Tribal College

I think it's a great idea. See Ted's new blog at this address: www.aitcsjc.blogspot.com

Trustees on Raven Radio

Two of the SJC Trustees talk on Raven Radio’s program Give and Take. Hear the program here.

The school has now been closed for 6 months and the two Trustees said on this program that it will be mid 2008 before laid off employees are paid. They also mentioned that expenses continue. The question that each laid off employee has to ask themselves is will there be any money left to pay employees when all is said and done. It was interesting that one Trustee didn’t even know how much money was owed to laid off employees and if you do the math the other Trustee might have guessed low.

Attention: LAID OFF SJ EMPLOYEES

First off Happy Holidays to all of you! I hope that 2008 is a great year for you all!

We are compiling a database of laid off employees. Please send the following to this e-mail address: sjcwatch@gmail.com

Name:
Address:
Phone or Phone numbers:
E-mail Address:

If you don’t wish to e-mail the info please feel free to snail mail it to:

Marcel LaPerriere
705 Lake Street
Sitka AK 99835

Please pass on this information as soon as you can.

Thanks!

Happy New Year!!

P.S. The sjcwatch@gmail.com is the e-mail address laid off employees should use in the future if you have questions that you don’t want to air in the public forum of the SJ Watch Blog.

Next Steps: Severance & Annual Leave

It appears that little has happened in the month following former employees' formal request to the Department of Labor. It may be necessary to develop a different strategy, as several folks have suggested. To that end, we should meet.

I'd like to propose two things: First, that we meet at least once prior to the holidays, say the week of December 18-22. Second, that we make it possible for folks out of town to call in via teleconference.

Use the comment section or email me at peoplecallmebryner@yahoo.com.

Busy day at the State Recorder's Office

Over the last couple of weeks, the Alaska State Recorder's Office has received several new documents related to the ongoing SJ(C?) collapse.

1. IRS filed an additional lien of $150,000.00.
2. SJ Foundation quick deeded all assets back to SJ(C?).
3. Former employee files lien for $6,000.
4. Lis Pendens filed against SJ(C?). (Latin for "suit pending" - tied to Alaska Growth Capital's suit)
5. New Deed of trust (Mortgage) for $50,000 to private couple with Presbyterian ties.

Not sure what it all means...

SJ(C?) goes offline

The SJ website is down. The message says "down for maintenance", though I'm betting it means "down for the count."

Hames spared: now the work begins

The City Assembly approved a one year lease of the Hames PE Center (now being called the Hames Wellness Center?). On a vote of 5-2, the lease, which included about $80,000 of administrative costs which go directly to SJ, will cover operating costs, utilities, etc. with Community Schools acting as facilities manager.

SJ Trustee Rob Allen stated during public testimony that without the lease, Hames would close its doors December 1st.

Within the next year, the Hames Task Force needs to find funding in order to keep the facility operating. It's not clear what support the city will offer then.

KCAW Raven Radio aired a story this morning. I'll post the link here when it goes online.

Decision Time

Tomorrow, Tuesday November 27th, the City Assembly will be voting on the future of the Hames PE Center. The motion will likely be for a one year lease, with Community Schools serving as a third party contractor. The city will cover lease costs, Community Schools will manage the facility. Dozens, perhaps scores, or community folks and organizations such as the Coast Guard will continue to donate sweat equity and perhaps additional funds to make the arrangement work. Within the next year, the Hames PE Center Task Force will develop a long term plan for the center.

Should the city decide not to agree to a lease, then the future is far from certain for a facility that SJ abandoned, but the community rallied behind.

If you feel you have a stake in the outcome, I'd encourage you to contact the assembly at assembly@cityofsitka.com.

Vision

On August 6th, Inside Higher Ed ran a story about potential suitors looking to purchase or lease SJ(C?). At that time, Dr. Dobler was quoted as saying that the college "is not for sale and the mission of the college is not up for grabs". Contrast that with more recent statements from Trustees and the fact the college is looking to sell every campus property outside of the immediate core. Dr. Dobler, in my opinion, lacks vision. What he has is a position.

Far be it from me to think that I've got it all figured out either. I've enjoyed reading comments from folks like John Garrison, SitkaTed, and others because they've done some serious thinking and searching about how SJ may find an authentic future. At best, what I offer is a perspective about creating an authentic vision for the campus.


First, this vision must take into account the needs of this community. Community is loosely defined here on purpose, as there is the geographic community of Sitka, the native community, religious community, etc. that need to be heard and included. How many other possible communities might there be that can offer insight into the next SJ?

Second, this vision must come from folks willing to make it happen. We've got current Trustees who leave any mention of SJ out of their bios. These folks aren't getting it done. This is why there is no doubt in my mind that the future of the campus should include the environmental sciences. Former faculty and the hatchery staff have already formed the Sitka Sound Science Center. They're organized, committed, and have a vision for environmental education in Sitka.

Who else is out there willing to make this happen? How many of us (former staff, faculty, etc.) would return to put our vision to work?

The future of SJ(C?), if there is to be one, requires an authentic vision, informed by real community needs, and led by impassioned champions. The first steps only need to be small ones.

Who defines the future?

As I reread the recent Sentinel article regarding Tuesday's Trustee meeting, I was struck by something Trustee Gary Paxton said. To paraphrase, he said something to the effect of, "we intend to keep the core campus property together for as long as possible with the hope that somebody will want to run some kind of educational program there." This isn't a perfect quote, but a decent enough facsimile.

What part stands out to you?

To me it's this: ..."that SOMEBODY will want to run SOME KIND of educational program there."

With all due respect to Mr. Paxton, a relatively new member of the Board, the SOMEBODY should have been US, the faculty, staff, and students of SJC! We were dismissed, denied, and derided.

SOMEBODY just doesn't cut it.

