Foreman

COUNTY OF MENDOCINO

Grand Jury
P.O. Box 629
UKIAH, CALIFORNIA 95482

(707) 463-4320

MENDOCINO-LAKE COMMUNITY COLLEGE

AND MENDOCINO COLLEGE FOUNDATION, INC.

Mendocino-Lake Community College District (College) issues relating to sales of donated land and gender inequity in College athletic programs were reviewed. Findings report that the land-sale transactions were done legally, but that there was poor communication with the public. The College is in the process of achieving gender equity in athletic programs Recommendations are made to improve communication and support the process of achieving gender equity in athletics.

REASON FOR INVESTIGATION

The Grand Jury received complaints alleging that the College Board of Trustees (Board) and the Mendocino College Foundation, Inc.(Foundation) improperly sold lands that were donated to the Foundation and improprieties occurred relating to the Brown Act and bank accounts. Additional allegations were made that funds were improperly furnished to the College athletic department, that the College was violating regulations in recruiting athletes. and was not adhering to the gender equity provisions of the Commission on Athletics (COA).

PROCEDURES

Information was elicited from members of the college staff and members of the Foundation Board of Directors. The following documents were reviewed: codes and regulations, minutes of past meetings of the Board and the Foundation, and financial documents from both entities. Bylaws and letters of agreement and implementation between the Board and the Foundation were reviewed. Dunng the investigation, concerns about the coaching staff surfaced. The County Counsel was consulted for legal opinions.

FINDINGS

1. The Board and the Foundation are subject to the Brown Act. Currently 12 media outlets are notified of future meetings.

2. Financial data from the College and the Foundation are available to the public.

3. Information was supplied regarding the location and amounts of bank accounts of both the College and the Foundation. No improper bank accounts were found.

4. Approximately 1800 acres of land that lies west of the College was donated to the Foundation. Approximately 485 acres of this land has been sold. An additional 600 acres are currently on the market.

5. The sale of the donated land was accomplished legally; however, communication with the public, faculty and student body was lacking.

6. Sale records were checked for improprieties. nepotism. and favoritism. None were found.

7. As far as could be determined, recruiting of athletes is done in accordance with COA guidelines. (The COA is the goveming authority on community college athletics.)

8. Title 9 (1972 Amendment to the Federal Civil Rights Act) and COA both state that there should be gender equity in athletics.

9 According to the Registrar's files, the College student body avera2es for the last three \'ears were approximately 65% female and 35% male.

10. For the past three years, funds spent on sports were 27% for female programs and 73% for male programs.

11. In the academic year 1997-98. there were 20 female athletes and 83 male athletes.

12. In the 26 years since passage of Title 9, College attempts to improve gender equity in atheltic programs have been woefully inadequate. Two-year attempts to institute women's inter-collegiate basketball and softball programs were too brief. Two years is an insufficient amount of time to build a program.

13. Inter-collegiate softball for women is being added next year as a part of the five-year plan to achieve gender equity.

14. The major cause of inequity is the college football program. This sport requires a lar~ge number of male participants (50) and considerable funds. More funds are spent on the football program than on all other sports combined.

15. There is no swimming program: there is no swimming pool. There are strong swimming and diving programs in some local high schools.

16. There are no soccer or tennis programs at the College, although these sports are popular with male and female players alike.

17. Coaches are hired on a part-time basis. Past and present members of the athletic department believe that more full-time positions are required if programs are to be successful. Full-time coaches would have time for recruiting as well as coaching.

RECOMMENDATIONS

1. The Mendocino College Foundation should continue to improve communications on and off campus. (See Findings 1. 2. 3, 4.)

2. The Foundation should seriously consider the funding of a swimming pool As an alternative, the use of local facilities should be investigated. (See Finding 15.)

3. The College should consider hiring more full-time coaches. (See Finding 17.)

4. The College should create athletic programs with gender equity such as swimming, soccer, and tennis. (See Findings 8, 9, 10. 11, 12, 13, 14. 15, 16.)

5. The College should make a more sincere commitment to gender equity in athletics than the results so far would indicate.

COMMENTS

1. All personnel contacted concerning this investigation were cooperative and helpful.

RESPONSE REQUIRED

1. Mendocino-Lake Community College Board of Trustees

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