By Juan Montoya
True to their word, the majority of the Texas Southmost College district board of trustees – Kiko Rendon, Trey Mendez, Adela Garza and Rene Torres – held firm to their conviction that a community college district that has been nurtured for 75 years by one of the poorest community in the nation should not just be given away to a university system whose representative has shown a callousness more becoming of a tyrant.
The vote was 4-3, with trustees voting for a stand-alone TSC, and Roberto Robles, David Oliveira and Robert Lozano voting to stick with UTB in some type of partnership.
The motion was made by Mendez and seconded by Garza. Immediately after the vote before a packed Fine Arts Center, Oliveira and Robles walked out before the meeting was over.
Characteristically, the guest who who had pegged her future on the vote – UTB-TSC President Juliet V. Garcia – did not attend.
Before the meeting, the debate had raged in the community regarding the heavy-handedness of the UTB administration that launched an aggressive campaign involving the business and medical professional community. On Thursday, full page ads in the local daily warned of an ominous future should trustees choose to keep TSC and not hand it over to the UT System, a requirement of the partnership agreement pushed by Garcia and her supporters.
"They should have known that we didn't elect the trustees to give away the district," said a majority supporter. "For years the only vehicle we had to provide any kind of affordable higher education has been our little community college. How can Oliveira and Robles think we were just going to give it away? They have been listening to the Big Boys in Austin and to Juliet for too long and lost touch with the common people."
Torres during the meeting said that the alleged March 15 deadline was a red herring because emergency legislation could be brought up for the schools. In a letter widely circulated by the pro-unification supporters, UT System Chancellor Francisco Cigarroa had written that some sort of decision must be made by March 15 for the Legislature.
“I too have an opinion, but what I don’t have is the backing of the UTB administration or the resources,” Torres said of the expensive campaign to pressure the trustees to accept the partnership proposal.
Garza, a steadfast supporter of keeping the college under local control, said that while there was no need to separate, it was the trustees responsibility to protect the interests of the local community that has supported TSC for the better part of a century.
“Why do we have to serve UT? Why don’t we serve our community?”
As he has done all through the process, Mendez said the UT System has projected that TSC has $198 million in assets, but there is $102 million left on TSC’s bond debt, leaving taxpayers to keep paying into the future.
He said that local control is good for students and that the UT System will not assume the junior college’s debt.
"It's like as if the UT System is taking your house but wants you to keep paying the mortgage and at the end they're going to keep it and you will have nothing," he said after the meeting. "We were elected to represent the interests of the district. We can't in good conscience do that."
Rendon said that Oliveira and Robles walking out of the meeting displayed a lack of maturity that was not to be expected from serious public representatives.
"Do you know how many times in the past Adela (Garza) and Rene (Torres) have lost votes on this board and held their composure and didn't walk out of meetings?" he asked bystander. "We have many professionals in the district who will be valuable assets as we set out to forge the sort of agreement with the UT System that will be more even handed and equitable to our taxpayers and students. The work has just begun."
True to their word, the majority of the Texas Southmost College district board of trustees – Kiko Rendon, Trey Mendez, Adela Garza and Rene Torres – held firm to their conviction that a community college district that has been nurtured for 75 years by one of the poorest community in the nation should not just be given away to a university system whose representative has shown a callousness more becoming of a tyrant.
The vote was 4-3, with trustees voting for a stand-alone TSC, and Roberto Robles, David Oliveira and Robert Lozano voting to stick with UTB in some type of partnership.
The motion was made by Mendez and seconded by Garza. Immediately after the vote before a packed Fine Arts Center, Oliveira and Robles walked out before the meeting was over.
Characteristically, the guest who who had pegged her future on the vote – UTB-TSC President Juliet V. Garcia – did not attend.
Before the meeting, the debate had raged in the community regarding the heavy-handedness of the UTB administration that launched an aggressive campaign involving the business and medical professional community. On Thursday, full page ads in the local daily warned of an ominous future should trustees choose to keep TSC and not hand it over to the UT System, a requirement of the partnership agreement pushed by Garcia and her supporters.
"They should have known that we didn't elect the trustees to give away the district," said a majority supporter. "For years the only vehicle we had to provide any kind of affordable higher education has been our little community college. How can Oliveira and Robles think we were just going to give it away? They have been listening to the Big Boys in Austin and to Juliet for too long and lost touch with the common people."
Torres during the meeting said that the alleged March 15 deadline was a red herring because emergency legislation could be brought up for the schools. In a letter widely circulated by the pro-unification supporters, UT System Chancellor Francisco Cigarroa had written that some sort of decision must be made by March 15 for the Legislature.
