Defamation suit rocks college calm

[Wheaton Resident]

I feel sorry for the employees of COD, after watching the first televised meeting of the COD Board last week I would be embarassed to admit to working there. It floored me that the guy appointed to the Board (Kory Attkinson) because Mary Mack resigned (after being sexually harassed) is now attacking the last female board member. Talk about a good old boys club!

I guess McKinnon and his cronies are just mad that they can't fire highly qualified teachers at their whim or wish like they can presidents and vice presidents.

[jfv2000]

Pat wrote:

What is going on? I see the BOT is STILL not very gender inclusive nor minority diverse.
DuPage county might be a great place to live, but it is not all that welcoming to its various groupings of minority citizens.
The college is a great resource for the entire county and shameful to have to read about this type of scandal.

What happened to "innocent until proven guilty,
Former student and active community participant who is so proud to see some of the suggestion worked on a few years ago are being fulfilled.

What happened to "innocent until proven guilty?" First you have to prove what the scandal is - sexual or harassment or a false claim of harassment. Second, as an active community participant you should know that these are elected positions and even when vacancies are filled by appointment, one is required to fill the post with the most qualified person available. These are not "quota positions" owed to specific gender and racial types. You really ought to go back and read the founding documents of this country.

[jfv2000]

Wheaton Resident wrote:

I feel sorry for the employees of COD, after watching the first televised meeting of the COD Board last week I would be embarassed to admit to working there. It floored me that the guy appointed to the Board (Kory Attkinson) because Mary Mack resigned (after being sexually harassed) is now attacking the last female board member. Talk about a good old boys club!

I guess McKinnon and his cronies are just mad that they can't fire highly qualified teachers at their whim or wish like they can presidents and vice presidents.

If you only knew, if you only knew. First, you assume someone was sexually harassed. On what basis? Hearsay? What proof has been offered? Or is that not necessary these days because we assume cosmeticians can not have ulterior motives? As far as being embarrassed, why should employees be embarrassed to work there, unless they are taxpayers? You should be embarrassed and if you were, you would first investigate the story before believing unproven charges. But that would be too much work, wouldn't? Almost as much as learning about who it is you are voting for.

[jfv2000]

CAM wrote:

The allegations of sexual harassment go back to 2007 and even before that since Brown left the Board a long time ago.
There is absolutely no connection between a persistent trend in criminal behavior and the recent publication of salaries.

What's criminal? Has anything been charged, let alone tried and proven? And hopefully, you have never hugged a person, lest they later accuse you of perversion. It is also not unheard of for people to support another person's charges in order to obtain the same result - defaming and ultimately removing a perceived "enemy." Machiavelli could tell you all about that one. You should read him.

[jfv2000]

Mrs R wrote:

It's asinine to assert that the sexual harassment allegations are at all connected to the publication of faculty salaries. Conflating the two is not only a perfectly inane post hoc ergo propter hoc fallacy, but also smacks of a weakly constructed conspiracy theory. The real significance of these two issues is not causal, but indicative-- there are serious problems at COD and the BoT seems to be at the locus of each.

It's not at all asinine. You just have to understand motives. Two parties with different causes supporting each other for a commonly desired result. See my other post or better, read Machiavelli. Not quite "the enemy of my enemy is my friend," but close enough. The problems you deem serious are not nearly as serious as other issues facing the Board and on which they have well represented the taxpayer. And lest you forget, correlation (association) does not prove causation. Any first year statistics student can tell you that.

[jfv2000]

COD Writer wrote:

I am a "highly paid" faculty member at the College of DuPage, and I earn what amounts to a reasonable living wage for this area. I will never get rich, but I truly love my work, I love my students, and I am proud to be a member of COD's faculty. I have an MA and a PhD and nearly 20 years of classroom experience. I and my faculty colleagues work very hard to meet the needs of an enormous range of students who come to our college from all backgrounds.
The idea that three local women of good will and good reputations could be making accusations of sexual harrassment in retaliation for faculty salaries being posted on line is completely absurd. These events took place long before there was any discussion of posting salaries and they are unrelated. Too bad that such a highly paid lawyer couldn't come up with a more logical argument. I don't think he could pass my English class.

And one more thing, Mr. Chips - just how many reputations do your women have? You used the plural when you should have used the singular. My 5th grade son would be able to tell you that, Mr. PhD.

[Concerned Taxpayer]

jfv2000-- Why are you so angry and attacking those writers who seem to have insider COD knowledge? Your "knowledge" seems to be personal, not about the situation at COD. What facts are you basing your attacks on?

