2UrbanGirls had the pleasure of interviewing Compton Community College Trustee Nicole Jones, who is seeking re-election Tuesday, November 6th. 2 Urban Girls wanted to give Ms. Jones the opportunity to share her insight into the issues within the college as well as dispel rumors that are circulating about the boards competence.
1. What are your thoughts on the process to returning independence to the Compton College Board of
Trustees?
The return of independence is the final hurdle to Compton College being a locally controlled, accredited and
independent campus. This milestone has been reached because of the hard work and efforts of so many
individuals – students, community leaders, faculty, staff and administrators under the direction of Dr. Keith
Curry, which is a testament to the strong sense of community and partnership at Compton College. It is very
exciting and extremely significant that the college has cleared this final hurdle, and the Compton Community
College District Board of Trustees is well-prepared and ready to lead the college through this transition. On
June 7, 2019, I look forward to joining students, community leaders, faculty, staff and administrators to
celebrate this important milestone.
2. Please provide an assessment as to why you believe the campus unions have chosen to not support the
incumbents?
While it is unclear to me why campus unions have chosen to not support the incumbents, I remain interested in
gaining a better understanding of these issues from the union leaders. On several occasions, I have reached
out to the faculty union and have not yet received a response to my meeting requests. In fact, I am unaware of
any formal interview process of all candidates. If I had participated in that type of process perhaps I would have
more information about the union’s concerns. However, it is important to highlight that faculty and staff have
been integral in the recent successes on campus.
Faculty union representatives have publicly shared concerns about the following issues: new community
college funding formula/student enrollment; approved curriculum; and several personnel matters. Given the
statements about these issues, I think a thorough review of each of these issues is necessary.
The new student-centered funding formula adopted by the Governor will require administrators and trustees
across the state to work even harder to increase enrollment and retention. Most importantly, students will
benefit the most as colleges focus on increasing retention and completion rates. Compton College’s
expansion of dual enrollment programs with local high schools, and the Compton Promise, a free college
program for graduating high school seniors (Lynwood Promise will start in 2019) are some strategies. Yet, it is
important to note, Compton College received special protection to stabilize its enrollment funding for an
additional five years to support successful transition to an independent college.
The Board recently approved curriculum that will become effective after June 2019 – a process that included
faculty. Curriculum development is a continual process with a goal is to ensure coursework matches student
needs, providing a pathway to associate degrees, certificates and transfers to four-year colleges/universities.
In response to public comments related to personnel matters, it is not appropriate to discuss or debate these
items in public settings to protect confidentiality and due process. However, I must stress that Compton
College adheres to labor negotiations and agreements. As a result, there is a grievance process for campus
employment concerns and challenges.
Finally, we are at a critical juncture, and it is my hope that Compton College will continue to foster a cohesive
culture that promotes a strong sense of community, partnership and success to support our students.
Related: Compton College Trustee Nicole Jones Chosen to Lead Statewide African American Trustees Caucus
3. Please clarify, to the community, any misunderstandings about the manner in which the current Board has
been operating.
The community should know that all Compton Community College District Trustees – Lowanda Green,
Deborah LeBlanc, Andres Ramos, Sonia Lopez and me – have worked hard for our students and our
communities. Trustees recognize that our students need state of the art services and that Compton College is
a treasured community asset – and this guides our policies and actions. Trustees have been instrumental in
the accreditation process, fighting for the return of a strong college to support the academic and support
services needs of our students. Each trustee has been laser-focused on the return of Compton College, and
has actively engaged in advocating for funding and improved resources.
Furthermore, the current board promotes a cohesive culture that has successfully implemented policies for the following achievements
over the past two years: return of local governance control, accreditation, and now moving toward termination of the
agreement with El Camino Community College District. Likewise, it is important to note that Compton College
is a fiscally strong institution, and there have been no audit findings over the past four years and our financial rating has significantly improved.
4. Why should voters vote you back to the Compton College Board of Trustees?
In November 2016, I was unanimously appointed to the Compton Community College District Board after a
review of my qualifications and discussion of my understanding of community college policies and issues. I am
seeking election to continue my service at this critical time. There have been many successes during my two
years of board service, including return of local governance control and achievement of full accreditation
status. Given my familiarity with the Compton College transition plan, I am well-prepared and qualified to
oversee the final phases needed for termination of the agreement with El Camino Community College District
in June 2019. Also, I currently and proudly serve as Board President, and I am committed to working to ensure
the long-term viability and success of Compton College. For these reasons, I wholeheartedly believe that I am
the best candidate for Trustee Area 2.
5. Please provide any background information on yourself, that you feel will be helping voters make their decision.
While I may be a new face at Compton College, I have deep roots within this community as evidenced by my
track record of professional and civic involvement. For more than 20 years, I advocated, served and worked to
improve communities, including my service as External Affairs Director at Crystal Stairs, Associate Director –
Corporate and Foundation Relations at Loyola Marymount University, and Program Director for The California
Wellness Foundation. Currently, I serve on the staff of State Controller Betty Yee, and I have extensive
expertise in government, higher education, nonprofits and foundations, as well as numerous board and
commission experiences – all of which have helped my service as a Compton College trustee. Additionally, I
earned an undergraduate degree (urban education) from UC Berkeley and a graduate degree (public
administration) from City University of New York – Baruch College
5 Comments
Yes, the way you write tends to have me want to interject my own opinion. Haven’t quite pinpointed why, yet, but you’re on the right track!
