{"id":15347,"date":"2016-04-22T17:50:52","date_gmt":"2016-04-23T00:50:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/spiken.wpengine.com\/news\/students-faculty-walk-out-amid-high-tensions-at-green-river-college-sildeshow\/"},"modified":"2016-10-22T22:50:35","modified_gmt":"2016-10-23T05:50:35","slug":"students-faculty-walk-out-amid-high-tensions-at-green-river-college-sildeshow","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kentreporter.com\/news\/students-faculty-walk-out-amid-high-tensions-at-green-river-college-sildeshow\/","title":{"rendered":"Students, faculty walk out amid high tensions at Green River College | SILDESHOW"},"content":{"rendered":"

Five<\/span> minutes<\/span> after<\/span> 10<\/span> a.m.<\/span> classes<\/span> began<\/span> Friday<\/span> on<\/span> Green<\/span> River<\/span> College\u2019s<\/span> main<\/span> campus<\/span> in<\/span> Auburn<\/span>,<\/span> hundreds<\/span> of<\/span> students<\/span> and<\/span> instructors<\/span> walked<\/span> out.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

It<\/span> was<\/span> the<\/span> latest<\/span> show<\/span> of<\/span> growing<\/span> student<\/span> and<\/span> faculty<\/span> discontent<\/span> with<\/span> the<\/span> college\u2019s<\/span> administration<\/span> as<\/span> it<\/span> contends<\/span> with<\/span> a<\/span> $4-5<\/span> million<\/span> budget<\/span> deficit.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Tensions<\/span> have<\/span> been<\/span> high<\/span> on<\/span> campus<\/span> since<\/span> school<\/span> leaders<\/span> enacted<\/span> a<\/span> program<\/span> prioritization<\/span> process<\/span> last<\/span> fall<\/span> as<\/span> a<\/span> tool<\/span> to<\/span> rank<\/span> programs<\/span> that<\/span> ultimately<\/span> might<\/span> be<\/span> cut<\/span> if<\/span> no<\/span> other<\/span> funding<\/span> sources<\/span> can<\/span> be<\/span> found.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Students<\/span> are<\/span> upset<\/span> because<\/span> they<\/span> have<\/span> not<\/span> been<\/span> included<\/span> in<\/span> the<\/span> prioritization,<\/span> and<\/span> faculty<\/span> feel<\/span> the<\/span> process<\/span> lies<\/span> outside<\/span> of<\/span> their<\/span> contract.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

