More challenges to Chicago City Colleges chief Cheryl Hyman... 'The Peoples College' versus corporate Chicago... 'Chancellor Hyman, why have you been so unwilling to talk with us, given that we are your number one contact with students?'...
After waiting for nearly two hours at its Feb. 4, 2016 meeting, while the City Colleges of Chicago board heard speeches praising Chancellor Cheryl Hyman and the "reinvention", two faculty members finally got a chance to explain the formal "no confidence" vote by the faculty council. The two faculty members who spoke were: Jenny Armendarez, Associate Professor of Speech at Harold Washington College, and former president of the HWC local faculty council; and Jennifer Alexander, president of the Faculty Council of City Colleges of Chicago (FC4).
Jennifer Alexander, foreground, leads a delegation with the Chicago City Colleges statement of no confidence in Chancellor Cheryl Hyman over to Mayor Rahm Emanuel. Photo: Labor Beat
"Chancellor Hyman, why have you been so unwilling to talk with us, given that we are your number one contact with students?"
Link to this new Labor Beat video: https://youtu.be/qF53xTI29ic
Jenny Armendarez spoke about the large percentage of the HWC faculty who voted yes to the no confidence resolution, and then concluded: "The reason why Harold Washing College voted no confidence in Cheryl Hyman comes down to a difference in our understanding of the mission coupled with the Chancellor's unwillingness to discuss these differences. When Crane Junior College, the precursor to CCC, opened its doors on September 11, 1911 it earned the nickname 'the People's College'. That is the underlying mission of all city colleges, to provide education for all of our citizens.
"And yet actions taken by this district administration are counter to that mission. Closing programs. Limiting opportunities for students based upon where they live. And raising tuition for our most vulnerable populations. These do not reflect the founding ideas of the People's College. "We take no joy in this vote of no confidence. But the faculty of HWC and City Colleges must make this stand long after there are new board members, new chancellors, new presidents.
"The faculty and the mission remain here to serve all Chicago students. As faculty it has long been our responsibility to speak truth to power and to be vigilant in our defense of the population we serve. And we do so proudly and as a united group. Board of Trustees, we'd like very much to speak with you in depth about the concerns we have and we would like to finish by asking, Chancellor Hyman, why have you been so unwilling to talk with us given that we are your number one contact with students? Why?"
Chancellor Hyman didn't answer.
Then faculty council president Jennifer Alexander spoke, reading from the FC4 statement of no confidence. That statement is included in its entirety in this new Labor Beat video, and can also be read from the Substancenews article on Feb. 5: Lastly, at Jennifer Alexander's invitation, a delegation of teachers and supporters left and marched a copy of the no confidence statement over Mayor Emanuel's office at City Hall, just a few blocks away. Video length is 9:37
Two photos are available with the article: Jenny Armendarez explained why Harold Washington College faculty voted no confidence.
Photo: Labor Beat
Faculty council president Jennifer Alexander invited all to go with her to the Mayor's office.
Photo: Labor Beat
Jennifer Alexander, foreground, lead a delegation with the statement over to the Mayor.
Photo: Labor Beat
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By: Neal Resnikoff
On the City Colleges administration
The City College faculty criticism of the City College administration includes reference to attacks on "academic" courses for students. The attempts to eliminate arts and science courses, "liberal arts" and critical thinking, etc. goes back at least 25 years.
The situation at City Colleges includes the following, much like the way Chicago Public Schools is run: Hyman was appointed chancellor in April 2010. Before that, she served as vice president of operations strategy and business intelligence at ComEd. She is not an educator.
The Board of Trustees, appointed by the Mayor, is mostly the servants-of-business sorts plus a few who supported Emanuel
politically.
Obama announced in 2010 that community colleges should train folks for jobs, to help business. Just like the Common Core being imposed on the Chicago Public Schools and across the U.S.