CSCU President Mark Ojakian, far left,and his staff presented told legislators about plans to merge the 12 community colleges into a single state college.To Ojakian's right are Jane Gates, provost, Michael Buccilli of Gateway Community College, Tamika Davis of Tunxis Community College, and Ken Klucznik, transfer and articulation policy manager.
CSCU President Mark Ojakian, far left,and his staff presented told legislators about plans to merge the 12 community colleges into a single state college. To Ojakian's right are Jane Gates, provost, Michael Buccilli of Gateway Community College, Tamika Davis of Tunxis Community College, and Ken Klucznik, transfer and articulation policy manager. Kathleen Megan / CT Mirror

To: Gov. Ned Lamont

A list of reasonable demands regarding community college consolidation:

  • Meet with representatives of the Reluctant Warriors who have been trying to get a meeting with you. Reluctant Warriors’ proposal to save money includes cutting layers of management and decreasing the budget of the central office.
  • Investigate the revolting political payola and institutional corruption and waste of taxpayer dollars associated with Mark Ojakian’s implementation of his “half-baked plan.” Many faculty and staff are spending extra time to analyze the consolidation debacle. Their pay will not be affected one way or another. But those supporting the plan whose upper-level jobs could depend on its implementation have much to lose and therefore it is a conflict of interest.
  • An  analysis and public release of Board of Regents expenditures since 2012.
  • Independent analysis of purported savings in the consolidation plan, after receiving public comments.
  • Independent analysis of other impacts of such a consolidation and comparison to such plans in other states.

Unless, that is, you concur with both the critiques/analysis of the Reluctant Warriors and support the pending legislation (SB 749 An Act Requiring Legislative Approval for the Merger or Closing of Institutions Within the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities.), in which case remove Ojakian and reform the system from the top down.

You should be concerned with Board of Regent scandals erupting on your watch.

Ralph Nader of Winsted is a consumer advocate, lawyer and author.

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