Grand jury blasts Peralta Community College District for poor governance, misconduct
FILE ART - Peralta Community College District
OAKLAND, Calif. - The stability of the Peralta Community College District is at risk due to alleged poor governance and misconduct by some of its leaders, according to a report released Monday by the Alameda County Civil Grand Jury.
The East Bay college district has four campuses, which are Laney and Merritt colleges in Oakland, Berkeley City College in Berkeley, and the College of Alameda in the city of Alameda.
The report says the college district "has suffered from structural financial issues and administrative turmoil for years" and "the state has engaged the district extensively to help get it back on track."
Challenging the criticism Monday was Peralta's interim Chancellor Jannett Jackson.
Jackson said in a statement that some of grand jury's findings may be faulty because it "did not interview all relevant witnesses" and "discounted certain evidence."
"Nevertheless, we believe the district is already on the right path to addressing the issues and concerns raised by the Civil Grand Jury Report" Jackson said.
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The grand jury received eight written complaints related to the work of the college district's board of trustees and made nine findings following an investigation.
Among the findings, the report alleged that trustees interfered with the chancellor's appointment of managers between 2018 and 2020.
Also among the report's findings during the same period, individual trustees allegedly interfered in the hiring process of managers by informally vetting and "challenging the recruitment/vetting process" and the chancellor's recommendations.
Trustees also allegedly held discussions behind closed doors to reevaluate the recruitment/vetting process and the recommendations the chancellor was making for managerial positions, according to the findings.
The report alleges the first two findings caused irreparable damage to the relationship between the chancellor's office and the board of trustees.
The third finding "compromised the fair and independent hiring process," the report alleges.
The grand jury also alleges the trustees violated the Brown Act, which aims for transparency in government decision-making, and allegedly contributed to or allowed for the uncivil treatment of other trustees, administrators, and/or staff.
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"Disrespectful and demeaning comments directed at staff were interpreted as racially insensitive," the report alleges.
But Jackson said in response, "We believe the Grand Jury's findings were impacted by the fact that they adopted certain allegations and complaints without a contextual understanding of District issues."
With respect to the Brown Act allegations, Jackson specifically said it is unclear whether it was violated by the trustees.
Jackson said the trustees are working on their interpersonal skills through a series of workshops given by Chancellor Emeritus Helen Benjamin.
The workshops are expected to continue next month and during the next academic year.
Jackson also said that the trustees may revise the district's policies on hiring to clear up any confusion that it's the chancellor's responsibility.
The chancellor is responsible for the hiring of all employees, but the trustees can approve the chancellor's selection of administrators, district spokesman Mark Johnson said.
Among the recommendations by the grand jury are having the trustees take part in training regarding the Brown Act as well as training with respect to racial insensitivity and implicit bias.
It also recommends the trustees amend a portion of Board Policy 7110, so it does not conflict with two other policies that give the chancellor the power to hire managers.
Even though the grand jury said the college district must make certain changes, it does not have the power to force the district to change or adopt any recommendations.
Peralta Community College District must, however, respond in writing to the grand jury's findings and recommendations within 90 days.