Merced College president defends recent retreats by staff

Merced College President Ben Duran drafted a letter Aug. 11 to the college community responding to the Sun-Star's story about Merced College administrators holding workshops at a winery and casino. The workshops, held in early August, cost more than $15,000.

Merced College board member Robert Haden declined comment on the workshops, but deferred to Duran's public response as being representative of the Merced College board's sentiments.

Phone calls placed to other board members with listed phone numbers weren't returned.

In early August, 15 Merced College administrators went on a two-day retreat to Ironstone Winery in Murphys. A week or so before that, eight of the college's deans in the instruction department spent two days at the Chukchansi Gold Resort and Casino in the Sierra Nevada foothills.

Money spent on both trips came from the college's general fund.

In the letter to the college community, Duran stated that the Sun-Star story wasn't entirely accurate because it implied that administrators misused public funds and spent money on drinking wine and gambling.

"This is most unfortunate, as the work accomplished by our vice presidents and deans will guide us toward some very important goals in the coming year," Duran wrote. "This is the 'story' that is in this story."

The letter then details how administrators spent their time during the retreat.

Merced College faculty spent their time planning for the upcoming school year, preparing for the school's accreditation and listing goals for the upcoming school year, according to the letter.

Duran then addressed the issue of the need to hold such retreats outside Merced.

He explained that the Ironstone Vineyards and Chuckchansi Resort were picked because they were the closest best locations at the lowest prices.

Duran maintained in the letter, as he did in the previous Sun-Star story, that it was necessary to leave town to avoid interruptions and distractions that could hinder planning and team-building.

He also added that funding for the trips was taken out of each participant's budget, and that cost would prevent them from attending another conference later in the year.

In closing his letter, Duran said that a newspaper story only scrapes the surface of the important work being conducted at Merced College.

"The media may tell a story about Merced College, but we should all recognize that our story, the very heart and soul of our work, is much more complex and compelling than a newspaper is willing to report," he said. "Numerous press releases and story suggestions from Merced College are routinely ignored in preference for more 'sensational' stories, which include half the facts, and help sell newspapers."

Sun-Star Executive Editor Mike Tharp said the newspaper or website carries nearly every news release distributed by the college. "I'm surprised the long-discredited notion that sensational stories sell newspapers still has legs," Tharp added. "Most newspaper revenue comes from advertising, not circulation. We have worked closely with Merced College in our news and sports coverage for years, including an historic town hall we co-hosted early this year about the foreclosure crisis. We hope to continue and strengthen that working relationship."

Duran said during a phone interview that he had no further comments on the workshops.

Eva Long, Merced College board president, said she felt the biggest issue with the retreats was the chosen locations. Had they not stayed in a casino or a winery, there might not have been as much of an outcry.

Long, who is running for re-election this November, said she spoke with Duran about the trips. He illustrated the necessity of getting out of the office to plan for the year, she said. He also presented her with a detailed agenda of what took place during the workshops.

"We talked bout getting better choices for the retreat," Long said. "I do trust our president, and he gave me the reason of staying in these places. Right now it's critical to be united in putting together a program. That's why it's necessary. I would like to move on and go on with the business of the college."

Long is running against Cindy Lashbrook, an agricultural consultant and farmer.

As for her own thoughts on the out-of-town workshops, Lashbrook said she's not completely opposed to the idea of administrators taking staff retreats, but in this economic climate there should be extra scrutiny.

"Anything in the budget that's not directly meeting students' needs needs to looked at," she said. "That money could have been used to save some (class) sections."

Reporter Jamie Oppenheim can be reached at (209) 385-2407 or joppenheim@mercedsun-star.com.