Some Three Rivers faculty say morale low at community college

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. — It's not unusual in any large company to have one or two employees who may be disgruntled about working conditions.

However, when the number of employees who have serious concerns about the way they are being treated numbers 15 out of more than 150 total employees, the situation bears looking into. At least that's what many members of the Three Rivers Community College (TRCC) faculty are saying to both their administration and board members, who they say have been acting in an unprofessional manner for some time now.

Employees are allegedly so afraid of administration and board members, all have asked that their true identities be kept out of this story for fear of harsh reprisal. While faculty members don't recall exactly when or why the changes began, the majority of them state that the problem has been escalating for several years.

"Yes, there is fear and intimidation at TRCC among faculty and staff," said one faculty member who has tenure at the college. "Faculty members are fearful of even voicing concerns at their own faculty meetings. Fear of retaliation — in whatever sinister form it may be possible to take — is the pervasive mood among faculty at TRCC."

"Yes, morale is very low at the college, especially with the faculty. Most of us teach there because we want to teach; I really enjoy my job," said another faculty member with more than 19 years of employment with the college. "But it is very hard to do your job when you feel intimidated on how you do that job and you do not have a voice or any control on the operation of the business you represent. I know some of the faculty feel that if the administration can try to discredit someone like Gene Bess, what security do the rest of us less visible faculty have?"

That same employee went on to say that it seems as if "certain people want complete control of everything that goes on at the college and if you are not with them, you are against them and the threat of your job stability is always there."

One example that faculty members use is the story of Cindy Richardson, a faculty member at the college. After a critical letter began circulating concerning administration and board members, the administration allegedly had the Poplar Bluff Police Department seize Richardson's computer during the school day while students were on campus in what some reportedly interpreted as a means of intimidation.

Faculty members allege that Richardson was without a computer for a week and that faculty members said that since the computer was college property, there was nothing wrong with the way the situation was handled.

Two employees have also spoken out about a situation concerning this month's earlier election of two TRCC board of trustees members. Up for re-election were John Stanard and Tom Turner, who were defeated almost two-to-one by Randy Winston and Wilbur Thornton. According to the two faculty members, faculty and staff at the college were demanded to sign a letter to the Daily American Republic newspaper in Poplar Bluff showing their support of Stanard and Turner.

"They are using heavy persuasion and hints of threats by mentioning how programs could be canceled and how important it is that 'we' show our loyalty to the Board and Administrators," said one faculty member. The other faculty member had this to say: "Threats include being fired, having programs dropped, etc. Stanard and Turner are now threatening to shut down programs such as the night nursing program and others if they don't get their way. This has to stop."

A study reportedly conducted by TRCC administration and supplied to the Daily Statesman by a faculty member on faculty concerns had 15 responses from faculty members concerning the handling of personnel issues. Following are the responses to the study:

— We are being ruled by a dictatorship management style, must be changed to bring trust and harmony back to our institution.

— I did not like that Cindy Richardson's computer was taken from her. I did not like the reprimand or the letter in the [Daily American Republic] to Gene Bess. I'm concerned with embezzlement from the college because the business office should be more responsible. The two persons who stole money are spending the faculty's raise.

— Administration dictates orders to faculty, uses fear and intimidation to manage, which leads to a sense of fear and helplessness.

— Use of aggressive methods in dealing with any disagreement with faculty. The seizing of faculty office computers as a means of intimidating other employees and openly criticizing a faculty member via the local newspaper are notable examples. Faculty members should not be continually spoken down to and criticized by administration, which only encourages similar behavior on the faculty's part. Mutual respect is a two-way street.

— Other letters about the desperate situation at TRCC have been circulating for about two years now and they did not get much attention. Serious changes are desperately needed at TRCC and they are desperately needed now. Morale continues to sink. It may take a union, it may take the state board of higher education, it may even require a SEMO takeover.

— Public airing of private matters (i.e., Bess situation).

