Barstow, CA – At the Barstow Community College District Board of Trustees’ meeting on December 14, the Superintendent/President, Dr. Debbie DiThomas, called for an “independent investigation of accusations aimed at college administrators by two disgruntled, former employees” who attended and made statements to the Board of Trustees.
Dr. DiThomas said, “I am sick and tired of the slanderous lies, and I want a full independent investigation of the allegations being made against me and our management team.” She noted that the College has a fantastic team of dedicated individuals who work hard and whose integrity has been impeached, adding that she wants “the lies exposed and the truth to be told.”
When asked about potential fallout from an independent investigation, Dr. DiThomas said she wasn’t worried because she is confident in the honesty of the President’s Cabinet members and her management team, who have been accused of wrongdoing by Albert (Lefty) Olguin and Susan Rollinson. She credited the members of the BCCD management team with putting in long hours solely due to their commitment to the mission and core values of the College and the success of BCCD students.
“I think it is a shame when people misrepresent what is happening to support their cause, or say things that are false or prejudicial to garner attention, or disparage and malign people who think differently than they do,” Dr. DiThomas said. “As we all know from watching political debates, things are said in the heat of the moment that are sensational, but not based on the facts.” Many times, she continued, initial accusations and “hear say” make headlines in the press, but when the actual facts come out and the lies are exposed, it is no longer a lead story or front page issue. When the facts surrounding Olquin’s and Rollinson’s unjustified allegations are revealed by the independent investigators, Dr. DiThomas anticipates that she and the management team will be praised for jobs well done and for making sure that “student success remains BCCD’s #1 priority.”
While recognizing that mistakes can happen in the best of organizations, she emphasized that her team promptly acknowledges errors (theirs, or those from previous administrations) and are quick to make corrections or changes. In fact, the State Chancellor’s Office Institutional Effectiveness Partnership Initiative recognized the current team at BCCD for its commitment to improvements in data integrity and enrollment management (see accompanying SPOTLIGHTS Newsletter).
“I am proud of the leadership team at this college and the many improvements we have made during my administration,” DiThomas said, emphasizing that she and Cabinet level administrators have kept the Trustees apprised of all issues and the College’s approach to resolving these issues.
Dr. DiThomas convened her President’s Cabinet on Thursday morning to outline the complaints that had been made and to direct Associate Vice President of Human Resources Clint Dougherty, who addresses many of the legal concerns of the district, to begin the search for a qualified team of independent investigators. Following the Cabinet Meeting, she indicated that the College’s Mission, Vision, and Core Values, and most importantly “our commitment to student success,” are the guiding principles for everyone at BCCD. “Everyone associated with this college should adhere to those standards,” Dr. DiThomas said. “We must ensure that our integrity is above reproach. It is what defines us.”