SOME KIND of program is no better. The program needs to be one that addresses the unique needs of our community, state, and planet. In my next posting, I'll lay out a vision for what could have been, and could still be if the will exists.

Board of Trustees Update and more...

Kudos to Board members Heather McCarty, Arliss Sturgelewski, and Gary Paxton for publicly speaking about the situation at SJ(C?). It's little and late, but it is an improvement.

The Sentinel spoke with Paxton and Sturgelewski about the recent Trustee meeting. From the article I've gleaned the following:

President Dobler will be retained; I assume everyone else will be unemployed by 11/30.

Certain property will be sold ASAP to meet debt obligations. The property: Incinerator site, Jeff Davis/SMC corner lot, and Sisters Lane lot. The debt: Alaska Growth, IRS, City of Sitka, Staff & Faculty severance and leave.

The intent is to preserve the core of campus in the hope that a new entity will be interested in running and education program there. Paxton stated that preliminary conversations have happened with two organizations.

The article does not address any specifics relating to Hames, the hatchery, or childcare center. I suspect negotiations with each remain active.

I imagine the Board also discussed the lawsuits filed by AGC and Travelers Insurance, but I haven't heard.

...Meanwhile, Chilkat Services has placed an ad in the paper looking for interested folks to rent apartments and houses on campus. Russ Thorpe of Chilkat said that real estate should be coming up for sale shortly, as well.

All on the line

It's all on the line for SJ(C?) tomorrow when the Board of Trustees meet on campus Tuesday, November 13th.

The rumors are all over the map and include a complete closure and termination of all staff (President as well), offers from foundations and others to buy/lease the campus, and the end of the Hatchery.

Don't forget that 100 employees have not been paid since July 5th, students have had their accounts sent to collections, Hames PE Center has two weeks left on its lease, and two lawsuits totaling close to $5 million have been filed.

Despite all of this, Heather McCarty wrote in the sentinel her desire to do right by the people of Sitka. I'm not criticizing her, but challenging her and the Board to live up to this claim. If they are sincere, than their actions tomorrow will demonstrate this.

Please, please, please, whoever attends needs to email me or report back on this site.

Alaska Growth Capital sues for $4.5 million

AGC is suing SJ(C?), the SJ Foundation, the City of Sitka, and PC USA for $4.5 million.

Earlier this summer it was discovered that the collateral held for a loan to SJ for the same amount had been filed improperly. As a result, AGC did not have a lien on the lower portion of campus, only uplands. The city saw this as a chance to place a lien on the lower part of campus for unpaid utilities.

Well, none of this sat well with AGC, who argues that SJ knew and intended that the entire campus be used as collateral. They allege that SJ has been unwilling to amend the documents to rectify the situation. Further, they state that SJ has failed to make payments as scheduled. So, they are suing for the amount owed, asking the courts to amend documents to accurately reflect the intended agreement, and asking to foreclose on the loan.

This is bad news for those groups trying to break away from SJ and run independently.

The Sentinel reported this story in Thursday's (Nov. 8th) paper.

Board of Trustees meets next week

The Board of Trustees will meet on campus Tuesday, November 13th. Questions about additional layoffs, severance and annual leave, the Hatchery, property sales etc. should be on the agenda.

Those affected by Trustee decisions and the general public deserve answers. The Board needs to run an open and truthful meeting. Minutes from past meetings need to be available, and time for public comment should be allotted.

Alas, I cannot be there, and need other folks to attend. Sign up in the comments section, the more the merrier.

SJ sued by Traveler's Insurance

The Sentinel recently reported that Travelers Casualty and Surety Company of America has filed a lawsuit against SJ(C?) for $100,000.00. The suit alleges that SJ failed to hold Travelers harmless as per contract. When the Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education (ACPE) sought to tap the surety bond, Travelers contends that SJ was required to cover the costs. What kind of insurance policy expects the insured to pay the costs?

Here's one possible scenario: ACPE requires surety bond. Travelers says "No way. Not unless you (SJ) indemnify us." SJ says, "well, we need the bond, but can only get one if we agree to not hold Travelers liable for it. OK." This could have happened. After all, SJ would not have been able to continue without it, and Travelers may have felt that SJ was too risky to insure without such a clause.

We'll see where this goes....

Setting a double standard

SJ(C?) recently sent all student accounts in default to a collection agency, Northern Credit Services. While an argument can be made that SJ is owed the funds, their recent action is nonetheless particularly harsh. Students were often allowed to carry over debt from semester to semester, and payment plans were reasonable. Sending students to collections changes all that by opening them up to finance charges and poor credit ratings.

Speaking of poor credit ratings, while SJ goes after students in arrears, it remains in debt to several entities, including former employees. Let's send them to collections!
How many phone calls during dinner and letters in the mail with big red "PAST DUE" stamps will it take to receive compensation?

Hames planning continues

The Hames PE Center still has a shot. After the city approved a measure to keep funding its operation until November 30th, task force members have been meeting regularly to iron out the details of a one year lease. Their next meeting is this Friday, November 2nd, 12:00pm at the fire hall.

Keep up the good work.

Letter to the Department of Labor

I've completed a draft of a letter to be sent to the Department of Labor on behalf of former staff and faculty, if you've emailed me and wish to sign on, I'll be sending it to you. My email is peoplecallmebryner@yahoo.com

Hatchery update

Thursday's Sentinel reported that the Hatchery was denied an appeal by the USDA to reinstate the funding needed to continue operations for one year. The USDA cited SJ's financial instability as the reason for the denial. Dan Goodness pledged to volunteer his time to see the brood stock through, but whether the lights will stay on in Sage is another question.

The article also referenced the $1.2 million Dept. of Commerce grant, which needs a $300,000.00 match from SJ. Will SJ come up with the funds?

