The Ranger, Nov. 13, 2017

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R ANGER

THE

An independent forum of free voices serving San Antonio College since 1926 and the Alamo Colleges since 1945 Volume 92 • Issue 8

nov. 13,

2 0 1 7 Journalism-photography program at San Antonio College

www.theranger.org

Holidays

Staff Senate’s “Turkey Trot” giveaway is Nov. 17 in the faculty and staff lounge of Loftin Student Center. A Thanksgiving-themed potluck style lunch for staff will offer turkey, mashed potatoes, corn and stuffing. “This is more for the get-together than it is for the prizes,” Lenell Clay, Staff Senate Vice President, said.

“People like prizes, so we will provide that to them.” When staff signs in for the Turkey Trot, they can sign up for the Angel Tree gift drive by picking an ornament with the name of a student from Beacon Hill Elementary. Staff Senate will go to Beacon Hill Elementary Dec. 15 to deliver the gifts from the Angel Tree. Sasha D. Robinson

Trustees cast five votes to appoint Joe Sanchez to the District 9 position Nov. 7 in Killen. Dr. Gene Sprague, Denver McClendon and Board Chair Yvonne Katz did not vote in favor of Sanchez. Lorena Torres Romero

Former Harlandale administrator named District 9 trustee The new trustee didn’t know this college was on accreditation warning status. By Zachary-Taylor Wright zwright9@student.alamo.edu

After a 3 1/2 hour executive session, Joe Sanchez, juvenile probation department administrator and former subordinate to the board chair, was appointed to the interim District 9 position by five board members at the special board meeting Nov. 7 at Killen Center. Board Chair Yvonne Katz, District 7 trustee, hired Sanchez as the director of personnel in the Harlandale Independent School District while Katz was the superintendent. Sanchez retired from the Harlandale district in 2006 as the assistant superintendent of administration. “I hired this man,” Katz exclaimed with a smile to district general counsel Ross Laughead after the board meeting. Sanchez said he is capable of voicing opinions that may be in opposition

board trustees the

to Katz, regardless of their previous working relationship. “Dr. Katz is very professional,” Sanchez said. “I don’t think if we have any kind of different views, I don’t think she’s going to take anything personal. Not anymore than I would. … in order to clean a cat, you’ve got to rub them the wrong way first.” In an interview after the special board meeting, Sanchez said he has held positions on a board but not at the college level. He predicted being a board member at the college level will carry a “different set of responsibilities,” saying he is a teacher but also a learner. In an interview with Sanchez Nov. 5, Sanchez said the board has done an outstanding job working together, citing as an example the May 2017 bond issue passing by 70 percent. The bond issue was passed by 67 percent of 10.71 percent of eligible vot-

of

ers in this city. Sanchez said his only interest is to continue the good work the board is already doing, and he had no particular issues he wanted to address at this college or Northeast Lakeview College at the time. Sanchez said he hadn’t followed the board for “years and years,” but he said it was obvious by reading the literature that the board has been working together well given the success of students and the graduation rates. In an interview Sept. 19, District 8 trustee Kingsbery said he would like to see a trustee concerned with “real” student success rather than the state’s definition of student success, which he said is focused on graduation numbers and metrics. Kingsbery said having a new trustee who is willing to “work with the consensus” would be nice. He said the ideal candidate would be able to listen to the board, understand

Board Chair Yvonne Katz and Chancellor Bruce Leslie congratulate Joe Sanchez on his new position as District 9 trustee Nov. 7 in Killen. Lorena Torres Romero where the board is coming from and support the board’s efforts. However, Kingsbery said he would prefer a candidate that wasn’t going to

“rubber-stamp” everything. “The discourse is important,” Kingsbery said. “That’s what creates the

See TRUSTEE, Page 2

Board chair refuses to release survey Chancellor job A trustee is pleased with the timing of the bond issuance. By Zachary-Taylor Wright zwright9@student.alamo.edu

The Alamo Colleges board of trustees discussed the results of a privately conducted survey during the board meeting May 16, which they refuse to release to the public. The Friends of Alamo Colleges political action committee commissioned and paid for the survey. Board Chair Yvonne Katz, District 7 trustee, said she wanted to present the survey results sooner but could not until the election was over. Katz said 73 percent of people surveyed supported the $450 million bond issue passed May 2017, and she said people became supportive of the bond after hearing more information. According to the Bexar County voting results, 67 percent of voters supported the bond issuance and 33 percent voted in opposition. The results state that 112,405 county residents voted on the bond issue, with 75,123 voting in favor and 37,282 voting in opposition to the bond. According to the Bexar County Elections Department website, there are more than 1,049,400 registered voters in the county. Katz said she knew how many people

350 1,067

People surveyed for canvassing data

Ideal minimum number of people surveyed for canvassing data

5.3% 3.5% Margin of error in conducted survey

Maximum ideal margin of error

were surveyed but would not release the information in an interview May 26. In an interview Nov. 8, Katz estimated there were about 400-500 people surveyed. In an interview Nov. 3, District 1 trustee Joe Alderete said he didn’t understand why Katz would not provide the information, saying the information should be made public under the Texas Open Meetings Act because some of the information was divulged at a board meeting. In an interview Nov. 8, Katz said the survey was proprietary information for the specific-purpose committee, saying she already said the survey would not be released but she could provide a few

pieces of information about it. The Ranger submitted an information request for the survey Oct. 19. Nancy Kempf, district public information office, responded Nov. 2, saying “the political action committee was a private, not a governmental, agency, and therefore, its documents are not subject to the Open Records/Public Information Act.” Another board source said 350 people were surveyed, which leaves the survey with an approximated 5.3 percent margin of error. In an interview May 31, David Crockett, chair of the political science department at Trinity University, said four-digit

See SURVEY, Page 2

description amended as search announced San Antonio Chamber of Commerce wants a seat on the chancellor search committee. By Zachary-Taylor Wright zwright9@student.alamo.edu

Reconvening after a two-hour closed session, trustees unanimously approved modifying the chancellor’s job description and reimbursing themselves for travel in an open session that lasted only one minute and 35 seconds. The modification at the Nov. 8 special board meeting at Killen Center adds Chancellor Bruce Leslie’s initiatives to the job description. According to the minute order, the job description was altered to “… strengthen the alignment of the Job Description with the current strategic priorities of the Alamo College District.” The job description has been amended to include the development and enhancement of Alamo Advise, Alamo Enroll, Alamo Institutes and Alamo Confidence and “other current or future initiatives.” It requires the chancellor to “act as a ‘disruptive leader’ with positive and collaborative approach to evaluating district effectiveness and formulating best practices and innovations to achieve the vision to be the best community college in the nation in student success and performance excellence.” Board Chair Yvonne Katz, District 7 trustee, on Nov. 7 said the job description was amended to include the initiatives because they want a new chancellor who will pursue the board’s vision. The board of trustees approved the search for a new chancellor Oct. 23 after Leslie announced his retirement. Katz said the board wants a chancellor who is educated on the district. “If they don’t educate themselves on our policy, they don’t need to apply,” Katz said.

See DESCRIPTION, Page 2


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