, who lost in Tuesday's election.

Kim, Svoboda and Savage insist they will not be beholden to the faculty because of the contributions. Nowak isn't so sure.

"That's easy to say, but it's pretty hard not to be influenced by someone who has contributed financially to your campaign," Nowak said.

Out in the open

Some also accused the current board of not being open with the public about its decisions.

Members of DuPage United, a grassroots community organization, have criticized the COD board for just that reason.

For many who voted for change on Election Day, it is vital that the trustees work together with the public to make the college a vibrant part of the community.

DuPage United said it intends to hold the new board members to their word that they intend to bring a new era to COD.

"Our group doesn't endorse a particular agenda," DuPage United spokeswoman Amy Lawless said. "We would be just as critical of the new board if they weren't open and upfront with the taxpayers."