The<\/span> walk<\/span>out<\/span> comes<\/span> on<\/span> the<\/span> heels<\/span> of<\/span> a<\/span> contentious<\/span> Board<\/span> of<\/span> Trustees<\/span> meeting<\/span> Thursday<\/span> evening.<\/span> Faculty,<\/span> staff<\/span> and<\/span> students<\/span> packed<\/span> a<\/span> small<\/span> board<\/span> room,<\/span> forcing<\/span> many<\/span> to<\/span> stand<\/span> in<\/span> the<\/span> hallway.<\/span> Campus<\/span> safety<\/span> officers<\/span> counted<\/span> the<\/span> number<\/span> of<\/span> people<\/span> who<\/span> entered<\/span> the<\/span> room,<\/span> and<\/span> two<\/span> Valley<\/span> Regional<\/span> Fire<\/span> Authority<\/span> firefighters<\/span> ensured<\/span> the<\/span> crowd<\/span> didn\u2019t<\/span> exceed<\/span> maximum<\/span> occupancy<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Board<\/span> of<\/span> Trustees<\/span> chairman<\/span> Pete<\/span> Lewis<\/span> said<\/span> the<\/span> fire<\/span> department<\/span> received<\/span> an<\/span> anonymous<\/span> tip<\/span> that<\/span> the<\/span> building<\/span> might<\/span> stretch<\/span> capacity<\/span> during<\/span> the<\/span> meeting.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t<\/span> pretend<\/span> you<\/span> didn\u2019t<\/span> know<\/span> this<\/span> meeting<\/span> was<\/span> going<\/span> to<\/span> be<\/span> filled,\u201d<\/span> an<\/span> audience<\/span> member<\/span> directed<\/span> toward<\/span> the<\/span> board.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Attendees<\/span> repeatedly<\/span> asked<\/span> for<\/span> a<\/span> change<\/span> in<\/span> the<\/span> meeting\u2019s<\/span> location<\/span> to<\/span> accommodate<\/span> the<\/span> crowd,<\/span> offering<\/span> a<\/span> large<\/span> classroom<\/span> on<\/span> campus<\/span> as<\/span> an<\/span> alternative.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Faculty<\/span> requested<\/span> a<\/span> change<\/span> in<\/span> location<\/span> 20<\/span> days<\/span> prior<\/span> to<\/span> the<\/span> meeting<\/span> and<\/span> a<\/span> petition<\/span> signed<\/span> by<\/span> 177<\/span> students<\/span> was<\/span> submitted<\/span> 48<\/span> hours<\/span> before<\/span> the<\/span> gathering.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\u201cWith<\/span> the<\/span> option<\/span> to<\/span> move<\/span> this<\/span> meeting<\/span> to<\/span> a<\/span> location<\/span> where<\/span> everyone<\/span> could<\/span> hear<\/span> what<\/span> is<\/span> happening<\/span> and<\/span> view<\/span> and<\/span> participate<\/span> in,<\/span> why<\/span> are<\/span> you<\/span> choosing<\/span> not<\/span> to<\/span> do<\/span> that?\u201d<\/span> Jaeney<\/span> Hoene,<\/span> United<\/span> Faculty<\/span> union<\/span> president,<\/span> asked<\/span> the<\/span> board<\/span> before<\/span> delivering<\/span> her<\/span> faculty<\/span> report.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Lewis<\/span> said<\/span> he<\/span> considered<\/span> moving<\/span> the<\/span> meeting<\/span> but<\/span> changed<\/span> his<\/span> mind.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen<\/span> all<\/span> faculty<\/span> were<\/span> notified<\/span> that<\/span> program<\/span> prioritization<\/span> was<\/span> not<\/span> going<\/span> to<\/span> be<\/span> used<\/span> for<\/span> budget<\/span> cuts<\/span> we<\/span> were<\/span> notified<\/span> of<\/span> teachers<\/span> putting<\/span> statements<\/span> on<\/span> the<\/span> whiteboard<\/span> about<\/span> having<\/span> their<\/span> programs<\/span> cut,\u201d<\/span> Lewis<\/span> said.<\/span> \u201c\u2026When<\/span> those<\/span> kind<\/span> of<\/span> tactics<\/span> are<\/span> being<\/span> used<\/span> it<\/span> does<\/span> not<\/span> bring<\/span> an<\/span> avenue<\/span> for<\/span> civil<\/span> discourse.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Students<\/span> responded,<\/span> saying<\/span> they<\/span> \u2013<\/span> not<\/span> faculty<\/span> members<\/span> \u2013<\/span> had<\/span> written<\/span> the<\/span> statements.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Students<\/span> and<\/span> faculty<\/span> were<\/span> vocal<\/span> throughout<\/span> the<\/span> three-hour<\/span> meeting<\/span> with<\/span> such<\/span> chants<\/span> as<\/span> \u201cmove<\/span> the<\/span> room,<\/span> move<\/span> the<\/span> meeting.\u201d<\/span> The<\/span> interruptions<\/span> prompted<\/span> the<\/span> board<\/span> to<\/span> recess<\/span> three<\/span> times.<\/span> Boos<\/span> erupted<\/span> as<\/span> board<\/span> members<\/span> left<\/span> the<\/span> room.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\u201cIf<\/span> this<\/span> meeting<\/span> seems<\/span> disrespectful,<\/span> it<\/span> is<\/span> because<\/span> we<\/span> are<\/span> disrespected,\u201d<\/span> someone<\/span> yelled.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

At<\/span> several<\/span> points<\/span> throughout<\/span> the<\/span> meeting,<\/span> students<\/span> and<\/span> faulty<\/span> repeated<\/span> loudly<\/span> what<\/span> Lewis<\/span> and<\/span> other<\/span> presenters<\/span> at<\/span> the<\/span> meeting<\/span> were<\/span> saying<\/span> so<\/span> that<\/span> those<\/span> in<\/span> the<\/span> hallway<\/span> could<\/span> hear.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

