Should the president of this college be allowed to make decisions about the budget?
That sounds like a dumb question, right?
The president of an institution is its top officer and therefore decides and signs off on expenditures.
Unfortunately, the question is not hypothetical, and that has become a real problem.
President Robert Zeigler agreed to pay a stipend to journalism Adjunct Jerry Townsend, Adjunct Faculty Council chair, but when it came time to send out checks, there wasn’t one for Townsend.
Chancellor Bruce Leslie didn’t agree with Zeigler’s decision. He did not support awarding the stipend because the district is trying “to better manage” the district’s finances.
Managing the college’s finances is one of the duties assigned the president of this college.
Zeigler is on this campus every day and understands the particular needs of this college.
Don’t forget he not only taught here, he was a student here as well.
The five colleges of this district are not interchangeable and neither is the personnel.
Each college has a president, and each president must be free to address the unique situations over which they preside.
Let them make decisions based on their special knowledge, specifically for their students and employees.
Besides, doesn’t Leslie have enough to do already?