Another sticky issue with the Dept. of Commerce grant: it calls for a floating dock capable of handling small cruise ships. If past ballot initiatives are any indication, Sitkans will not support this piece. I'd hate to see the Hatchery's future jeopardized by combining its popular program with an unpopular dock effort.

Assembly supports SJ Hatchery (In word)

At its October 24th meeting, the City Assembly approved a resolution in support of the SJ Hatchery's continuation. Raven Radio has the story here, and the Sentinel also covered the news. Keith Cox and Dan Goodness were strong advocates for the program, which lost financial support from a USDA grant when SJ closed. While the grant is being appealed, the Hatchery's future is in jeopardy. The city called on groups, individuals, and agencies to do what they can to help.

IRS files lien

It appears that the IRS has filed a tax lien against Sheldon Jackson College in the amount of $226,328.44, according to a document listed on the Alaska State Recorder website.

According to my count, that means that there are four organizations with liens against the former College: Alaska Growth Capital, PC USA, The city and borough of Sitka, and now the IRS.

Where do (and more importantly, where should) former employees stand in line for unpaid severance and annual leave? I believe we should be first in line, and must take the necessary steps to move there.

Staff & Faculty meet, discuss next steps

Last night was a good and productive meeting. It was good to see lots of familiar faces, reconnect, share good news, and unite along a common goal of advocating for ourselves.

First, the good news: New jobs (Cerissa, Lori, Kathy); promotions (Heather); babies (Jo Jo, Chesa); a graduation (Patricia) and; a new home (Marcel). As always, we'd love to hear from others. Post here or email me at peoplecallmebryner@yahoo.com.

We also spoke at length about severance and annual leave. The consensus: we are dissatisfied with the lack of communication and effort on the part of the College to resolve the issue. We are clear in our desire to have the Department Labor take a more active role in advocating on our behalf, and we are committed to working together to bringing about a timely and equitable resolution. We will pursue all avenues available to us.

I am in the process of drafting a letter to the Department of Labor. If you wish to sign on to it, please contact me.

We've also decided that we should meet again soon. I propose a pre-Thanksgiving potluck, sometime in mid-November. More details to come.

Raven Radio covers Tribal College and ACPE Meetings

Raven Radio's coverage of last Thursday's Tribal College Meeting and ACPE Meeting can be found at www.kcaw.org, or by following the links above.

All Former Employees: Tuesday Meeting

Folks, a short meeting and time for catching up has been scheduled for Tuesday night at 7:00, Centennial Hall. We'll discuss severance and annual leave issues, future meetings/gatherings, and then catch up.

I hope you'll all attend.

ACPE Meets - prepares to investigate student complaints

The Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education (ACPE) held their quarterly meeting today. On the agenda was the situation at SJ. The highlights:

ACPE staff recognized Kathy Newman and David Harrington, along with staff at UAS for their work on the teach-out, which includes 12 students.

They also approved a motion to investigate complaints received from former students regarding costs incurred due to closure, scholarships promised but not disbursed, and other financial matters. They will reportedly be contacting affected students.

The earlier decision to cancel authorization to operate stands, and was not further addressed. It did not appear that anyone from SJ attended.

Sheldon Jackson Childcare Center Inc.

Good news for the childcare center! Having formed a new organization, Sheldon Jackson Childcare Center Inc., the center signed a 90 day operating agreement yesterday. during this time period, the group will work to develop a long term lease agreement. The Sentinel reported the news in Wednesday's paper, and included a photo of President Dobler, center staff, and a bunch of kids gathered around for the signing. I spoke with Lolly and a member of her board, and both felt good about the agreement. Congratulations to everyone who helped make this possible.

3 Meetings & 29 down

Two meetings held tomorrow may shed some light on the future direction of (or at least the future after) Sheldon Jackson College.

First, the Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education (ACPE) will hold their regularly scheduled meeting at 9:00am, Thursday, October 11th. To call in and listen by audio-conference, dial 1-800.315.6338. When prompted, enter the conference id# 6740#. I'm not sure where SJ is on the agenda.

Later Thursday evening at 7:30pm, a meeting is being held to discuss the possibilities of developing a tribal college in Sitka. If you've read earlier posts, you'll know that this may not involve SJ directly, but certainly is of interest to those who value education. The meeting is held at Centennial Hall.

There's also been a discussion happening in the comments section about a "former employee" gathering. I propose that we meet next Tuesday, October 16th, 7:00PM at Centennial Hall. On the agenda: severance & annual leave, updates, and fellowship.
RSVP via "comments".

Also, today marks the last day of employment for 29 of the remaining 35 employees at SJ. I wish each of you every success. Please keep us in the loop as to your plans. I have personally received great support from the Department of Labor and the Job Center. Dave Reid and Barb Truitt have been wonderful. Contact them at 747-3423.

Severance & Annual Leave on hold

It appears that the Department of Labor has not been notified of the Board's plan for honoring their commitment to employees regarding severance and annual leave. I had heard that the Board approved a plan at their September meeting (although I have not seen Board minutes). When speaking with Department folks on Friday, I was told that they had not heard of the Board's decision.

The original plan called for paying staff and faculty by tenure; the folks who had been at SJ the longest would be paid first, etc. Informing the Department of Labor of this plan's approval would start the clock, so instead, SJ has kept quiet. Which means that compensation owed to folks (many of whom remain unemployed) is not forthcoming.

The President has stated that they must first sell some property before funds are available.

Former employees have received notice of the amount to be paid, but not any sort of reasonable time frame in which to be paid. This needs to change.

To date, the Department of Labor has not received any former wage claims against the College. Perhaps this should change also.

Student records on the move

The Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education (ACPE) is on campus this week to take control over student records. Both electronic data and paper copies have been collected and will be sent to Juneau. Students requesting transcripts can still call the Registrar at this time, but it is uncertain for how long. ACPE can be contacted through their website, for more information.

