WSCC hires help to resolve issues
By Kate York, kyork@mariettatimes.comWashington State Community College began working Wednesday with an external facilitator to try to resolve issues employees have reported with the college's leadership.
Debra McBride, of DM Consulting Ltd., based in The Plains, has been hired by the college and was scheduled to have an initial meeting with college employees Wednesday afternoon, as the beginning of a lengthier communication process.
According to an e-mail sent to employees Tuesday by Sue Murdock, director of human resources, the hiring of McBride was due to input provided in recent employee input sessions with a Columbus firm assisting the college in creating a three-year strategic plan.
"The results of the recent strategic planning meetings have given us some parallel to the issues being reported in the Times and discussed online and in the community," Murdock said in the e-mail. "Debra will be seeking your input on the issues, and seeking your suggestions about how we, as a college, can proceed in light of what is going on right now."
The Marietta Times has previously reported that Washington State employees have made complaints to the college's Board of Trustees over several years about President Charlotte Hatfield's management style, saying they are demeaned, humiliated and that there are no worthwhile avenues to express concerns. Former employees and Board of Trustees members have called the management style abusive and say it has led to a hostile working environment that is having a campus-wide effect.
Hatfield has said she believes the college provides a good working environment for its employees. In self-evaluation forms, she noted that she felt personnel changes led to negative feelings from some employees.
Murdock said McBride's focus will be on beginning a conversation with employees "about moving the college forward in 2010."
"We all have the same mission - to be a successful institution providing the best possible services to students," she said.
McBride said Wednesday she couldn't provide any details about what she will be working on for the college.
"When I'm working with a client, I keep that confidential," she said.
Also confidential will be the information shared by employees with McBride, according to Murdock, who also said there would be additional opportunities for their input in the near future.
"Though (McBride) will be communicating with Dr. Hatfield and the President's Strategic Team about her overall findings and recommendations for the college throughout this process, she will keep individual comments confidential," she said in her e-mail.
According to the DM Consulting Web site, the company helps identify performance gaps and improve problems such as disorganization, unclear vision for the future, conflict in the workplace, high turnover and motivational/morale problems.
Locally, the company has worked with the Memorial Health System, The Pines at Glenwood and Harmar Place Rehabilitation and Extended Care.
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formerWSCCstudendandemploye
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12-11-09 6:48 PM
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(((I'm moving this comment here from the other story cause i think it fits))) Well this has the bad smell of the consultants she hired a few years back to do the salary evaluation. It was supposed to be impartial and a fair compairison but didnt turn out that way. The results were obviously skewed and filtered to obtain the salary results wanted by Dr Hatfield. I left the college on my own accord and took another job out of state.. I do less work than at wscc but made over 25% more to start plus got real perforance raises these past few years. It put me closer to what i felt wscc should have been paying all along for a trained person. The review and classification was very unfair but wasnt negotiable by the employees.
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Motooo
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12-11-09 9:21 AM
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Attending the meeting in numbers and making your presence(and opinion as a taxpayer)known in a polite and courteous fashion would be worth a thousand words of rhetoric on this site. You have a right and obligation as a taxpayer to do so!
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CrewFan
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12-11-09 8:26 AM
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Anyone interested in these issues should attend the board meeting at 4 p.m. on Monday, December 14 in the Trustees Board Room in the Main Building on campus. Don't let the small size of the room deter you from attending. The meeting can easily be moved to a vacant classroom to accomodate a crowd.
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RitaRude
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12-10-09 11:52 PM
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it seems that several years ago, CH got the Board to hand over to her the power to hire & fire the top Admin people. As a public institution, that is questionable. I hear she doesn't even tell the Board when someone quits or she fires them, or when she hires a replacemenat. And now CH has hired consultant to "fix" this situation, apparently without Board advice or consent. Is this Charlotte Hatfield Community College?? I'm sure the Ohio Board of Regents would like to hear about all of this.
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rikrab
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12-10-09 11:36 PM
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First... They will negotiate really big executive severance package.
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wakeuppeople
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12-10-09 10:46 PM
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I support the employees and I believe the over 300 comments on the past articles will show that people feel badly for the employees. Too much damage has been done by the president and the only way to save the college is for the president to step out and move on. What is the college's brand? Step In, Step Up, Step Out! Time for the president to Step Out!!
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cycle2europe
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12-10-09 10:36 PM
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Come on people. Let's support the employees!!! Where are the comments in support??
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hockeypuck
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12-10-09 8:46 PM
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'Bout time.
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cycle2europe
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12-10-09 7:31 PM
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Agree with CrewFan. The number of times in the past 7 years that employees have had to participate in: compression planning, meetings with consultants, webinars, etc., etc. is ridiculous. No doubt she has portrayed these sessions to the Board in a "different" light than what was real. Please KATE, keep up the research. There is MUCH MORE to reveal to the TAXPAYERS!!!!!
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TheRealWSCC
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12-10-09 7:23 PM
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Interesting that the consultant is talking to employees when the faculty are off campus until January. Heard that the only ones interviewed were those on the President's cabinet. Talk about skewing the results.
