We Make MnSCU

Nov. 23, 2015

We are writing to express the grave concerns of the faculty, AFSCME employees, and students of
the Rochester Community and Technical College about the administration of President Leslie
McClellon.
Without quick and decisive change, we fear McClellons administration will irreparably harm the
reputation of RCTC, lower the quality of education we offer our students and alienate our
community partners.
In her 18 months as president, her management has harmed virtually every corner of the campus.
The following examples highlight her questionable judgment and imperious behavior regarding
students and staff.
Summer 2014. President McClellon created a presidential parking space in a row of
handicapped parking slots. It started a pattern of decision- making and behavior that continues
today.
August 2014. Two-thirds of the board members of the Rochester Community and Technical
College Foundation have resigned since McClellon created a new foundation jobdirector of
donor relationsand filled it with a personal acquaintance, Dezz Lewis. Lewis was hired after
McClellon mismanaged the hiring of a new director by waiting about a month to contact the
finalists for the job. When the finalists were no longer available, McClellon rejected a qualified
interim candidate.
December 2014. RCTC faculty assembled to discuss McClellons five-month tenure and
prepared for MnSCU administrators a list of concerns about management and personnel
decisions. This letter was not shared with the local media, despite repeated requests, due to a
desire to resolve these issues internally. Obviously, this approach didnt work.
August 2015. McClellons failure to plan and execute a search for an athletic director has
resulted in RCTC is paying three people for the work one person had done on a part-time basis.
McClellons administration had known since February the faculty athletic-coordinator, a two1

thirds release-time position, was going on sabbatical for the 2015-16 school year. However, what
barely qualified as a search for a replacement did not start until August. It was rushed and further
eroded the facultys trust in the process. Not only is the new director full time, the school was
forced to grant release time to a faculty member to assist with the directors duties and pay
overtime for an administrative assistantanother role that in the past was a part time position.
September 2015. Faculty members raised questions about the financial management of the
college during the shared governance meeting in September, particularly around the purchase of
thousands of dollars of academic ornamentation. The Post-Bulletin of Rochester reported a week
later that the college spent $10,000 for a baroque academic mace and a golden chain of office.1
McClellon was quoted as saying the purchases were approved by the Centennial Planning
Committee, which wasnt true. Spending $10,000 for ostentatious ceremonial items was
indefensible when students are struggling to pay for college and the system is asking the public
for a larger investment in higher education.
September 2015. Many questions surrounding the expenses for Centennial Celebration remain,
including why the school spent $20,000 for a jazz band plus $15,000 for sound, lights, video
screens and related items. We believe this gala fundraiser either lost, or made very little, money.
These events had the feel of a private party and damaged the publics trust in RCTC. Fewer than
20 RCTC faculty members attended the Centennial Celebration in academic regalia because they
did not support the leadership. The Student Senate can explain how it was unsuccessfully
pressured to pay for some of the events costs.2
October 2015. The latest embarrassing incident to hit the local media involved the hiring of Dr.
Anthony Brown as the vice president of student affairs/enrollment management. During the
summer, the search committee forwarded three names to McClellon, who declined them all. A
second hastily executed search was conducted and Dr. Brown was chosen. The email announcing
his appointment contained few specifics about his past employment. When more information was
uncovered about Dr. Brown, Michael Wenzel, RCTC Student Senate president, drafted a letter
calling for Dr. Browns offer to be rescinded. The Post-Bulletin wrote an article outlining issues
such as not reporting criminal activity, including sexual assaults, at Dr. Browns previous job
overseeing student affairs and campus security at Elizabeth City State University in North
Carolina. The North Carolina state police investigated and found widespread evidence of
witness intimidation and obstruction of justice. The scandal forced the chancellor to resign, yet
1 Rochester Community and Technical College mace unveiled, Post-Bulletin of Rochester. Monday,
Oct. 19, 2015. http://www.postbulletin.com/news/local/rochester-community-and-technical-collegemace-unveiled/article_557cc4fc-4e60-5164-99df-8fedf5f8149b.html
2 RCTC Spending Raises Eyebrows, Post-Bulletin of Rochester. Saturday, Oct. 24, 2015
http://www.postbulletin.com/news/local/rctc-centennial-spending-raises-eyebrows/article_4ec5533754d8-542b-94de-68a76ab21791.html
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McClellon told the Post-Bulletin, This isn't something that was of great concern."3 At best, her
comment shows a disturbing insensitivity to the concerns of sexual violence among our students
and faculty.
Against this background of poor judgment and failed management, RCTC faces the daunting
task of bringing itself into compliance with the Higher Learning Commission. The HLC report
dated Sept. 18 was not made public until early November. Valuable time was lost while faculty
waited for the document and the lack of leadership continues to hamper the process.
Complicating our challenge to bring RCTC into compliance with the HLC is an $800,000 budget
deficit. We believe a major contributor to this deficit has been the job searches caused by the
departures of staff members, the hiring of management consultants and extravagant spending on
fancy parties and vanity purchases, including a $3,200 chain of office for the president.
RCTC needs to get back on track. The atmosphere of negativity has been pervasive and
consistent. Media coverage is going from bad to worse. Long-term employees say morale has
never been lower.
This demoralizing climate and the lack of leadership affects the classroom, committee work such
as accreditation, master academic planning and strategic planningall of which have barely
progressed.
These concerns have existed since early in McClellons tenure at RCTC. We as a faculty, staff,
and students tried to work with the president and allow her time to develop into her role. We
believe that our current situation in terms of finance, publicity, campus morale, and the ability to
work successfully in the campus and the community has deteriorated in the 11 months since we
last expressed concerns to the system office.
At McClellons installation, Chancellor Steven Rosenstone charged her with being a good
steward for the school. That has not happened and ultimately is the root of the issues at RCTCs
campus.
We appreciate your prompt attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
MSCF Rochester
AFSCME Local 4001
MSCSA Rochester
3 New RCTC VP was as center of NC controversy, Post-Bulletin of Rochester. Nov. 2, 2015.
http://www.postbulletin.com/news/local/new-rctc-vp-was-at-center-of-nc-controversy/article_30f03f6ea05e-5784-8691-791a46a8c42d.html
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