Assembly Meeting Outcomes

The city assembly met last night to address several issues related to SJ: Hames PE Center, Stratton Library, Childcare Center, and outstanding utility payments. The house was packed with supporters of a plan to keep open Hames open for a year, while community planners develop a long term solution.

In the end:
Hames received continued support through November 30th. Far from a year of support, the assembly intends to use this time to iron out lease issues to pave the way for a year-long commitment.

The Assembly stayed with the original plan of requiring a promissory note on the $450k SJ owes them for unpaid utilities. SJ had asked for 5%, no payments for a year, one lump sum after one year. The city kept with a ten year, 12% note.

Testimony was given by members of the public regarding Stratton Libray's archives, the Childcare Center's plan to stay open, and support for Hames.

My impression:
The city and Sheldon Jackson will struggle to serve our community well unless they find more productive ways of working together. The assembly uses public meetings to criticize the College, and the College seems to withhold information pertinent to good decision-making. The public looks on and gets the impression that no one has their interests in mind. SJ and the city are on the hook if they fail to deliver.

I hope that Hames, Stratton, and the Childcare Center find new life with - or without - the city's involvement. They are valuable resources to our community.

Tribal College Meeting

A meeting has been scheduled to discuss the potential of developing a tribal college in Sitka. The announcement was made by Ted Wright, who was part of a group to lead this effort years ago, and who has received several calls since SJ's closure. The meeting is not necessarily about converting SJ to a tribal college, but to discuss the issue of a tribal college in general. The meeting will take place 6:00 - 7:30 PM Thursday, October 11 in the Maksoutoff Room of the Centennial Building.

Rumor Mill

"There are a terrible lot of lies going about the world, and the worst of it is that half of them are true." ~Winston Churchill

Lately, I've been hearing a lot of rumors. It's next to impossible to know which, if any, hint at the truth. All are somewhat plausible, and none are beneath the current situation the College finds itself in.

I've listed them below. Act responsibly once you've read them. Don't spread them like wildfire. Instead, work to confirm them or dispose of them.

1. Cruise line to purchase portion of SJ property for lightering facility. Rumor has it, that an agency has made an offer. Reliability: who knows?

2. $1.2 million grant lacks the matching funds needed to keep it. Reliability: Possible, since the College is in financial crisis.

3. City gets better position on lien because of some change / oversight by SJ lender. Reliability: Could be, since some reference was made to this during last Assembly Meeting.

The truth: There'd be less rumors if the College would open up lines of communication. The website hasn't changed for over a month, Board minutes are unavailable, phones go unanswered regularly, messages aren't returned.

Stratton Library Story on Raven Radio

I had originally missed this story on Raven Radio regarding the situation at Stratton. Thursday's assembly meeting will also address Stratton's future. Consider listening to this story as homework for tomorrow.

My recent letter to the editor RE: Assembly Action

Submitted Tuesday, October 2nd, the day of municipal elections:

Congratulations to the recently elected Assembly and School Board candidates. While I’m sure that your plates are quite full, I hope that you’ll invest both time and energy in addressing the closure of Sheldon Jackson College and its impact on our community. To date, several faculty and staff remain unemployed, and many have left Sitka. The 100 students usually enrolled have also gone on to other schools, or have dropped out completely. Each one of these folks, in addition to being employed or enrolled at the College, were also taxpayers, customers, renters, homeowners, volunteers, and valued members of our community. What has their loss cost our community, now that they are gone? What can be done to support those who remain, and what is the city’s role in all of this?

I believe that the city has an opportunity, and an obligation, to respond in a meaningful way to these issues. I am counting on you to attend and participate in this Thursday’s assembly special session, where these issues will be addressed. To ignore the needs of those left in the wake of Sheldon Jackson’s closure, and to fail to address the potential loss of valued community resources previously provided by the College, is to fail those who elected you to serve their interests and the best interests of our community. Seize this opportunity to lead our community during this crucial time of need.

Sincerely,


Chris Bryner
Sitka, AK

Two Important meetings

There is a lot of potential for change this month at Sheldon Jackson College. On October 4th, the city assembly will hold a special session to discuss the issues of important services such as Hames, the Childcare Center, and Stratton Library, and to consider the terms for a $450k line of credit to cover outstanding utility payments.

Then, on October 11th, the Alaska Commission on Post-secondary Education will hold its regularly scheduled meeting to address the licensure of the College, which it revoked on September 11th.

The assembly meeting is open to the public, and public comments are encouraged. I'm not sure if ACPE will provide teleconferencing access for its meeting.

A bright spot.

The US Department of Commerce has awarded the College $1.2 million for a new roe processing training facility. Raven Radio produced the following related story.

With the suspension of academic programs, it appears that training will not be linked to an accredited degree program. This may have been the case even if the College was fully operating this fall.

Dr. Dobler is quoted as saying that this is "the first step in the development of a comprehensive seafood processing program." It certainly doesn't answer the larger questions of SJ's future, but may provide some breathing room for the hatchery program and college. It is a small step, hopefully in the right direction, and I wish the College well.

Nothing happened.

Basically, any agenda item involving SJ was moved to a special session to be held October 4th. During persons to be heard, people did speak in favor of keeping Hames open. There was some urgency to their comments, as one announced that the college planned on draining the pool October 8th.

So the issues regarding both Hames and other services, and the interest rate on a city loan remain. I think the two could be combined. For example, the College owes the city some $450k, and the city may want to step in to keep Hames open. Why not figure out a fair lease amount for the building, and deduct it from what is owed. A lease of $15k per month for Hames would provide the city with TWO YEARS of rent.

One last thought: I really think the city assembly would value your opinions. They can be reached here.

