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We're beginning a series of blogs, most written by readers, on local problems. While these are all interesting and informative, look for a blockbuster on Tuesday or Wednesday written by SS herself; we don't think you'll be disappointed.
Now, from a reader:
As a whistleblower I’m not allowed to come out and speak freely as people I know and care about would be punished for my actions. I attended and supported NW-SCC for many years in many different ways. As a graduate I would many times go back and see many of my former instructors. Over the years many have left now, but I still know many wonderful people there.
At first I didn’t believe these rumors like so many people. Even when people I knew and trusted had seen it I refused to believe. But the day came and I saw it firsthand. I saw The Good Dr. and The Flower out on the town doing things that just friends don’t do. If they fell in love that is great, however it is unethical for them to be in a relationship together as he is her boss and she is herself is over a department. Where does someone under her go to complain?
I have heard and now have seen firsthand for myself, how they have run off great teachers and staff, and everyone is too scared to speak up. I have seen teachers and administrators get hired hearing months in advanced who would get the job all because that’s one of their friends or a friend’s friend. Many of these teachers' qualifications sounded made up. Then finding out one teacher brags how he didn’t have the experience that Alabama claims they require for a technical instructor. Apparently all you have to do is say you have worked for 3 years at a place and all is good in Alabama and at NW-SCC.
So if they hired one instructor without experience or made up experience how many more are there at NW-SCC? Is this common practice at all community colleges now? All someone needs to do is look at the past couple years hiring practices to see what is going on. If you don’t know the required qualifications to teach a program offering an Associates in Applied Science, it is a minimum of an Associate’s degree from a regionally accredited and it must be in the related field, and 3 years documented experience. You must obtain a Bachelor’s degree in 3 years. Some positions like electrical will require a Journeyman Electrical card.
We have all seen a welding teacher become the maintenance instructor and have no experience in that field at NW-SCC. We will call him The Politician from now on. Which was amazing to see Alabama didn’t care that time either. He took a couple workshops and that made him qualified to teach the program. Then The Politician moved up to be over industry training. To find out his child made the top round to interview with The Good Dr. and The Flower for a job teaching in a field he had no qualifications in was shocking to hear. To find out no one stepped in and asked what was going on at NW-SCC is crazy.
We see NW-SCC blow money on silly programs like injection molding. If you knew the Shoals area you also would quickly know it’s a silly idea. They hired an instructor for the program, who happens to be friends with The Politician. Now the program sits dead with money wasted on equipment, training, a teacher, building remodel, and advertising. Looks like they made up a job for a friend.
How or why anyone on a hiring committee would allow the interviews to go like this is beyond me. However I feel it must be they are scared to cross The Good Dr. or his girlfriend. I have no real excuse as to why the employees refuse to step up and bring attention to this matter. I assume they are scared of retaliation, or the embarrassment that the story will cause.
To hear how The Flower runs off who she doesn’t like and the The Good Dr. I assume is scared to argue with his girlfriend over this. I saw an instructor leave just a few months ago and walk away. He must have thought to himself there is no hope there and maybe that him leaving would be the thing that sets off the chain reaction to stop this. But it didn’t, and now they just hire who they like - not who’s best for the students.
*****
No more we'll go a roving... George Gordon, Lord Byron
This is 100% true. Speaking as one of the many who have been run off by this administration. I bucked the system for the betterment of the students, and for my efforts I was rewarded with criticism and ridicule. Leaving that so called "place of higher learning" was the best thing I ever did. I hated leaving the students though. That place is simply a diploma mill. The Flower, Politician, and Good Dr. are simply concerned with numbers rather than quality of education. All you have to do is get in the class and you're pretty much guaranteed a diploma. I've sent people out of my program with diplomas that never should have even qualified to be in the class, much less graduate. But orders are orders. Jobs are made up and created to satisfy their wants and needs. As well as raises. People who work there that are genuinely concerned with student and communi ty growth are scared to speak up in fear of losing the jobs they honestly care about. The place has become a joke. The worst part about it is that the community as a whole knows that as well. When you have secondary school administrators calling the Flower and Politician "ignorant imbisils", you know there is a problem. It has been brought to the attention of the people in Montgomery, but I believe that nothing was done about it simply because the State did not want to look ridiculous for the laughable condition and level they have allowed this institution to fall to. The state needs to really take a look into this campus and clean house. The community and the local industry need this college to help the area grow. Its no wonder all of our skilled talent is leaving the area for better education and better employment.