History<\/span> instructor<\/span> Mark<\/span> Thomason<\/span> captured<\/span> the<\/span> atmosphere<\/span> of<\/span> the<\/span> meeting<\/span> in<\/span> a<\/span> statement<\/span> he<\/span> made<\/span> to<\/span> the<\/span> board<\/span> during<\/span> the<\/span> public<\/span> comment<\/span> period.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\u201cThis<\/span> has<\/span> been<\/span> the<\/span> most<\/span> bizarre<\/span> experience<\/span> I<\/span> have<\/span> ever<\/span> had<\/span> on<\/span> this<\/span> campus,\u201d<\/span> he<\/span> said.<\/span> \u201cIt<\/span> is<\/span> absurd<\/span> what<\/span> has<\/span> happened<\/span> here<\/span> today.<\/span> Am<\/span> I<\/span> in<\/span> some<\/span> giant<\/span> \u2019Saturday<\/span> Night<\/span> Live\u2019<\/span> skit?<\/span> Is<\/span> this<\/span> a<\/span> Monty<\/span> Python<\/span> movie<\/span> that<\/span> I<\/span> haven\u2019t<\/span> been<\/span> told<\/span> about?<\/span> I<\/span> am<\/span> just<\/span> awestruck<\/span> at<\/span> everything<\/span> that<\/span> has<\/span> happened<\/span> here.<\/span> It<\/span> reflects<\/span> an<\/span> enormous<\/span> vacuum<\/span> of<\/span> leadership<\/span> \u2013<\/span> of<\/span> positive<\/span> leadership.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Ely<\/span> targeted<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Nearly<\/span> 30<\/span> people<\/span> signed<\/span> up<\/span> to<\/span> speak<\/span> during<\/span> the<\/span> public<\/span> comment<\/span> portion<\/span> of<\/span> the<\/span> meeting.<\/span> The<\/span> board<\/span> allowed<\/span> about<\/span> 10<\/span> to<\/span> speak<\/span> before<\/span> adjourning<\/span> to<\/span> an<\/span> executive<\/span> session.<\/span> Five<\/span> faculty<\/span> members<\/span> spoke<\/span> when<\/span> the<\/span> board<\/span> reconvened<\/span> before<\/span> the<\/span> meeting<\/span> ended.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Much<\/span> of<\/span> the<\/span> public<\/span> comment<\/span> revolved<\/span> around<\/span> President<\/span> Eileen<\/span> Ely\u2019s<\/span> leadership.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Seven<\/span> students<\/span> each<\/span> took<\/span> turns\u00a0reading<\/span> from<\/span> a<\/span> prepared<\/span> statement,<\/span> each<\/span> saying<\/span> before<\/span> they<\/span> spoke,<\/span> \u201cWe<\/span> are<\/span> here<\/span> as<\/span> students<\/span> to<\/span> demand<\/span> one<\/span> thing:<\/span> that<\/span> you,<\/span> as<\/span> the<\/span> board,<\/span> remove<\/span> Ely<\/span> from<\/span> office.<\/span> This<\/span> is<\/span> your<\/span> job.<\/span> You,<\/span> as<\/span> the<\/span> Board<\/span> of<\/span> Trustees,<\/span> have<\/span> the<\/span> power<\/span> to<\/span> remove<\/span> a<\/span> president<\/span> that<\/span> no<\/span> one<\/span> supports.<\/span> After<\/span> four<\/span> years<\/span> of<\/span> no<\/span> confidence,<\/span> if<\/span> you<\/span> are<\/span> not<\/span> at<\/span> least<\/span> investigating<\/span> Ely,<\/span> what<\/span> are<\/span> you<\/span> doing?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