SJ on the City's Agenda

At tonight's scheduled Assembly meeting, two items pertain directly to SJ: The future of auxiliary services such as Hames, Childcare, the Hatchery, and Library; and the potential of a loan (line of credit) for the campus. SJ wants the interest on the loan to be reduced from 12% to 5%. It's purpose is to pay off outstanding utilities.

I'll let you know how it goes.

News of SJ hits the Presbyterian News Service

I recently came along this article from the PC (USA) news service. Nothing new to us here, but word is spreading.

How SJ's closure affects our community

Of course much of the space on this blog has been dedicated to addressing student and staff needs, and informing both through updates and announcements. Students, faculty and staff were in the direct line of fire when the whole thing went off.

Less talked about, but surely on a lot of people's minds are the secondary effects of SJ's closure. Recently, these issues have received increased attention as the community of Sitka begins to more fully appreciate the impact of losing the college. The recent decision by the Board to close Hames and the Childcare Center are two examples. Here's another:

During the most recent Sitka School Board Meeting the issue of enrollment was discussed. The district lost 52 kids this year. The cost - $386,000. 38 of 52 kids had parents either enrolled or employed at SJ who have since moved on.

The good news: the loss of kids should make the closing of the childcare center easier to bare. In all seriousness, it's a significant loss, and another tragic outcome related to the closure of SJC.

SJC Library Meeting Called

A public meeting has been scheduled to discuss the current and future status of Sheldon Jackson College's Stratton Library. It will be held Wednesday, September 19th, in the Sitka National Historic Park visitors center theater.

Hames PE Center

A group of local citizens and organizations met this week to discuss the future of the Hames PE Center. Divided now into committees, they will work to address both short and long-term solutions. At the meeting, President Dobler confirmed that a for profit fitness club from Juneau has visited the center, and he expects a proposal to be forthcoming. The Raven Radio story is here, as well as an interview with Thad Poulson, here.

If I were a Trustee...

From reading the comments posted on this site, as well as students' myspace pages, etc. it evident that many folks have thoughts and ideas about what the future of Sheldon Jackson College could look like. Here's your chance to share it with others. I'll send all comments posted here onto the Trustees (hopefully they're already avid readers =))

The guidelines: In 100 words or less, complete the thought, "If I were a Trustee..." Keep it positive. Accountability is a good thing, character assassination is not.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Employment & Enrollment Updates

Here's what I know so far:

Employment:
Bryner -AMSEA
Cerissa - Youth Advocates
Patricia - Raven's Way
Pat - Sitka Counseling
Heather - Sitka Counseling
Scott - Sitka Conservation Society
Mike - University of Washington
Angie - Sitka Police Dept.
Ginny - Sitka High School
Tom - Avant Garde Education

Enrollment:
Bill & Karissa - APU
Katie T - Lakeland College
Angela - Marylhurst U
Kiara, Sandy, Jakala, Sarah, Dennis, Brandy - UAS Juneau
Katy Ann, Jesse - UAS Sitka

My best to everyone...

SJC license suspended

The State of Alaska suspended the College's license to operate effective September 11th, 2007 according to a letter posted on the ACPE website. Scroll down to the September 11th update to open the letter in .pdf format. You'll need Adobe Reader to view it.

The reason for the suspension seems to be due to the loss of the surety bond, and failure to secure a new one. License can be reinstated if a new bond is secured.
If SJ does not secure a new bond, what then?

SJC Watch featured on Raven Radio

Melissa Marconi Wentzel spoke with me about the blog, and put together this story.

Two items of interest from the story:

Kim Spangler at ACPE is cited as saying that they will revoke license unless a new surety bond is held. The old bond was scheduled to expire 9/11/07. It looks like it did.

Also, President Dobler is cited as saying that severance and annual leave will be paid once some property is sold. I heard from a Trustee today who said that the Board approved the severance and annual leave plan proposed by the Dept. of Labor.

The Sentinel Article

By request, below you'll find the entire sentinel article of Monday, September 10th, 2007:

SCJ (that's how the paper spelled it!) Seeks Operators for Child Care, Gym

Sheldon Jackson College announced today that it will close the Hames PE Center and SJ Child Care Center within 30 days unless new operators can be found to take over management.

"We all know how important these facilities are to Sitka's residents, but we simply cannot afford to keep them open," said SJC Board of Trustees Chair Shirley Holloway in a news release today. "We dearly hope that others in Sitka will step forward so the valuable services both centers provide can be maintained for the community."

The announcement came following the trustees' meeting last week in Sitka. The College in late June decided to suspend operations for the 2007-2008 school year.

The trustees today also announced closure of the college's food service when the contract with the Alaska Public Safety Academy expires in November.

"The cessation of the three enterprises - none of which break even financially - came as part of further cost-cutting at the college," the announcement said.

The College laid off 100 members of its workforce shortly after announcing the suspension of operations.

At their meeting Wednesday and Thursday here, the trustees voted unanimously to cease all operations except the school's fish hatchery and aquarium, and the academic operations needed to complete the college's "teach-out" obligations to students who had not graduated when academic operations were suspended.

The trustees also further reduced the schools' administrative staff from 35 to six as part of an agreement with Alaska Growth Capital - the school's primary creditor - to preserve the school's assets while planning for future activities.

The College has more than $35 million in assets, primarily land and buildings, but has virtually no cash and $11 million in debts, almost half of which is owed to AGC, the college said.

"The fish hatchery is an indispensable part of what Sheldon Jackson will become in the future and is central to the economy of Southeast Alaska," said SJ President David Dobler. "Therefore we will continue operation of the hatchery as the linchpin of our future as an institution."

The school will begin an immediate search for a property management firm to oversee care of the physical plant at the school and will also search for a real estate and marketing sales firm to help manage the sale, lease, and development of the school's extensive holdings in Sitka.