ReplyDeleteI am an instructor now and I can assure you that students are not automatically pushed through my classes. The receive the grade that they earn and you can ask any of them and they will tell you that they work to earn the grade. I believe they represent my program when they are employed in the real world and that is a direct reflection on me, the other instructors in my area, my program, and NW-SCC. I want my students to be successful in the real world.
ReplyDeleteI do however, agree with a lot of what you stated, especially about the credit for prior experience. I learned that some personnel were given 1 year for every 3 years work experience outside of education, some were given 1 year for every 5 years and some of us like me were given none. I questioned the legal group of AEA and was told that most everything was at the discretion of the President and this was one of those things. So when Bradley Byrne cleaned up the system he did it to give the Presidents maximum control. How clean is that?
ReplyDeleteBattle lines being drawn, no body is right when everyone is wrong, stop now what's that sound, everybody looks what is going around.
ReplyDeleteStop now what's that sound everybody looks what's gong on.
ReplyDeleteThat is why the state need to take over NWSCC. Maybe something can get done. Some of those instructor don't care only about the money...They don't keep office hours. They give you a grade, you don't have to earn it. If you don't know someone you can never get a job there. Must be part of the right Church!
ReplyDeleteWe may be sorry we asked, but could you tell us what church?
DeleteMust be from the right Church to get a job. Instructor don't keep office hours.
ReplyDeleteThey really don't care about students just the bottom line on. Instructor's pay check bottom line. They Hire people that have no idea what they are doing and now more people can see how bad they are. Way to go NWSCC, at least your friends will have jobs.
It must be sad to be that bitter. I too work at NWSCC. I do not know the college that you described. I enjoy my job. I enjoy working with students. When that is no longer the case, I will retire.
ReplyDeleteI have NEVER known of anyone being too scared to talk about anything. In fact, the one thing that surprised me most when I started to work at NWSCC was how disrespectful and obnoxious the older employees can be. They are always complaining about something. If anything is changed without their blessing, it is going to be a problem. The old-timers (including retired employees)get together with a topic, add to it and take away from it so that it sounds better when they spread it. That is the real problem at NWSCC. It is time for them to go home and take their negative attitudes with them.
The original "A Reader on NWSCC" was ridiculous enough but the comments are insane. If "Nobodyspecial" gave diplomas to students who did not earn them, shame on him! No one ordered instructors to give diplomas to falling students. On behalf of NWSCC, than your for retiring!!
I did not know this administration ran off so many people. I haven't missed anyone. I do not know what the I instructor who left recently must have thought. I do not know anything about a laughable condition. I am much too busy doing the job that the state pays me to do. If 10-12 constantly annoyed employees would retire, it would be a great place to work!
As a long time former instructor at NWSCC I have seen administrators come and go, some better than others. However for the past five years the current administration is without a doubt the most corrupt bunch of "ignorant imbeciles” that one could imagine.
ReplyDeleteA reader from NWSCC and “Nobodyspecial” you hit the nail on the head, jobs are handed out to friends of the flower and the good doctor as well as the politician. There is no consideration as to the instructors qualifications.
The flower has run off so many good employees, she is totally unqualified her job and would never have risen to the position she has now without the help of her boyfriend the good doctor. This is how things are done around NWSCC. And I would bet that “Tennessee Valley” is one of her “friends” she hired.
Someone must have gotten to you Shoalanda and discourraged you from publishing more truth about our fair community college? Where is the blockbuster?
ReplyDelete