Letter: Disturbing

Published 12:15 am Thursday, August 22, 2024

It is disturbing to read about the circumstances now facing the extraordinary students, staff and faculty at Clatsop Community College, largely due to the incompetence of the CCC Board.

Former college president Chris Breitmeyer, an experienced community college educator and administrator who successfully led CCC for seven years, including many during a global pandemic, is now president of the Rural Community College Alliance. The article in The Astorian (“Former college president takes on a new role,” Aug. 17) notes that the board did not favor a clearly qualified, sought-after president — “with one year remaining on his contract.”

The board then installed a former banker favored by board member Trudy Van Dusen Čitović to take his place. Kevin LaCoste’s short tenure — and sudden exit, along with Van Dusen Čitović — created conditions described by leading replacement candidate Richard Hopper in The Astorian as a minimal leadership structure and a “Lord of the Flies” situation.

The remaining candidate, who won’t even live in Clatsop County, brings a resume rich with work for profit-making standardized testing companies that undermine public education, burden districts with costs and worsen student enthusiasm and engagement in school.

Our college is a tremendous community asset, and deserves both a president and competent board members who genuinely care about our exceptional students, faculty and staff. I hope for the best.

BILL GRIESAR

Astoria