Two more retreats are scheduled for the board and Dr. Glasper will write an evaluation to the HLC by February said Maricopa spokesperson Tom Gariepy.
Despite its effort to improve the way the board operates, trustee Walker denies there were any controversy to begin with. “Quite frankly, things have been going well, a board of five people in the largest community college district in the nation is not going to agree 100 percent of the time,” said Walker, who is planning to run for reelection next year.
Other governing board members did not respond to Diverse interview requests, but President Colleen Clark told The Arizona Republic: “We welcome the opportunity for board members to partner together with district administrators and move forward as progressively and cooperatively as possible.”
O’Banion said until more attention is given to this whispered but embarrassing problem, the kinds of problems Maricopa’s board is experiencing will replicate themselves at other community colleges.
“I’m trying to start a national conversation about a closet issue,” he said. “I’m a bit of a crusader and I’m doing this to try to encourage exposure that will take care of this.”
