The Sussex County Community College Board of Trustees administered the PACE Climate Survey in the Spring of 2024 to give campus leaders a baseline snapshot of the culture on the campus at the time. The report of the survey results has now been released by the Board of Trustees.
Click the Responsive Action Plan image to download a PDF version.
History:
During the public portions of the February and March 2024 Sussex County Community College Board of Trustees general meetings, several members of the college community raised concerns over the effectiveness of the college’s administration. Specifically, there were accusations of financial mismanagement as well as accusations of misconduct leveled against the administration and particularly the president, Dr. Jon Connolly, of fostering a “toxic and hostile work environment”. Given the nature of the accusations, the Board felt compelled to investigate the veracity of those accusations. Since no mechanism exists within the structure of the Board to conduct investigations, the Board was faced with the challenge of determining if the claims were indeed legitimate and further if the unrest was isolated or pervasive within the institution. The Board chose to consider two separate areas of concern and address them individually. The determination of the Board in this matter is as follows.
Financial Mismanagement:
The accusation that the administration is hiding enormous amounts of money from the Board and the public by earmarking funds for projects the administration has no intention of completing was investigated and found to be false. The independent audit firm of PFK O’Connor Davies audits these accounts on an annual basis and has assured the Board that all college funds are accounted for, all accounts are properly maintained and the process of accounting for all college funds meets the standards prescribed by statute. Results of the annual audit of the County College are a matter of public record. The Board has had further discussions internally and with oversight entities regarding the proper level of reserve funds, which are required to maintain the stability of the college and affect its accreditation as well as its ability to maintain state funding. As a result of these conversations, the Board and administration have agreed to reduce the level of reserve funds and more aggressively pursue the projects for which existing board designated funds have been earmarked with a commitment to keep both the public and Sussex County Commissioners updated as to their progress. The Board is confident that no public funds have been mismanaged and will continue to ensure proper levels of reserves are maintained while continuing to invest in the long-term stability and sustainability of the college.
Hostile Work Environment:
As discussed, the Board was acutely concerned with the accusations leveled against the administration, and specifically the president, for acts of misconduct and maintaining a “toxic and hostile work environment”. The Board therefore commissioned an in-depth institutional climate study performed by Porzio Compliance Services (PCS) which instituted the PACE Campus Climate Survey for Community Colleges (developed and administered by the Belk Center for Community College Leadership and Research at the North Carolina State University), as well as 15 interviews of randomly selected administrators, faculty and staff. The Board recognizes that in any organization, 100% satisfaction with the institutional climate is not attainable. The Board was most concerned with the “depth” of the apparent unrest and sought to determine if the sentiments expressed were pervasive. The Board was pleased that the report summarized; “most employees do not believe there is a hostile work environment and instead believe that they are treated with respect by colleagues and the administration”. However, the report states, “With that said, the study did surface a number of issues regarding the structural organization, decision-making processes, leadership and communication issues of the College. The data suggests that the college should examine these issues more closely to determine if better processes and more regular and effective communications to employees is necessary to ensure that employees are informed and involved in shared governance.” Considering the cultural deficiencies revealed in the report, the Board was faced with the challenge of how best to initiate needed change within the institution. The Board is aware that the president, although not always the cause of, is responsible for the overall effectiveness of the college and therefore by implication its culture.
The Board, however, recognizes the contribution Dr. Connolly has made to the college during his tenure. Of note is that under his leadership, SCCC has gone from a point of financial exigency to a point that it rates among the most financially stable county colleges in the state. The Board further recognizes the programmatic changes over the course of Dr. Connolly’s tenure that have bolstered enrollment and student success and promises to position the college for success in the coming years. Both the Board and Dr. Connolly have studied the insights provided by the report and are committed to an appropriate and diligent response. The Board is confident that Dr. Connolly, while he may be responsible for some of the concerns raised in the report, nonetheless possesses the ability and, more importantly, the desire to affect change within the institution that will result in a more positive environment at the college for the benefit of both students and employees.
Action Plan:
The Board has concluded it is in the best interest of the college to, consistent with PCS recommendations, direct the current administration under the direction of Dr. Connolly to create an action plan to address the areas of concern raised in the Organizational Climate Study Report. The Board has received and reviewed the action plan from the administration and will be taking steps to ensure its implementation. Further, the Board will regularly review the implementation of the action plan and monitor its effectiveness. The Board plans to reassess the climate of the college in the spring of 2025 for the purpose of measuring the overall and specific effectiveness of the action plan.
Regarding financial accountability, The Board of Trustees has committed to being more proactive in the pursuit of projects which are funded by board designated funds and communicating more regularly with public stakeholders as to their status.
Conclusion:
While the Board finds no credibility to the accusations of financial mismanagement, we do recognize the responsibility to be diligent regarding the execution and communication of Board initiated projects funded by board designated funds. The Board commits to better communication in the future.
The Board of Trustees is satisfied that the study conducted by Porzio Compliance Services was effective in providing the Board with the needed information to assess the climate of the institution. The Board recognizes the positive contributions of Dr. Connolly which have inured to the college, but also recognizes that changes are needed. We are confident Dr. Connolly can effect change through a proactive plan that will be monitored and measured by the Board. The Board will commit to reassess the effectiveness of the action plan and take appropriate action pending its results.