[Seriously]

jfv2000... You must be one of the cronies. Jumping on every forum to defend McKinnon and his minions. Clearly you are not aware of the climate at the College or if you are, you must be one of them. Attacking the posts written by the public does nothing to take away from the experiences of those who work and teach at the College.

You said that the since "we pay your salaries, our opinions count for more." What about the almost 40% paid by the students? And if taxpayers opinions "count for more," aren't most of DuPage United's members taxpayers? Shouldn't the faculty, staff and students (the majority of which live and pay taxes in DuPage County) have more of a say? They are doubly invested as taxpayers and stakeholders at the College.

Reveal yourself. Or be anonymous. Didn't you rip on posters on the Daily Herald for their anonymous posts? You've been blasting everyone else, maybe it's time you followed your own advice. And really... No one needs you to edit their posts.

Innocent until proven guilty... Time will tell. It always does.

[joey]

what a bunch of terds

[Aylwin Forbes]

Joey, I think that's turds not terds. But what do I know? I'm just one of those obscenely paid faculty members that poor jfv2000 is so righteously angry about. After all, as jfv, if I may address him informally, as well informed about the college as he is, knows that I earn hundreds of thousands, oh count those 0000000's, for doing about 4 hours work a week - not like those real teachers who have a real job. So, with all that time devoted to estimating my huge retirement income, how would I know how to spell?

jfv, drop by for a chat some time and I will buy you a drink with my massive wealth.

[COD PhD]

The COD Board is spending $15000 per month for public relations. Four members of the board are up for re-election. jvf2000 is working awfully hard on this board and on the Daily Herald board to defend Mr. McKinnon. Might he be part of the PR firm the board is paying?

jvf2000 claimed that the concerns of the three women were "laughable" on the Daily Herald site. When did it become acceptable to attack victims? If the allegations are true, McKinnon must resign. jvf2000 - do you agree?

Mary Mack made these allegations several months ago in her resignation. McKinnon's letter to her implied that he would take legal action. Why did he wait so long? I agree with jvf2000's assertion that we must not assume that these allegations are true. An investigation is needed.

In addition, why were the two resigning women replaced with white men? Why was Kathy Wessel humiliated at the last board meeting? There is a clear pattern of disrespect toward women.

Should your tax dollars be used to pay for a PR firm used to help board members get re-elected? Should your tax dollars be used to legally defend Mr. McKinnon? Wouldn't your tax dollars be better spent on an investigation of these matters? Wouldn't it be best if your tax dollars could be used for education?

Please attend the board meeting on November 10 to express your views in support of Mr. McKinnon or in opposition to Mr. McKinnon. This is your college. Get involved.

[Dan]

COD Writer wrote:

I am a "highly paid" faculty member at the College of DuPage, and I earn what amounts to a reasonable living wage for this area. I will never get rich, but I truly love my work, I love my students, and I am proud to be a member of COD's faculty. I have an MA and a PhD and nearly 20 years of classroom experience. I and my faculty colleagues work very hard to meet the needs of an enormous range of students who come to our college from all backgrounds.
The idea that three local women of good will and good reputations could be making accusations of sexual harrassment in retaliation for faculty salaries being posted on line is completely absurd. These events took place long before there was any discussion of posting salaries and they are unrelated. Too bad that such a highly paid lawyer couldn't come up with a more logical argument. I don't think he could pass my English class.

You teach English? It's either "online" or "on-line," never "on line."

[jfv2000]

Aylwin Forbes wrote:

Joey, I think that's turds not terds. But what do I know? I'm just one of those obscenely paid faculty members that poor jfv2000 is so righteously angry about. After all, as jfv, if I may address him informally, as well informed about the college as he is, knows that I earn hundreds of thousands, oh count those 0000000's, for doing about 4 hours work a week - not like those real teachers who have a real job. So, with all that time devoted to estimating my huge retirement income, how would I know how to spell?
jfv, drop by for a chat some time and I will buy you a drink with my massive wealth.

Where and when? My drink of choice is Laphroig, but I don't drink before noon and it will have to be off-campus.

[alicia]

CODer wrote:

I find this laughable. The citizens of DuPage county are getting ripped off by the COD Board of Trustees. And by the Chicago Tribune, apparently. Why doesn't someone at the Trib report on the millions of dollars in construction contracts and change orders and cronyism and sexual harassment and racism happening at board level at COD? The faculty, staff and students at COD need help. And Brueder is another crony, by the way! I'd love to be hired two months before I even showed up to interview, wouldn't you?

I agree with you, at COD the racism and discrimination is at top. They work against students. I am thinking about suing them. I am a student and after going through all channels I think this is my only options to get some justice and truth out there. Can't talk about the issue more but I am gonna keep you in loop. Problem is that most of the students are scared, do not complain, and take their abuse.