“I too have an opinion, but what I don’t have is the backing of the UTB administration or the resources,” Torres said of the expensive campaign to pressure the trustees to accept the partnership proposal.
Garza, a steadfast supporter of keeping the college under local control, said that while there was no need to separate, it was the trustees responsibility to protect the interests of the local community that has supported TSC for the better part of a century.
“Why do we have to serve UT? Why don’t we serve our community?”
As he has done all through the process, Mendez said the UT System has projected that TSC has $198 million in assets, but there is $102 million left on TSC’s bond debt, leaving taxpayers to keep paying into the future.
He said that local control is good for students and that the UT System will not assume the junior college’s debt.
"It's like as if the UT System is taking your house but wants you to keep paying the mortgage and at the end they're going to keep it and you will have nothing," he said after the meeting. "We were elected to represent the interests of the district. We can't in good conscience do that."
Rendon said that Oliveira and Robles walking out of the meeting displayed a lack of maturity that was not to be expected from serious public representatives.
"Do you know how many times in the past Adela (Garza) and Rene (Torres) have lost votes on this board and held their composure and didn't walk out of meetings?" he asked bystander. "We have many professionals in the district who will be valuable assets as we set out to forge the sort of agreement with the UT System that will be more even handed and equitable to our taxpayers and students. The work has just begun."
10 comments:
And now the thinking faculty and enlightened students can breath the free air. The tiger was shown to be cardboard and the storms of unrelenting bullshit have subsided.
Now, kick Alan out of the TSC President,s house. Hire 3 bulldog accountants and have them dog the UTB fiscal office unrelentingly to keep them from stealing the silverware on their way out the door.Hire anyone that Juliet fires, it would seem that is a mark of good character.
And for God's sake, take back that $190,000 allocated for the 20 yr party. I haven't noticed a penny of it having been spent. Do that before it gets swept back into Juliet's pocket. If any TSC money was spent AT ALL on pressuring the board and community recently, file charges and couple that with a civil suit.
if anyone knows where I can see the meeting online (even after the fact) , please post the link.
Betito is going back to when he played baseball in the 421 streets. When he wasn't allowed to pitch, he would go home. David's father probably turned sommersaults in his coffin seeing that his beloved son had become a traitor. My hat is off to Rene, Adela, Trey and Kiko who for once, gave us back our trust that we place in our elected officials. And Julieta, your Mother was probably pushing you out the door where you were hiding encouraging you to go face the music. I am sure she knew what was coming down and wanted you to show the integrity she tried to teach you as a young girl. Shame on you for abandoning the ship!
Now, the next item on the agenda for Kiko, Rene, Adela and Trey is to report UT to the Credit Bureau or turn them over to a collection agency. We need to get that money and make sure that Juliet does not use it to give herself another raise. That money should go to those teachers who actually teach. I am sick and tired of doing presentations in a classroom so that the teacher sits in the back of the room and snores as we do our presentation. For all we know, we could be teaching that Juliet is the best president - ha!
CONGRATS TRUSTEES BOARD FOR YOUR COMMON SENSE DECISION.
NOW THE POISONOUS juliet garcia MUST BE FIRED!!!!!!!!!
Trustees a word of advice, when one goes through a divorce- FREEZE ALL CREDIT CARDS, MONEY ACCOUNTS, AND REPORT TO THE CREDIT BUREAU OF YOUR SEPARATION AND WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY DEBT YOUR "ESTRANGE SPOUSE" INCURS FROM THAT DAY FORWARD!!!!!!
BOTTOM LINE FOLLOW & GUARD THE MONEY!!!!!!
The road to full recovery may face some difficulties, but the best is yet to come.
We all want Juliett to be fired, and I am sure she would be, however, let's hold her and her minios responsible for all the wrong they did before we get rid of them...Is my opinion.
Once again, Adela Kiko, Rene, and Trey, GRACIAS, MIL GRACIAS,
Mary rey
David Oliverga is a condescending self riotous elitist who could care less of anybody near the poverty line. He was disrespectfull of all his fellow board members that did not agree with his flawed logic and spin tactics. He showed his true colors when he walked out of a very important board meeting just because the majority did not agree with him. I´m surprised he didn´t fall on the floor kicking and screaming like the spoiled immature child he is. What a little bitch.
The President's Men (and women) who helped her create all this misery now need to be fired. These consummate evildoers are:
Wayne Moore
Michael Putegnat
Rosemary Martinez
Dan Rentfro
Alan Artibise
Fuera, Fuera If they had any shame they would leave but, they do not have any so I am sure they are staying until they draw the last drop of blood from TSC.
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