Junior College Dean Quits Amid Harassment Allegations

A dean with Coastline Community College has submitted his resignation amid allegations that he sexually harassed and physically intimidated his employees.

The Coast Community College District Board of Trustees on Wednesday night accepted George P. Melican’s resignation without comment, allowing him to remain on leave and receive his $72,600-a-year salary through June 30.

Faculty members and employees said 10 people signed a complaint in February against Melican, who was the top administrator at Coastline’s Huntington Beach satellite campus.

Bob Davis, president of the community college district’s union for clerical and support staff, said those signing the complaint accused Melican of intimidating them verbally and physically. “He created a very highly sexually charged atmosphere over the last year and half,” Davis said.

Alfred P. Fernandez, chancellor of the Costa Mesa-based community college district, confirmed that the 10 employees filed a complaint and that their allegations were investigated. But he declined to discuss the names of the individuals involved. He defended the district’s actions in resolving the matter.

“The district in my opinion has acted expeditiously to immediately address the issue,” said Fernandez, who oversees the 70,000-student district, which includes three main campuses, four satellite facilities and public television station KOCE.

“What they requested initially in their charges of sexual harassment was to have happen what exactly has happened,” Fernandez said. “There is no purpose in going on with an investigation once the person in the middle of an investigation has decided to resign.”

Efforts to reach Melican were unsuccessful. Ada Steenhoek, a member of the Cerritos Community College Board of Trustees, said Melican is leaving Coastline to pursue job opportunities on the East Coast.

In a brief letter to Fernandez, Melican tendered his resignation Feb. 24, about two weeks into the investigation of sexual harassment and intimidation charges.

Melican had been the top administrator of the Huntington Beach campus since April, 1990. He has been on a combination of vacation and administrative leave since Feb. 25. His contract would have expired in June, 1993.

Union representatives also said this week that the decision to continue paying Melican was an insult to the nine women and one man who came forward to sign the complaint against Melican.

“We really consider this a slap in the face to these employees,” said Helen Evers, a counselor and grievance officer at the Huntington Beach campus.

Davis, who heads the district chapter of United Federation of Classified Employees, which represents 270 clerical, maintenance and support staff, said employees believe that Melican’s resignation should not have halted the investigation.

District Vice Chancellor John D. Renley declined to discuss Melican’s resignation. But he said it is less costly to pay an employee who is the subject of such allegations for a reasonable severance period than to incur legal and administrative fees, plus full payment of the employee’s salary, during lengthy administrative hearings.