Governing Board

January 23, 2007

Good evening. This is the sixth time that I am privileged to serve as the President of the Maricopa Community College District Governing Board. In each of the preceding years I have suggested that a few initiatives might be worthwhile for our District. This year, however, will be different in that I will not propose any new initiatives. Instead, it is my hope that we will all review and then sincerely begin to live our professed values.

The past several weeks have been quite stressful for many in our organization whose alleged misdeeds have been prominently featured in our local newspapers. One can only speculate how and by whom reporters were given the information which became the basis for their stories. Would it be too much to request that if there are problems that these could be addressed first within the “family” rather than in the press? Would it be possible for all our employees to realize that public scrutiny and accountability is necessary and indeed appropriate but it needn’t mean going outside our organization to point out problems and address any needed corrections?

So, this year may I please request a return to our stated values such as honesty, integrity, responsibility, and stewardship to name just a few of these values, that we not too long ago reviewed and confirmed, and that we now come together to better serve our students and the community?

It is my hope that 2007 is a good year for Maricopa with each of us concentrating on fulfilling our primary mission of teaching and learning.

Thank you.