Vol. 72, No. 1
Monday, September. 10, 2018
Palomar College Governing Board approves new contract for Superintendent Joi Lin Blake BETHANY NASH LINUS SMITH STAFF EDITORS
The Palomar College Governing Board recently approved an amended contract for Superintendent Joi Lin Blake that raised her base salary by $62,027 from her original contract. The amendment was approved at the July 10 Governing Board meeting during closed session, it was passed by a 4-to-1 vote. Nina Deerfield was the only board member to vote no. Student Trustee Amber Bancroft, who gave an advisory vote, also voted no to the proposed contract. Following the approval of the contract amendments, members of the Palomar community expressed discontent with the generosity of Dr. Blake’s extended contract. The community has also made known concerns regarding the lack of transparency from the Governing Board, due to their decision to make these approvals without having discussion in an open session.
Contract Details The amendments voted on by the Governing Board included raising the base salary of the Superintendent to $292,027, which is a $62,027 increase from her beginning salary of $230,000.
Dr. Joi Lin Blake gives a presentation during the Fallbrook Education Center groundbreaking ceremony. Oct. 13, 2017. Alexis Metz-Szedlacsek / The Telescope
Professors (left to right, Anastasia Zavodny, Lillian Payn, Steve Perry, Jackie Martin) from Faculty Senate board address concerns from Palomar Community during Faculty Senate meeting on Aug. 20. Justin Enriquez / The Telescope
However, Dr. Blake’s transportation allowance of $18,000 will be rolled into the $62,027 increase. In addition, Dr. Blake will now receive $15,000 annuity upon discontinuation of her services at Palomar, her contract will be extended by two years and she, along with any dependents, will receive lifetime health and dental benefits. Prior to the Governing Board’s approval of the amended contract, Palo-
mar professor of life sciences, Lesley BlankenshipWilliams sent an email addressed to the Board which asserted “extending Dr. Blake’s contract so early in her tenure offers no benefit to the College, only a benefit to Dr. Blake.” She later continued, “there is no benefit to the College in giving Dr. Blake a $62,000 raise compared to 2016.” In an email addressed to Faculty from Faculty Senate President Travis Ritt he
explained, “Like many of you my first instinct was to be angry … Once the anger passed, I knew that my next course of action needed to be to talk to people involved and gather information to understand the context of why the Governing Board made its decision.” Ritt concluded that Dr. Blake, under her new base salary is being “compensated at a commensurate rate with comparable perks to other Community College
Presidents/Chancellors at similar sized institutions.” Co-President Teresa Laughlin of the Palomar Faculty Federation, said over email in reference to the amended contract that although she understands part of the increase is the transportation allowance being rolled over in the raise, her concern is how it affects the cost of living adjustment and salary raises in the future. Because now the trans-
portation allowance is included in Dr. Blake’s base salary, future cost of living adjustments will be inflated by an amount equal to the $18,000 rollover. Governing Board President Paul McNamara stated during the August plenary meeting, “the Superintendent/President accomplished the goals and objectives established for her by the board, and exceeded many of the expectations over the last two years.” Governing Board Trustee and Secretary Mark Evilsizer, noted in an email a few of the accomplishments made by Dr. Blake he found impressive.
CONTRACT CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
HOW GOVERNING BOARD MEMBERS VOTED ON THE AMENDED CONTRACT PRESIDENT
YES
PAUL MCNAMARA
The Telescope
VICE PRESIDENT
SECRETARY
YES
JOHN HALCON
Telescopenews
TRUSTEE
TRUSTEE
STUDENT TRUSTEE
YES
NO
YES
NO (ADVISORY VOTE)
MARK EVILSIZER
NINA DEERFIELD
NANCY A. HENSCH
AMBER BANCROFT
The_Telescope