Resignation of a Chancellor

Larry Stevens, under fire since he was appointed chancellor of the Saddleback Community College District in July, 1982, has resigned. It’s too bad he stayed as long as he did. Unlike Robert Lombardi, his predecessor, Stevens was disliked from the start--and for good reasons.

Despite warnings from top-level district administrators, Stevens insisted on making so many policy changes--needed and unneeded--he alienated all segments of the college community to the extent that he could never gain their respect as a skilled administrator. And he forever lost their trust shortly after his employment.

Having announced major policy changes, Stevens met with faculty for a question-and-answer session. There he refused to respond to many questions raised by faculty about the changes. Rudely he ignored faculty members who asked questions that displeased him.

Larry Stevens knew what he wanted to do at Saddleback--and he did it. No skilled administrator, however, would have instituted the changes he made as fast as he made them, or they too would be looking for work elsewhere. Stevens was not forced out by the faculty. His actions simply guaranteed his self-destruction.

In his demise it would be tragic for the board of trustees to fire the competent administrators Stevens was instrumental in bringing to Saddleback--an action predicted by William Watts, a defeated trustee in the November election who referred to the current board as “union lackeys”--a case of sour grapes. And it would be negligent for the board of trustees to employ a new chancellor without first determining the work history of prospective chancellors.

The damage Stevens inflicted on the district will not disappear quickly. It will likely take as long to re-establish the trust that existed between the trustees and district employees before Stevens arrived as the time it took for Stevens to destroy it. But at least the healing process has begun.

HUGH W. GLEN

Laguna Niguel

Hugh W. Glen teaches at Irvine Valley College.