STUDENTS' RIGHTS UPHELD!

By Dana Rose Crystal

Students' rights can become trampled, in this day and age.

The right of free speech is protected by the Leonard Law, and responsibilities of committees are outlined by the Ralph M. Brown Act. Yet, both of these sets of laws have been violated within the NOCCCD. Students who are "disciplined" by rules made by each community college or district need to have free legal council, and not just the budget-brand type who won't fight for them. Serious harm to a student's life and education have occurred within the NOCCCD, when people in charge of internal investigations fell down on the job. Instead of rooting out and solving the problem, they appear to have covered things up.

The lack of compliance with state laws, especially the Ralph M. Brown Act; this is true mostly of Fullerton College. Most of the campus committees ( such as Curriculum and Faculty Senate ) do not appear to have their agendas posted within public view on campus, nor even on a web page. The Associated Students student government has been the worst offender, with no excuses at all, except to blame the college president ( as they all do ). Citing her preference for a "tidy, neat campus," they claim she won't allow "messy" bulletin posting boards to post agendas 72-hours-in-advance ( as mandated by the Brown Act ). This issue IS important, because the A.S. is the cradle of tomorrow's politicians, and if they get away with breaking state laws as they have, our future government will be in a sorry mess once these baby politicians grow into professionals. The FC A.S. has violated the Brown Act multiple times with no apologies, and broken their own bylaws multiple times as well. This is a huge liability issue, yet it goes unchecked, as do violations of the other committees.

Incompetence is inexcusable. Positions such as Dean of Student Services and Vice President of Student Services carry too much power and weight over the life of a student to risk on one who is unfit to do the job. The risk of liability is too great--and this has occurred due to tendency to promote from within rather than seek "outsiders." Too often, at Fullerton College people are promoted beyond their capabilities, due to District policy allowing interims with "minimal" requirements to take jobs, which affect students and others, despite the liability of damage done in the process.

More damage is caused by the lack of accountability. Too many within the district pass-the-buck, and circle the wagons, instead of rooting out the problem and solving it. Too much energy is spent in shutting up and covering up. Currently, in-house committees and "company-men" conduct "investigations" that are shams. This is an unconscionable disgrace. Accountability will be enhanced with more daylight shed upon records; and instead of in-house committees and company-men, the ability to access outside agencies must exist. The centralized California Community College System needs to watchdog the colleges for dirty tricks and lawbreaking; or we should rely on outside agencies.