"It's safe to say that Sheldon Jackson College will not reopen as a college in the near future," Holloway said. "But there are far too many needs - in marine biology, in teacher training, in training for the growing hospitality industry and for the training of village leaders - that Sheldon Jackson is uniquely equipped to meet."

"The Board of Trustees will over see the liquidation of as much property as is necessary to give us the time to establish programs here on the campus that meet those needs while being financially sustainable," Holloway said.

Sheldon Jackson College was originally established 129 years ago as a training school for Alaska Natives.

SJ "will not reopen in the near future"

The above quote is from Dr. Shirley Holloway, Board President of Sheldon Jackson College, taken from the September 10th Daily Sitka Sentinel. It's perhaps an expected moment, yet still hits hard for me. It's hard to imagine that just months ago many of us were preparing for a new semester.

The article also stated that food service will cease operations in November, once the contract with the safety academy ends, and Hames and the Childcare Center will close October 10th if new management isn't found. In addition, the article confirmed what I'd heard earlier: staff was reduced from 35 to six. Those remaining are President Dobler, his assistant Christina Gillenwater, Jim Sharpe, CFO, Debby Pucket, Account Manager, and Hatchery folks Dan Goodness and James Shewmake. The school will hire a property management firm to maintain the physical plant.

Here's what's troubling: The additional layoffs were part of an agreement with Alaska Growth Capital, in order to preserve the school's assets. What does this mean? My guess is that Alaska Growth said, "If don't want us to call in the loan, quit running up huge debt." I can't be sure, since this part of the Trustees' meeting was closed to the public.

More troubling still is the news that the College is $11 million in debt, not $6 million as reported by the College in the June 29th announcement of suspended operations. Where did this additional $5 million come from in just over 60 days?

The most troubling news of all: Board President Holloway stated the following: "the board of trustees will oversee the liquidation of as much property as is necessary to give us the time to establish programs here on the campus meet those needs (marine biology, teacher training, hospitality) while being financially sustainable."

This is unacceptable to me. As a 501c(3) non profit organization, the law requires the College's assets be transfered to another non profit or to the state if the organization were to dissolve. Dissolution of Sheldon Jackson College today would still require the loss of $11 million in assets (1/3 of all assets), with no guarantee that the College will finally find success or financial stability. The Board of Trustees has not met its fiduciary responsibiliies, there is no reason to believe that a massive liquidation of property will solve anything; in fact it suggests the opposite.

And what will become of the land and property sold? What was once Sheldon Jackson College is at grave risk of being squandered away by a Board of Trustees seemingly unaware of its own limitations. It's time for a change.

Vigilance

Who will guard the guards themselves?
(quis custodiet ipsos custodes?)
Juvenal, Satires
Roman poet & satirist (55 AD - 127 AD)

Sheldon Jackson College is well beyond the verge of collapse. At this time, the possibilities for desperate acts, corruption, and greed are at their highest. The custodians of Sheldon Jackson - technically the Board of Trustees - have never been more susceptible to making bad decisions.

We must be vigilant. What's at stake: The land - hundreds of acres of prime real estate entrusted to Sheldon Jackson for educational purposes; The history - one of a kind Merril prints, donated art, decades of records; The promises - severance and annual leave, reimbursements, teach out plans, etc.

Stay connected, stay informed.

And then there were six

I've heard from several sources now that a new round of layoffs will be announced. The staff will be reduced to six. Hames PE Center and the Childcare Center will be advertised to organizations to lease. If no takers, the facilities will cease operations.

Board of Trustees Part II

The Board resumed their meeting Thursday morning at 8:30am. In open session they deferred degrees to eight students (three Bachelor's and five Associates) for students who've completed remaining requirements over the summer. Congratulations.

They also began review of the "Teach Out" plan submitted by the Alaska Commission on Post Secondary Education (ACPE), but moved to delay action until after executive session. Three items on the agenda "Treasurers Report", "Alaska Growth Settlement" and "Staffing Patterns for 2007-2008" were held under Executive Session. The delay to the teach out plan was due to the desire to address staffing patterns first. The teach out plan refers to a "President" and "Chief Academic Officer" and the Board wasn't positive that they'd keep those positions/titles into the upcoming year. I wonder what that means...

During the Treasurer's Report, there was supposed to be a proposal regarding payout of severance and annual leave. I'll check in soon and find out what happened.

At 10:00AM there was to a be a presentation by Keith Cox and Marisa Chelius about the Sitka Sound Science Center, an arrangement that would include NOAA and involves the Sage / Hatchery facility. I missed this part of the meeting, but will check in with Keith and update the site soon.

This is all I know so far...

Board of Trustees solves affordable housing crisis

The Board of Trustees of Historic Sheldon Jackson College recently announced plans to address Sitka's affordable housing crisis by...

Selling off all of the colleges residences.

OK, they didn't really do that. However, the entire first hour and a half of their recent meeting was dedicated to a presentation by realtor Nancy Davis, who listed house-by house the estimated market value of every residence on campus. And it is no secret that the College is "cash poor and asset rich" as Dr. Dobler is fond of saying. Putting two and two together, it seems to be just a matter of time before a few "for sale" signs adorn the lawns of former staff, student, and faculty homes.

According to Mrs. Davis, some proprties are more valuable and easier to sell than others. Lincoln Street houses are the most desirable, but the Board is less likely to want to part with them. The Jeff Davis houses are also desirable. Tougher to sell and develop are the family housing units, incinerator site, and vacant lots in between the two.

Also present at Wednesday's meeting was bankruptcy attorney Cabot Christianson of Anchroage and John Delano of Alaska Growth Capital. Neither of them spoke in open session, and after Mrs. Davis presentation, the Board went into excutive session for the remiander of the day.

