In the bad old days when former University of Texas at Brownsville president Julieta Garcia ruled the roost under the so-called "partnership," things pretty much went as she dictated.
Budgets were altered, raises were doled out to sycophants, and no one complained on pain of institutional ostracism.
So that's how she was able to finagle that a pliant TSC board name a building after former trustee Mary Rose Cardenas.
Before the partnership, the college had a standing policy on the naming of buildings after individuals. Now that TSC is a free-standing and independent entity, it's logical that the old rules apply.
It was pretty clear cut. The policy was thus:
2. Naming of Buildings and Other Facilities
a. College buildings and facilities should be named with the objective of honoring persons who have made notable contributions in personal effort and/or resources to the College District community.
b. No person will be selected to be honored sooner than three (3) years following his/her demise.
c. When construction of a building is planned or for naming current buildings and facilities, selection of a person to be honored by the naming may include the following steps:
1) The Chair of the Board will establish a selection committee of the Board which will:
a) Investigate nominees to determine compliance with criteria.
b) Report the nominee(s), if any, to the Board for their consideration.
2) The Board of Trustees may take action, at a regular Board meeting, by passing a resolution naming the buildings and/or facilities.
3) The Board may also name buildings and facilities under special circumstances.
4) Persons wishing to nominate an individual(s) should do so in writing to the Secretary of the Board.
This Wednesday during its regular monthly meeting at 5:30 p.m., the TSC board of trustees will consider naming a building after former trustee Rene Torres. The action item calls for consideration and approval of a resolution naming the Recreation Center. It does not name who the individual is or who is nominating them for the honor.
But it is common knowledge that the item (which was considered at the last meeting and tabled) was put forward by trustee Art Rendon who wants to name the $18 million building after former trustee Rene Torres, who he replaced after Torres withdrew and Rendon did not have to run ( or pay for) a campaign.
But now that TSC is back under its own policy and not the UTB-TSC partnership under Garcia, the question arises: Will the TSC trustees be violating their own policy in naming it after a living person who hasn't been dead for three years as the policy dictates? Or is the college reverting to the bad old days under Garcia?
There is also some intrigue afoot on this item. The vote on the naming of the Rec Center is placed on the agenda before the swearing in of the new trustees. Outgoing trustees Kiko Rendon and Ed Rivera will have a vote on the item. If Rendon is able to get one more trustee to join them, he may be able to swing it.
At the last meeting, Art Rendon was unable to get the four votes he needed. Trey Mendez, who won easily over his opponent, has said he could see voting to name the building after Torres. However, if
his vote for a living person goes contrary to policy, he may have no choice on the matter.
There's yet more intrigue. It is highly unlikely that Art Rendon would get the vote from Ruben Herrera, one of the new trustees to be sworn in on Tuesday. Rendon campaigned against Herrera on behalf of his opponent Daniel Pizaña. That's the reason, some board watcher say, that Rendon wants the old board to consider the naming of the Rec Center. (See graphic at right.)Some point to the section that states that "The Board may also name buildings and facilities under special circumstances."
Yet, in looking at the agenda item, no such special circumstances are mentioned.
The policy, it has been pointed out, deals with naming of a building for the first time. The policy does not address renaming buildings that have already been named.
Secondly, Section 2.c.3 does not negate, abolish, or diminish the mandatory language of section 2.b. forbidding the naming of a building after person who is still living.
Third, even if it is argued that TSC can rename the building, the board would first have to articulate or describe the “special circumstances” that exist that would allow the renaming of the center after Torres.
There is no similar policy in TSC’s new manual yet, if the Lily Tercero administration has even thought about it. However, virtually all public educational institutions have a policy for naming buildings.
The TSC policy on naming buildings was amended: August 7, 1997, on September 19, 2000, and again on November 1, 2001.
14 comments:
YES, do it! Mexicans are the dominant political bloc here. Rene Torres should be honored. And while we're at it change the name of the courthouse. El Gallo Gamez Courthouse sounds about right. Review all anglo-named buildings!!!
The criteria established for naming a building should be followed to the letter with no exceptions. It is a good criteria that protects the institution from political maneuvering by people with an ego or a grandeur complexes.
Fools' names and fools' faces are always seen in public places. My God! I am so tired of these ego-maniacal politicians having roads, streets, buildings, etc. named for them. It goes on and on. To vote contrary to board policy will call for contrary action. If Rene Torres has any class, he should certainly nip this in the bud. How gross!
I know a highway and a public school that need to be renamed.
Really Rene ? Be humble, do you really need a building named after you to feel good ? Stop tooting your own horn.
You hit the nail on the head, Pat!
All said and done an exception should be made in this case. We wouldn't have a TSC today if it wasn't for Rene's persistents early on.
Rene Torres has lost it. He is calling everybody to contact board members to name the building after him. He is pretty pathetic. There lots other people that deserve it more than he does.
In that case, how does one get in touch or where can we get the form to nominate a person. I would like to nominate Dr. Albert A. Besteiro. He was the last president of the old TSC BEFORE Juliet Garcia became president during the merger; he was an administrator for TSC before becoming president, he extended a great number of programs in academics as well as in the vocational-technical divisions; during his tenure TSC was the #1 junior college in the RN programs in the STATE OF TEXAS, TSC had their own facilities in the TSC bookstore, cafeteria, programs in swimming, competition in many sports at the Junior Collegiate levels nationally (not just volleyball)but then politics and compadrismo became part of the TSC board (I guess some things never change) and three of the board members at that time gave Garcia the power, took out Besteiro and he and his wife moved to Austin where he died . Dr. Besteiro was a Brownsville NATIVE, a former BISD board member, active in college and Brownsville activities in general, he is part of the history of TSC and he is a forgoten person that DESERVES his place in the history of such a historical institution. WHAT, aside from getting rid of the merger and its president, HAS MR. TORRES or ANY of the NEW TSC board done?
TSC has never ceased to exist and being on the Board to split TSC from UTB was not done by one person, it was done by the Board who faced opposition. I think more appropriate would be stick to the guidelines prescribe and if when the time comes the naming of a building is proposed after the late Rene Torres 3 years after his demise, then it would be appropriate, but not until then. I am against it, because I do not think Rene was thinking about education or the kids when he pulled the fast one on voters by doing his switch-a-roo at the last minuted that bestowed upon us without a choice and that was Rendon who was the worst board member I appointed to the Brownsville Housing Authority. Art Rendon has no principals, integrity and did some very unethical things on the Housing Board, including hiring his friend Tony Juarez and allowed him and Bea Lopez with conflicts of interest to do things that are unethical. I was very disappointed and Art personally told me he would resign if he were asked for failing to do what was right. Art gave me his word as a Marine, but that proved to be as empty as his promises to do what was right for the Housing Authority and refused to resign when asked. Many things happened on the Housing Authority to my regret and he was one of my biggest disappointments because he had an agenda, as he now has at TSC and I would not trust him. Therefore, it brings to question Rene Torres interest in fooling voters with the switch-a-roo that he has forced upon us. Yes it is politics, but not the good politics I believe in. Sorry, but that is the truth about Art Rendon and he is part of the special interest crowd, because he easily sells himself. When I was running for mayor, he forced a relative to take my sign down, which clearly shows he was for Tony and the special interest that has driven this city to the lowest depths of corruption. So, why would anyone trust Art Rendon.
That arrogant asshole has been traumatized by his late brother having a Road named after him (Ruben Torres)well his brother have a road, maybe an alley some where in the City named after him will satisfy his ego.
Pat, you hit the nail on the head again!!!
Solution: Off Rene & wait 3 years.
You are BBBAAADDD!
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