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kustonion
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12-10-09 7:13 PM
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Once again Hatfield is weaving her web to*****in the board members. By handpicking a consultant to "address the issues" with results going to her and her strategic team before being "filtered" to the board it is clear she is up to her old tricks. How interesting she is also hosting a Christmas party for the board members at her house this Sunday -- the day before the board meeting. Like the "saccharin lunches" that Jean Glenn talks about no doubt this soiree will be dripping with sugar. This "fairy tale" needs to END!!
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TheRealWSCC
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12-10-09 4:47 PM
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To Motoo: did you also note the tagline about knowing if "my people are working for me"? With that rather egocentric approach to leadership, this consultant is a perfect fit with WSCC's president. And, it's interesting how the list of organizational problems so well describe conditions at Washington State. Unfortunately, this website gives the impression that these problems are viewed as the fault of the employees, not the leader.
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Motooo
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12-10-09 4:32 PM
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On the website of DM Consulting Ltd. they list Marietta Memorial Health System as one of their larger clients..............The plot thickens.
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CrewFan
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12-10-09 3:06 PM
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As a college employee, I've lost count of the number of times I've been induced to "share" my opinion and been ignored. There have been two AQIP surveys, at least one additional online survey,numerous compression planning sessions every year, multiple meetings with external consultants, etc. I've seen the results of each of these, and none were complementary of Dr. Hatfield and none were shared with the Board of Trustees. The results of each were hidden to prevent public outcry and to keep the board in the dark. The trustees should demand to see these documents and ask how much the college paid for them before they were swept under the rug.
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McLeod
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12-10-09 2:54 PM
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All these stories are starting to crack me up. It seems like every time something new comes out there is an underhanded side to it. Yes, they are bringing in a consultant, but she just so happens to be connected to the President in more than one way. Good luck Washington State CC.
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TheRealWSCC
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12-10-09 1:47 PM
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As Mr. Cogswell said, she can be a most charming individual. Many of us were taken in at first, thinking we could actually work with this individual. When the real person began to emerge, those of us who saw what she was took our leave. Although it was difficult, I don't regret leaving because I couldn't work under those conditions. I will forever regret that I did not speak up sooner and try to stop this "charming" person from hurting friends and damaging the college.
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MrMint
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12-10-09 1:36 PM
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This sounds like a big waste of money. The Columbus consultant already told the college that the issues with Pres. Hatfield affect the 3 year strategic plan. The WSCC board should wake up and take action put this behind. I doubt McBride will respect employee confidentiality since she was hired by Pres. Hatfield. Woe to any employees that opens their heart to her. Debra admits she is working for the administration and not the taxpayer that ultimately foots her bill. I should become a consultant too!
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DevilsAdvocate
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12-10-09 12:52 PM
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Folks, how on Earth did she move into this community seven years ago & manage to become so intricately weaved in all of our healthcare BoDs? She will be removed if the Gov & J.Garrison meet to discuss this fiasco. The current Board must perform a CYA in the event they take action, but it appears to be an impossible course to take since they can't find an independant party that will report to them the facts. This person will meet w/ the Prez & her Srat Tm. Of course all info will remain confidential on those meetings. Puhleeeze..., the parties are in bed with one another via their various posts & friends. Good luck WSCC employees. Many of us are hope that your prayers will somehow be answered and your nightmare be over. Wishing you a Merry Christmas & a happy ending.....
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TheRealWSCC
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12-10-09 12:51 PM
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How does a consultant hired to solve a problem accomplish that task when the person who hired them created/is the problem? Is anyone else wondering about this?
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beenthruit
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12-10-09 12:48 PM
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And yet, more money thrown at the problem that will never get solved. The Board did not hire this consultant, Charlotte Hatfield hired her and the College gets to foot the bill! And yes, there are personal ties there........
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Aurora
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12-10-09 12:36 PM
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Sarek...If this were to happen in a private company it probably would not lead to a discharge of a leader. If the bottom line is being met, ie: enrollment up, academic standards being met, etc., a private company wouldn't make a change. Once it affects the bottom line then changes happen.
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TheRealWSCC
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12-10-09 10:34 AM
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I too see a conflict of interest here. First, the connection to the Memorial Healthcare System: isn't Dr. Hatfield on that Board? Second, is Dr. Hatfield still close friends with the administration at the Pines? She used to have a friend working in management there. Sadly, this could all be resolved so easily. As I said in another post: Madam President, show some character, save your dignity and do the right thing -- step down voluntarily and allow the college to return to its normal successful place in the community.
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wjb331
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12-10-09 10:32 AM
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Has pres. Hatfield had bad reviews/assessments by the Board in the past or is this a recent issue?
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Motooo
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12-10-09 10:22 AM
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That is an interesting point. Exaxtly how is DM Consulting "tied" to MMH. Can you provide some additional intel.
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CHAsMOM
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12-10-09 10:10 AM
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DM Consulting is tied to DeeAnn Gehlauf, a VP at Marietta Memorial Hospital. Does anyone smell conflict of interest?
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