Employment & enrollment updates

I haven't heard much in a while about folks finding work, but some have this past month. Pat Sheahan is working at Sitka Counseling and Prevention Services. Cerissa Payment declined an offer at Raven's Way to accept a position as Case Coordinator at Youth Advocates. Mike Kaplan returns to UW to complete his Phd, and is working at the University.

Please let me know of others...

As for students, I've heard that Karissa has moved to Anchorage to attend APU. I'd love to hear about more of you. Post comments on the site, write on my wall in Facebook, or email me at peoplecallmebryner@yahoo.com.

The Semester that Wasn't

Below is a copy of a letter to the editor I will submit tomorrow...

This past Wednesday would have been the start of a new fall semester at Sheldon Jackson College. Instead, with the exception of a shoestring staff, the campus shows little signs of life. It was also exactly two months ago that staff and faculty were terminated without notice. To date, they have not received the severance and vacation pay promised to them. Students would not be notified of the decision for weeks, and many still do not know where, or if, they will be attending college this fall. To put it bluntly, the quick decision to suspend operations and nearly every related subsequent action on the part of the College has been mishandled. The results are tragic, and I feel a profound sense of loss as college students return to campuses across the country – everywhere but here.

This upcoming Wednesday, the Board of Trustees will meet on campus. I encourage everyone with a vested interest in the fate of Sheldon Jackson College – in essence, all of us – to attend.

Department of Labor update

After my meeting with the Department of Labor investigator Ronald Schramm, he met with SJ officials. They will present a plan to the Board for consideration. The timeline is likely to be longer than the 90 days Mr. Schramm suggested. The total bill is in the 300 - 400k range. I spoke during a recent Assembly meeting regarding a loan to SJ and asked them to consider requiring any city loan to the College be used to cover the wages owed. The Assembly is unlikely to loan SJ money, however, so this is an unlikely scenario.

My meeting with the Department of Labor

On Wednesday, August 23rd, I met with Ronald Schramm, Wage and Hour Investigator with the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development. We spoke for about an hour, and he was due to meet with SJ officials that afternoon. Here's what I learned.

Sheldon Jackson College is required by law to provide compensation to terminated workers three days after termination. SJ did pay out wages in a timely manner. Yet, they have failed to make good on the promise of a 30 day severance and vacation time owed. Mr. Schramm plans on offering the College an incremental payment plan that would result in the College settling its debt with staff and faculty over the next 90 days. Failing this option, former employees may need to file formal complaints with the Department, at which point each claim would be investigated and a judgment made regarding SJ's responsibility. With the potential for scores of complaints, Mr. Schramm is hoping his offer will be accepted.

Perhaps the last resort would be to file a civil suit against the College, an option no one looks forward to, but may prove to be the only option should SJ not meet its financial obligations to us.

Mr. Schramm has agreed to notify me of the outcome of his meeting with the College. I'll update the site as soon as I hear something.

Student: ask for your founder's day awards

Students, (specifically those in the teach out) make sure that you ask that SJ honor your Founder's Day awards if you received one this past spring. Because you are part of a teach-out, you are an SJ student. As a result, you are entitled to the award. During the audio conference, President Dobler stated that any award that was made from a restricted fund could be used by the student. Virtually ALL Founder's Day awards are restricted funds. So get what's coming to you.

upcoming audio conference

A telephone conference has been scheduled on Wednesday, August 22, 2007, at 10 a.m. for students affected by the suspension of operation of Sheldon Jackson College. Sitka residents wishing to listen/participate are invited to gather at the Legislative Information Office located at 201 Katlian St., Suite 200A. The call in number is 800-315-6338, pass code 6740#.

ACPE audio conference held today

Unfortunately, I was traveling today during the audio conference and was unable to call in. From what I've gathered from folks who listened in and gave comment, the outcome of ACPE's report is not favorable to the College.

Among the items addressed, it appears that the teach out agreements are incomplete and/or unacceptable in their current form. ACPE will begin to lead the process on their own. The commission will post their report here, and I'll have more to add then...

How much for that doggie in the window...

Inside Higher Ed published a story on today about the possibility of Sheldon Jackson being sold to a for-profit educational institution. In the article, President Dobler was quoted as saying that the college "is not for sale and the mission of the college is not up for grabs", but that there were for profits interested in an arrangement that "would not completely reshape the college".

I now wonder if Doug Dye's (a friend of Dr. Dobler) visit to campus was more than just an interview regarding the Dean of Academic Affairs position. Doug Dye is from Grand Canyon University, a formerly private Christian university with financial problems (sound familiar) that was purchased by a group of investors in 2004. The result, massive layoffs and lax academic standards according to faculty.

Time will tell..

Board of Trustees denies housing relief for staff and faculty

Word has it, and the meeting minutes should confirm it, that the Board of Trustees voted down a motion by Board member Monte Wilson to delay raising rents for on campus staff and faculty. Monte has since resigned from the Board.

By my best estimate, the College receives approximately 12 to 15k per month in rent. An increase of even 25% (which would be extreme) would only yield an additional 3 to 4k per month, or 36 to 40k per year. And of course, many folks will be moving off campus, thus lowering the monthly revenue now being collected.

So for perhaps as little as 30k annually, the Board chose to continue with its plan to raise the rents of the same folks who they also laid off with no notice and no health benefits. But hey, in just 200 short years, that 30k would pay off the 6 million dollar debt SJ owes. So it was the only logical thing to do, after all.

Cerissa Payment, Patricia Campbell & Bryner hired

Cerissa and Patricia have been hired by SEARHC's Raven's Way Program. The Program is well regarded and I'm sure lucky to have them.

And yes, even I have found work. I'm the new Course Coordinator for the Alaska Marine Safety Education Association (AMSEA). I've been on the job for two days, and love it.