— A VP who draws a salary and retirement and her husband, the college attorney, for some reason completely controls the school and operates by use of fear and intimidation.

— Campus offices must function under the choking constraints of paranoia that generally permeates TRCC operations and processes. Who will be punished next? Perfectly competent people at all levels have been pushed out of their jobs — from secretaries to vice-presidents.

— If you have ever had your office computer ransacked or had it just disappear, you might need a union. If you have ever been lied to, laughed at, punished by or totally ignored by the TRCC administration (pick a level, any level), you might need a union.

— Constant feeling that anything you say which is taken as critical will result in repercussions.

— Seizing computers and threatening police action in an effort to quiet any opposition to the powers that be.

— Threats and means of intimidation toward employees who are forced out have caused our past three VP's to move to Saudi Arabia, Mexico and Maine in order to feel safe.

Employees also shared concerns about alleged embezzled funds and the alleged hiring of unqualified personnel for high ranking offices in the administration.

In a Letter to the Editor published in the March 18 edition of the Daily American Republic (DAR), TRCC President Dr. John F. Cooper addressed a few of the issues mentioned above.

"Aside from a tiny group of dissidents, common on any college faculty, our faculty morale is very HIGH," said Cooper. "There is absolutely no evidence from any of my daily dealings with our great faculty to indicate that their morale is low."

Concerning embezzlement, Cooper stated that when the board of trustees updated the college's auditing procedures, the alleged embezzlement in the Campus Bookstore was uncovered immediately.

"A lengthy investigation was begun and formal criminal proceedings were initiated against the former bookstore manager," Cooper stated. "Our insurance company has reimbursed the college in full, except for a $1,000 deductible provision.

"No tax dollars have 'vanished.'"

The vice president's husband who is employed by the college also made a surprising move earlier this week.

According to reports published in the DAR, L. Joe Scott submitted his resignation as the college's attorney and his law firm — Scott, Kidwell and Scott — has also withdrawn from representing the college in the ongoing lawsuit with Southeast Missouri State University.

Scott was quoted as saying, "I am no longer interested in attending Trustee's meeting or in representing Three Rivers in legal matters."

A letter submitted by Paul Kidwell, a partner in Scott's law firm, states that the college should employ another law firm to represent it in its lawsuit against SEMO at "your absolute earliest convenience."

The firm has represented the college for more than 30 years, according to the report. Trial dates for the case against SEMO are currently scheduled for Oct. 27-30.

Cooper responded to the situation by stating "(Scott) worked for the board, not the administration," and that it was not his place to comment on the lawsuit, according to the DAR reports.

Because of the resignation of the attorney and law firm, board members — including newly elected members Thornton and Winston — will have to decide whether to pursue the lawsuit with another firm or to drop the suit altogether.

Winston told the DAR that he had problems with the college spending money on legal representation when the same representation could be provided free of charge by the Missouri United School Insurance Council.

Winston previously worked as the superintendent of Poplar Bluff R-I School District for several years and has used the free service in the past.

"It worked pretty well for us," Winston told the DAR.

Also, a relatively new group named Citizens for TRCC have also made requests from the college concerning the above mentioned matters.

According to the DAR, the group's attorney, Dan Moore, requested public documents from TRCC under the Missouri Sunshine Law concerning all legal fees and other legal costs associated with the SEMO lawsuit for the past two years; a list of all late fees incurred by TRCC for failure to pay any financial obligation in a timely manner; and a list of all expenditures for the remodeling or improvement, including furnishing, of TRCC Executive Vice President Dr. Larry Kimbrow's office over the past two years.

Moore told the DAR he had received the requested documents, however, he would not be able to release the figures until he had time to meet with his client.

A detailed list of questions from the Daily Statesman were e-mailed several times to Cooper via TRCC Coordinator of News Services Annabeth Miller. All of the emails were unanswered as of press time.

DAR Staff Writer Tim Krakowiak contributed to this report.