In<\/span> her<\/span> faculty<\/span> report,<\/span> Hoene<\/span> asked<\/span> the<\/span> board<\/span> why<\/span> Ely<\/span> is<\/span> still<\/span> at<\/span> the<\/span> helm<\/span> of<\/span> the<\/span> college.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\u201cThis<\/span> college<\/span> belongs<\/span> to<\/span> the<\/span> students<\/span> who<\/span> have<\/span> come<\/span> here<\/span> today,<\/span> who<\/span> are<\/span> trying<\/span> to<\/span> build<\/span> their<\/span> futures<\/span> through<\/span> higher<\/span> education<\/span> and<\/span> who<\/span> have<\/span> put<\/span> their<\/span> trust<\/span> in<\/span> the<\/span> institution<\/span> to<\/span> use<\/span> their<\/span> tuition<\/span> and<\/span> tax<\/span> payer<\/span> dollars,<\/span> prioritize<\/span> their<\/span> education<\/span> needs,\u201d<\/span> she<\/span> said.<\/span> \u201cThey<\/span> are<\/span> our<\/span> mission.<\/span> Our<\/span> president<\/span> \u2013<\/span> who<\/span> will<\/span> sacrifice<\/span> them<\/span> to<\/span> build<\/span> her<\/span> own<\/span> legacy,<\/span> satisfy<\/span> her<\/span> desire<\/span> for<\/span> power<\/span> and<\/span> control<\/span> and<\/span> indulge<\/span> her<\/span> animus<\/span> towards<\/span> organized<\/span> labor<\/span> and<\/span> the<\/span> teachers<\/span> from<\/span> whom<\/span> they<\/span> have<\/span> come<\/span> here<\/span> to<\/span> learn<\/span> \u2013<\/span> does<\/span> not<\/span> align<\/span> with<\/span> the<\/span> mission<\/span> of<\/span> this<\/span> college<\/span> and<\/span> she<\/span> must<\/span> go.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

English<\/span> instructor<\/span> Brad<\/span> Johnson<\/span> addressed<\/span> Ely<\/span> directly.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy<\/span> would<\/span> you<\/span> stay<\/span> in<\/span> a<\/span> place<\/span> you<\/span> are<\/span> vilified<\/span> by<\/span> faculty,<\/span> by<\/span> students,<\/span> by<\/span> members<\/span> of<\/span> the<\/span> community,<\/span> by<\/span> classified<\/span> staff<\/span> who<\/span> don\u2019t<\/span> have<\/span> a<\/span> chance<\/span> to<\/span> speak<\/span> up<\/span> and<\/span> say<\/span> anything<\/span> to<\/span> you<\/span> because<\/span> of<\/span> the<\/span> fear<\/span> of<\/span> retribution?\u201d<\/span> he<\/span> said.<\/span> \u201c\u2026<\/span> I<\/span> just<\/span> really<\/span> don\u2019t<\/span> understand<\/span> what<\/span> motivates<\/span> you<\/span> to<\/span> stay<\/span> in<\/span> a<\/span> place<\/span> where<\/span> you<\/span> are<\/span> not<\/span> welcome,<\/span> where<\/span> you<\/span> are<\/span> not<\/span> doing<\/span> your<\/span> job.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Ely<\/span> did<\/span> not<\/span> comment<\/span> during<\/span> the<\/span> meeting,<\/span> but<\/span> Trustee<\/span> Linda<\/span> Cowan<\/span> responded<\/span> after<\/span> Johnson\u2019s<\/span> remarks.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\u201cI<\/span> am<\/span> very<\/span> disappointed<\/span> in<\/span> the<\/span> community<\/span> I<\/span> have<\/span> lived<\/span> in<\/span> for<\/span> 37<\/span> years,\u201d<\/span> she<\/span> said.<\/span> \u201c\u2026<\/span> I<\/span> can<\/span> take<\/span> responsibility<\/span> without<\/span> a<\/span> problem,<\/span> but<\/span> I<\/span> want<\/span> it<\/span> done<\/span> with<\/span> dignity<\/span> and<\/span> without<\/span> personal<\/span> attack.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Cowan,<\/span> who<\/span> served<\/span> on<\/span> the<\/span> presidential<\/span> selection<\/span> committee<\/span> prior<\/span> to<\/span> becoming<\/span> a<\/span> board<\/span> member,<\/span> said<\/span> there<\/span> were<\/span> no<\/span> in-state<\/span> applicants<\/span> for<\/span> the<\/span> position<\/span> when<\/span> Ely<\/span> applied<\/span> in<\/span> 2010.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen<\/span> I<\/span> asked<\/span> (why<\/span> there<\/span> were<\/span> no<\/span> local<\/span> applicants),<\/span> it<\/span> was<\/span> because<\/span> of<\/span> the<\/span> culture<\/span> that<\/span> exists<\/span> (at<\/span> Green<\/span> River),\u201d<\/span> Cowan<\/span> said,<\/span> adding<\/span> that<\/span> presidents<\/span> of<\/span> the<\/span> college<\/span> before<\/span> Ely<\/span> received<\/span> Votes<\/span> of<\/span> No<\/span> Confidence.<\/span> The<\/span> faculty<\/span> has<\/span> given<\/span> Ely<\/span> two<\/span> Votes<\/span> of<\/span> No<\/span> Confidence<\/span> during<\/span> her<\/span> tenure.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Walko<\/span>ut<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