Continue to let me know of other good news.

Teach out or pay up

Sheldon Jackson College is obliged to offer a teach out agreement for students with less than 30 credits remaining. This offer is due by August 1st, unless the College successfully wins appeal of their license suspension with Alaska Post Secondary.

And if they fail to offer the teach out to eligible students by then? A student may be reimbursed for lost tuition and/or costs of completing their degree. See the comments section for exact wording. Contact ACPSE for more information.

Students Moving on...

When SJ closed the doors so abruptly, students were left with very little time to respond. UAS has been good to many of them, and Sitka is fortunate to keep some students in town. Others have found new institutions across the country, and I wish them well.

Katie Tyler - Lakeland College (WI)
Victoria Spencer - Hofstra University (NY)
Angie Neilson - Marylhurst University (OR)
Nate Eakland - Pacific University (OR)

Let me know of others...I'll post them here.

SJC'ers on the Radio

What is going to happen to all of us who worked, taught, and studied at SJ now that the place has closed? Who are we, and where are we headed? We have an opportunity to share our stories about our lives and our time at SJC.

While hanging out at the Home Skillet Fest, I got to talking with Ken Fate, drummer for the Glorious Youth Parade and General Manager at KCAW Raven Radio. We were on the subject of SJ's closure when he asked. "What could Raven Radio do in response?" I pitched the idea of recording stories from the SJ community, to record for all time, stories of folks who made SJ what it was.

A few days later, Ken let me know that staff had spoken, and were interested. Rob Woosley showed me the ropes of operating one of the mobile digital recorders, and sent me on my way. So I am - looking for folks to share their experiences of life at SJ with me, and with our community. Please contact me if you're interested. Help create the collective memory of what Sheldon Jackson was just before the lights went out.

Good news for Scott Harris & Cerissa Payment

Scott Harris, former COESA Director, has taken a new position as Conservation Director at Sitka Conservation Society. Our community is better for it. Congratulations Scott!

Also, Cerissa Payment, Resident Director, has accepted a position at Youth Advocates, working at the Hanson House. Kudos as well to Cerissa.

If anyone knows of others who've found work or are transferring to new schools, let me know.

Dr. Dobler on Raven Radio

Thursday morning, Dr. Dobler appeared on KCAW's Give & Take call in show with host Steve Will. Audio will be available on the KCAW website later today. There were no surprise revelations of any substance, as Dr. Dobler stuck to the script. He did, however, publicly state that severance pay and vacation / sick pay were forthcoming as monies became available.

A most interesting piece was Dr. Dobler's response to Steve Will's question about going back to the city for funding, essentially asking for a "redo". Dr. Dobler stated somewhat cryptically, that it would not be possible because the "College" is now "operating under a new business model." What does this mean? Only time will tell...

A tale of two Colleges

In Friday's Sitka Sentinel (July 13th), President Dobler stated that he preferred not to think of SJ as closed, but as "seriously curtailing operations." He also stated that students had been notified in writing of the situation, which has yet to happen, prompting several calls to the paper and several letters to the editor.

On Tuesday, (July 17th) the Sentinel ran a story that paints a very different picture. In it, they site a press release from the Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education in which the Commission states that they have canceled authorization of SJC to operate as a College. President Dobler states that the College (or former college) will appeal.

Hooray for Heather Garrison!

As time passes, the good folks of SJC will land on their feet. I'm proud to announce that Heather Garrison from Lifelong Learning has been hired as an Administrative Assistant. This is good news indeed.

My search continues, as does many others. I'll keep everyone posted as I'm sure each of us will return to work soon.

Department of Labor Rapid Response Meetings

Information about unemployment, job training and searching, and public assistance and more is being presented tonight, July 10th, at 6:00PM at UAS, room 110.

Employees Unite!

Employees of SJ are still reeling from the news of the school's closure. While the Board of Trustees would characterize it differently, we're all out of work, and students will not be enrolled come fall, so whatever.

We've been attending meeting sessions held by the Department of Labor and Sitka's Job Center to figure out our next steps. It's a terribly confusing process, and frustrating.

One thing strikes me though - we must stand together during this time. We've yet to receive official notice of termination, information about severance (if any), vacation pay, etc. We are entitled to such things, and together, should advocate for what is owed. Many of us still have outstanding reimbursements as well. For years we paid our own way to meetings, conferences, trainings, etc. and risk not being repaid.

A line is going to form once assets are liquidated. Where will we stand in line, if we don't stand together? I feel very strongly, that we should be compensated first. Who's with me?

Sheldon Jackson College suspends academic programs

From the official press release, June 29, 2007: The Board of Trustees of historic Sheldon Jackson College has decided to suspend academic operations for one year while school officials consult with government, community and educational leaders in Alaska to determine a financially viable future for the 130-year-old school.

The news must have been a shock for many, though more shocking to me (an employee) was the fact that I (and all 100+ employees, and 100+ students) were given absolutely NO notice. As of this post (July 9, 2007) students have yet to receive any notice in writing, and have less than six weeks to find, apply for, and relocate to a new institution. Staff and faculty were told on a Friday afternoon that that was their LAST DAY. Health insurance benefits were terminated AT THAT MOMENT, and campus housing rates are being increased to "full market value" September 1st.

Unconscionable.

So what is to become of SJC? In the coming months, we're likely to see college real estate sold off, with the periphery of the campus going first. I'll bet my unemployment check that the SMC duplexes, Jeff Davis houses, Family Housing Apartments, and Lincoln Street lots are at the top of the list.

I sincerely hope that I am wrong.

However, the College owes approximately $6,000,000.00 to its debtors, and the ENTIRE campus is held as collateral. What's an out-of-business institution to do? I've created this blog to track the movements of the College and Trustees. Stay tuned...