Corrections & Retractions: KY


Dear Trustee

I felt the need to clear up some miscommunication in the letter to you from President Yowell dated June 10, 2009.

  • Reference page 4, discussion about my participation on the budget team;

Dr. Yowell attended one budget meeting where I was present. Where did he get the notion that I was surly? I have always been professional in every meeting and committee I serve. I take offense to this comment and want an apology at the next board meeting, July 22, 2009; and I want the minutes of that meeting to reflect his apology. I fully understand my role and that I am not a decision maker. Others on the committee will testify to the value of my input.

Brad and I did leave the room to discuss delaying the payment of our enrollment bonus at the last budget meeting. I informed Brad that the enrollment bonus was not part of the budget for academic year July 1, 2009 to June 30, 2010; but had already been included in the current budget for academic year ending June 30, 2009. Brad and I were always very aware of budget issues that could cross the lines into negotiations and did not attend or excused ourselves from meetings when that happened. Others on the committee will testify to our professionalism in regards to this point.

  • Reference pages 4 and 5, discussion about the union deciding the raise and number of overload hours taught by faculty;

The union does not decide the raise. We negotiate in good faith. Past negotiation have been very productive with both sides having a give and take attitude. You can get verification of this from Dr. Jane Salisbury, chief negotiator for the college. We can decide the raise if that is what you wish. Just let me know and I will call a union meeting and we will decide.

Faculty who teach overload teach those hours because of their commitment to the quality of their program. Quality does not suffer. Commitments to holding office hours, participation on committees, advising students and involvement in community service have never suffered. I have testimony from faculty that the opposite of what Dr. Yowell has communicated is the truth.

As President of the union, a leader among faculty, and a member of the Edison family I want you to ask Dr. Yowell to publically apologize for these comments at his convocation address to Edison Community College faculty and employees on August 17, 2009.

Thank you for listening,

Sincerely,

Larry J. Dragosavac

6 comments:

MT said...

Larry - you are the least surly person in the western hemisphere .... ANYONE who knows you knows this to be true. Just another careless remark by KY, who persists in demonizing anyone who ever disagrees with him. Board of Trustees - 21 years of this kind of behavior has resulted in the current leadership chasm ...... PLEASE DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT

cmbb said...

Thank you, Larry, from your time, energy, knowledge, and very professional leadership of the ESEA. You and Brad make a strong team in your representation of the Edison faculty. I can attest that I have not stopped recruiting, teaching, or supporting students, the college, or community needs during these disappointing and difficult times. I teach overload when I have expertise and experience in the subject area, and I use adjuncts when they have expertise and experience that I do not have. Both of these strategies add to and support the quality of the program. I hope the Board will take your request very seriously.

Retter Hofbesitzer said...

The Good - Ken Yowell can no longer get away with saying whatever he feels benefits him as a petty dictator, benefits him monetarily, benefits his purile and unprincipled instincts. At least he cannot do it not without being called on it.

The Bad - He continues to lie at will, hurt good people, and use the goodness of Edison people to extend his career. The Board is unconsciable in allowing him to continue to get away with each of these acts.

From the dark said...

If Larry were the leader at Edison, I would follow him anywhere. His integrity is unquestionable. If Larry told me I had to take a 10% cut in pay to save the college I would believe him and support him. He exhibits the kind of leadership the college sorely needs.

Respect is something that is earned, not demanded. I know no one who does not respect Larry.

TR said...

From the dark--

Are you sure you know NO one who disrespects Larry? hmmm?

Chance said...

Larry, while you're waiting for Yowell to make public amends, would it be possible for you to ask our oh-so-strategeric powers that be how in the world Dan Reke can be permitted to spend some $244,000 on a service contract that reportedly was not bid and was quoted to only one company. Oh, and while you're asking, please ask where the funds came from. Silly me, I thought there was a budget crisis, and that lots of employees weren't getting pay increases, and that some jobs weren't being filled, and that we couldn't even keep all of our English faculty, even though the English department teaches more credit hours than any department except Math. So, if you could ask, we'd all sure like to know. Thanks, Larry.

With any luck, Yowell's response will be so nasty he'll have something else to apologize for. That way, he can just apologize for everything at one time.

--CTG