James, you’re shameless. But I’m doing my part to help. It’s rare for me to comment 3 times on my own posts.
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Your question might be too direct or blunt. That often doesn’t work. Put people in the spotlight, and they get all squirmy. Instead of wondering why they aren’t answering the questions, try to figure out how to word your questions or close off your post to encourage discussion. Find out what gets your readers going, try different tactics, and work in your questions subtly.
Side note: Comment contests are a great idea – but the prize has to be worth it. What do people want most? Fame, glory… money… something free… think it over!
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Informative article, exactly what I needed. http://keo365.com/the-thao
I am the Welding Professor at Compton College. Nicole Jones has not taken an interest in anything at the school. She comes ONLY during board meetings or to parade around for photo ops when convenient. She made an effort to give me a paper acknowledgement at one board meeting, where I was compelled to tell the board, community and Keith Curry about my harassment from one of the Deans. I filed a grieveance which was recently denied by Curry. He allows hostile work environments at our college. If Ms. Jones was so concerned about the campus, faculty and staff, she would have taken action by first listening to those that speak at the board meetings complaining and then helping to resolve the issues. I was under the impression that the board was Curry’s boss, but it is obvious that he runs the board!
And here is what they are not telling you. When Leslie Irving stepped down as President of the Compton College District Board of Trustees, a new person had to be appointed in the interim to her seat. Not the presidency, her seat. Existing Trustee Andre Ramos of Lynwood then became the acting President of the Compton College Trustee Board. This all occurred in 2016.
Three known Compton residents in Irving’s trustee area applied for her seat (Former Compton City Councilwoman Barbara Calhoun, businessman Jasper Jackson, and civil rights NAEJA activist Jonathan Taylor). When these applicants called at the close of the application period on a Friday, they were told they were the only three in contention by office staff. Enter the shenanigans.
Rumor has it the President of the college, Keith Curry, was unhappy with the three candidates, especially given their affiliation with the activist community of Compton and their opposition to him or some of his decisions and positions.
Rumor has it that Keith Curry placed phone calls to the CUSD and City of Compton looking for other candidates in an act not permitted by law. By the next week, two additional candidates had surfaced, one Elizabeth Atkinson, mother to Compton Unified School District President Micah Ali, and Nicole Jones, rumored to have been suggested by Compton Mayor Aja Brown. All parties will deny if asked.
When the presentations by the five candidates were made in front of the Trustee board, all four from Compton familiar with the community spoke extemporaneously but Nicole Jones read from a written extensive manifesto.
Why? The Trustee area in question lies 95% in Compton with a small lip in Los Angeles and Jones helms from the 5% and is not familiar or known in Compton so the Berkeley graduate read an academic recitation.
When discussions were opened for the board to consider the applicants in front of the assembled community, not one single person from the board asked a follow-up question of the candidates or held any discussion which even shocked the state Special Trustee on hand, Tom Henry.
Trustee Luwanda Green then nominated Elizabeth Atkinson while Deborah LeBlanc nominated Denise Jones. This lead to Luwanda Green mouthing and calling LeBlanc a “b*tch” under her breath. If I’m lying, I’m flying. The board then voted in Nicole Jones, no discussion.
As it turns out, there had been a violation of the Brown Act as discussions had been held outside of and before the Trustee meeting according to witnessed testimony from irate Trustee Luwanda Green. She voiced outside the meeting, in the only honest note from the night, that everyone knew she was nominating Atkinson and that LeBlanc was supposed to second her choice but her wingman switched on her.
And seeing four Compton residents get passed over, watching a board hold zero discussion meaning totally dismissing community input, watching the inept manner the board conducted proceedings, and witnessing an obvious rigged selection for Nicole Jones, the audience arose in mass and walked out in protest.
This was December 2016 so Keith Curry and Trustee Deborah LeBlanc came out and gave the group assurances and asked for their cooperation as the Jones appointment was only to be temporary until the real election could be held in 11 months in November 2017.
But then guess what, the November 2017 election was never held because this same board with Nicole Jones now on it, held a subsequent vote to postpone elections from November 2017 to November 2018 to consolidate college elections with county elections, thus breaking their word to the community and giving Jones two years in office never being elected by anyone!
Then in January 2018, still in office with no election, Nicole Jones was voted to the top position of President of the Compton College Trustee Board. Now this recognition for her with the AACCCT, the same as President Keith Curry receiving an award for being Community College Administrator of the Year. Those outside and distant applauding while concerns swirl locally.
Why is this significant? Do you see a pattern. Keith Curry was appointed President by Special Trustee Tom Henry at the behest of Tom Fallow, then President of our partner El Camino College. Keith Curry is another one who never underwent the scrutiny of a convened search committee as did the former top administrator Dr. Lawrence Cox he replaced. Now Nicole Jones ascends to governance while not being elected once by anyone from Compton.
The Compton College District is not electing but being given its leadership.
And when you want to keep pretenders to the throne in office, sans elections or dealing with the public, then you also blanket the community with news of their appointments and supposed achievements as related in this news story. The point is not that Ms. Jones is not admired for her academic background and recognition, it is just that she does not know or represent Compton at all. She and the other board member from Compton have not attended a single city council meeting, block club, Concerned Citizen or other organized group meeting in their term of office–ever.