Technical Education in NV?

To: Faculty Senate, TMCC

To: Faculty Senate, TMCC 5/10/05
From: Charles L. Dickinson
(Former) Instructor: Industrial Maintenance Technology
TMCC Applied Industrial Technology, Edison Campus

As this is my last semester of teaching at TMCC (due to non-renewal of contract) I believe it is the faculty who must ultimately demand that programs the College is on record of supporting are actually supported. If the following are not addressed, I believe the coming “train wreck” at Edison will doom the center into a “technology center” in name only (one might look at the technology center at Montgomery College for example).

In my opinion, currently there are no faculty left at Edison who are qualified to teach industrial/manufacturing subjects in the mechanical/ electrical/ electronics field. This is due mainly to the current administration whose measures resemble those of the “PHB” of Dilbert fame. Since the “reassignment” of Dean Verbek, and unfortunate self-destruction of Associate Dean Green, there has been a collapse of leadership and support for the programs and personnel at Edison. While blaming the faculty is a time honored tradition, upon examination it is just not the case here (although the administration has done an excellent job of changing the focus of a once tight group into “protect turf at all costs”). Although there will be plenty of problems for the new MSET Dean to solve, the following in “my” area are critical to the continuation of industrial / manufacturing programs as well as the reputation of the College, and must be resolved well before the start of the new semester. This concerns me greatly as I have put a great deal of effort into this program and felt workforce development was the mandate. The economic loss to the community and personal loss to the students will be significant if current programs are not supported and promised programs are not instituted. The problems as I see them:

1)The Manufacturing Technologies Instructor position has not been filled.
Note: The MT instructor I assume will be handling the CNC machining classes as the part-time instructor has had enough and has quit.
2)The Electronics instructor appears also to have “resigned”.
3)The IMT instructor position (my former position) is open and has never, to my knowledge, been posted as such.
At the very least, someone with at least the skills I possess will be needed to handle the “electrical” training. Pleas note that even if one is familiar with electrical concepts it does not make one qualified in all aspects of the field! Even though I started out in electronics, the field is extremely specialized and I have found very few “experts” spanning both electrical and electronics). In addition, there are also a world of differences between residential, commercial, and industrial electrical (not to mention control, automation, and instrumentation)…

It appears “The College” feels it can find one “super instructor” to do it all. In my travels I’ve only met one man who could perhaps meet all the “requirements” in the MT Instructor position (granted I don’t travel much in academic circles, possibly I’ve missed these “super instructors”)..
In my opinion, while the electrical/electronics fields might possibly be blended together (even though they are separate fields), finding one instructor who is able to teach these in addition to mechanical / machining will be extremely difficult, especially at the salary offered.

The Bottom Line…
1) I have been perusing the “classifieds” and national search engines looking for a training position (preferably local as this is home and god knows the need for training in this area)! I have been struck by the lack of recruiting being done for these open instructor positions. Last Sunday’s RGJ job postings are representative of what I have been seeing; half a dozen TMCC posts, not one word on IMT or MT. The College may argue that to advertise locally is a waste of money (I agree, it’s been done before, the local talent pool at the salary offered is sparse to non-existent), but why am I not seeing any postings for these positions on any national search’s either?
2) Mr. Laguerre has repeatedly stated “we have plenty of time” and has informed my students of this fact
3) In addition, I have been silent when involved in tours by new industry visiting Edison. While the programs at Edison were being dismantled, I was being introduced as the IMT, electrical control & PLC instructor, and my programs were being promoted (and available)!

Therefore, I would suggest that the positions be aggressively advertised and promoted. To generate response at a national level, a fair and realistic salary range be posted. A contingency plan must also be formulated (waiting until the last minute as the Administration did with the electronics instructor last Fall is not good enough). I will expect the selected candidates to have superior qualifications to those who are being replaced; (In this I must insist). My students deserve no less and, as the College has promised industry and the legislature there will be training available, (numerous RGJ articles attest to this as well) the College must keep live up to it’s commitment’s, or lose all credibility.

And one personal note: As to “reassigning” and “non-reappointment” and “non-renewal of contract” (and other such fine “termination verbiage”)… how dense does one have to be to fire the bus driver while the bus is in motion?

Thank You for you time. Sorry to raise the alarm but the hour grows late.

posted by cl @ 9:12 AM