Community Colleges Chief Ousted; Bias Claim Denied

The board of the North Orange County Community College District has ousted its chancellor and rejected her $5-million claim, which alleges racial, sexual and age discrimination.

The district trustees Tuesday night turned down the claim filed by Leadie M. Clark and placed her on administrative leave, at full salary, for the balance of her contract.

Clark, the first black female chancellor of a community college district in California, attended but did not address the meeting Tuesday. The board named Vice Chancellor Joseph Newmyer interim chancellor, effective Monday.

Board Voted in April

Clark’s claim stemmed from the board’s 4-2 vote in April not to renew her contract when it expires in June, 1986.

Lee Paterson, Clark’s lawyer, said Wednesday that he now will file a $5-million suit on her behalf in Orange County Superior Court, probably within the next 15 days.

Spencer Covert, lawyer for the college district, said Wednesday that the board of trustees “denies any wrongdoing.” He said the allegations in Clark’s claim included no specifics.

State law, Covert said, does not require a college district or school board to explain why it does not renew a superintendent’s or chancellor’s contract. The law, he said, only requires that a district notify the person at least six months before the contract expires.

The North Orange County Community College District board, by its vote in April, in essence gave Clark 14 months’ notice.

The board governs Cypress College and Fullerton College, which have a total of about 29,000 students.

Clark could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

Claims Humiliation

On April 23, she issued a statement alleging that the board had subjected her to “public humiliation” by announcing 14 months before her contract expired that she wouldn’t be asked to stay on as chancellor.

Her statement also demanded that the seven-member board give her a “bill of particulars” listing reasons for its action. The board has not publicly said why it would not renew Clark’s contract, but one member said Wednesday that the decision simply was based on the majority’s disagreement with her administrative style.

Paterson, Clark’s lawyer, said her suit will allege that the board discriminated against her because of her race, sex and age. The suit also will allege that statements were made about her that were “untrue and misleading,” he said. Paterson pointed out that the claim presented to the board was essentially a preliminary document that is required when someone sues a public body, such as a college district.

Nilane Lee, president of the board, declined to comment about Clark’s allegations. Lee said the district will soon form a committee to seek and screen candidates for a chancellor to succeed Clark in June, 1986.

Trustees Richard Noble and Herbert Warren, who had voted in April against the move to let her contract expire, also voted Tuesday night against placing her on administrative leave. Noble said Wednesday, “All college districts in the state have been having financial trouble, but ours has been able to keep its head above water, primarily, I think, because of her leadership.”

Chris Loumakis, who voted against Clark in April, said Wednesday that he disagreed with her leadership style. Loumakis said the majority of trustees agreed Tuesday that it would be difficult for them to deal with a chancellor who had brought a claim against the district.

“That’s why we decided to place Dr. Clark on administrative leave for the balance of her contract,” he said.

Clark, a native of Illinois, began her career in 1945 as an English teacher in Atlanta. She later was president of Los Angeles Southwest (Community) College from 1970 to 1972; assistant superintendent of Los Rios Community College District, Sacramento, 1972-76, and president of Penn Valley College, Kansas City, Mo., 1976-77. She came to North Orange County Community College District in the summer of 1977.