After<\/span> leaving<\/span> their<\/span> classes<\/span> Friday<\/span> morning,<\/span> students<\/span> and<\/span> faculty<\/span> converged<\/span> on<\/span> Kennelly<\/span> Commons<\/span> in<\/span> the<\/span> middle<\/span> of<\/span> campus.<\/span> Groups<\/span> of<\/span> students<\/span> went<\/span> through<\/span> academic<\/span> buildings<\/span> to<\/span> encourage<\/span> their<\/span> classmates<\/span> to<\/span> join<\/span> the<\/span> protest.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Once<\/span> gathered,<\/span> protesters<\/span> \u2013<\/span> many<\/span> of<\/span> whom<\/span> wore<\/span> red<\/span> \u2013<\/span> set<\/span> out<\/span> to<\/span> march<\/span> around<\/span> campus,<\/span> chanting<\/span> and<\/span> waiving<\/span> signs.<\/span> They<\/span> filed<\/span> through<\/span> the<\/span> Administration<\/span> Building,<\/span> where<\/span> Ely\u2019s<\/span> office<\/span> is<\/span> housed.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

On<\/span> April<\/span> 8,<\/span> students<\/span> and<\/span> faculty<\/span> hosted<\/span> a<\/span> rally<\/span> and<\/span> marched<\/span> around<\/span> campus.<\/span> Earlier<\/span> this<\/span> week,<\/span> faculty<\/span> had<\/span> a<\/span> rally<\/span> while<\/span> students<\/span> took<\/span> part<\/span> in<\/span> a<\/span> forum<\/span> with<\/span> college<\/span> administration.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Fine<\/span> arts<\/span> instructor<\/span> Sarah<\/span> Dillon<\/span> Gilmartin<\/span> attended<\/span> Friday\u2019s<\/span> rally<\/span> with<\/span> her<\/span> husband,<\/span> Paul<\/span> Gilmartin,<\/span> and<\/span> their<\/span> 2-year-old<\/span> daughter,<\/span> Nora,<\/span> who<\/span> rode<\/span> in<\/span> a<\/span> wagon.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Dillon<\/span> Gilmartin<\/span> was<\/span> there<\/span> not<\/span> only<\/span> as<\/span> a<\/span> faculty<\/span> member<\/span> but<\/span> as<\/span> a<\/span> concerned<\/span> parent.<\/span> One<\/span> of<\/span> the<\/span> programs<\/span> that<\/span> has<\/span> been<\/span> ranked<\/span> in<\/span> the<\/span> bottom<\/span> quintile<\/span> through<\/span> the<\/span> prioritization<\/span> process<\/span> is<\/span> Early<\/span> Childhood<\/span> Education.<\/span> The<\/span> program<\/span> is<\/span> important<\/span> to<\/span> the<\/span> community,<\/span> Dillon<\/span> Gilmartin<\/span> said.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\u201cAll<\/span> of<\/span> her<\/span> (Nora\u2019s)<\/span> teachers<\/span> are<\/span> all<\/span> educated<\/span> at<\/span> Green<\/span> River.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\n<\/p>\n<\/p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Five minutes after 10 a.m. classes began Friday on Green River College\u2019s main campus in Auburn, hundreds of students and instructors walked out.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":227,"featured_media":15348,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"yst_prominent_words":[],"class_list":["post-15347","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kentreporter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15347"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kentreporter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kentreporter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kentreporter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/227"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kentreporter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15347"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.kentreporter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15347\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kentreporter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15348"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kentreporter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15347"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kentreporter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15347"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kentreporter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15347"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kentreporter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=15347"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}