The San Diego Mesa College Academic Senate confirmed a vote of no confidence is in place regarding Vice President of Instruction Tim McGrath.

The issue was taken to the Board of Trustees on March 11, where Academic Senate President Cynthia Rico Bravo was joined by Mesa Professor Rob Fremland to present the Senate’s decision.

This is the first time in Mesa’s history that a vote of no confidence has been placed on the school’s Vice President of Instruction.

The decision legally has no implication. It simply shows the Chancellor of San Diego Community College that there is a problem that needs to be addressed, specifically between a majority of the Academic Senate and McGrath.

“Their doing what they thing is best for the college,” stated McGrath in regards to the votes placed by the Academic Senate.

Following the meeting, the matter was referred to Chancellor of the San Diego Community College District, Dr. Constance M. Carroll, who will hold a series of discussions with all parties involved to better understand the issues and how to proceed upon dealing with such matters.

A vote of no confidence simply means that the Academic Senate, an open forum for faculty to discuss and deliberate issues regarding Mesa College, has lost confidence in the leadership of the schools VPI, Tim McGrath.

At the March 1 Academic Senate Meeting, professor Joseph Safdie questioned the senate what would happen if the school were to find a new VPI. Safdie was unsure that the hassles of finding a new VPI would prove to be better than McGrath.

Safdie also asked the Academic Senate whether or not McGrath is completely “unredeemable,” which brought about discussion over whether further negotiations with McGrath are out of the question. Although, many of the other professors seemed simply fed up.

Many professors at the March 1 Academic Senate Meeting describe that their issues with McGrath are rooted towards his “style of doing things” and his lack of communication with the faculty.

McGrath explains that this is his first year from a different college, and that Mesa College’s “culture” is something he needs to adjust to.

“In education, we live under a system called shared governance,” said McGrath. “The faculty has steps they can take in letting the administration know how they feel. They’re letting me know that there are some things I need to change.”

During the March 1 Academic Senate Meeting, many faculty members expressed that their “no confidence” implied that the faculty had done everything they could to work out their issues with the VPI, and this was their last resort.

“I am here to move forward,” Bravo explained.

Bravo said that she was here to simply move along the course of action and represent the faculty.

“From this step onwards, we will be working with Rita and McGrath to move forward in a healthy way,” continued Bravo as she made it a point to recognize this would be a process.