Wednesday, Jul. 23, 2008
Board hears grievances but takes no action
By Melissa Winn
mwinn@star-telegram.com
A Wednesday hearing yielded no action by the Weatherford College Board of Trustees as two longtime college employees aired their grievances for the board and a crowd of about 50 people at the E.W. Mince Auditorium.
Duane Durrett, vice president of student affairs, and James "J.C." Colton, dean of student development, along with their attorney, Frank Hill, explained to board members how their upcoming reassignments were "capricious, arbitrary and discriminatory." They hoped to have their current salaries and/or positions restored.
Both Durrett’s and Colton’s existing contracts expire at the end of the August.
Beginning in September, Durrett stands to take a 34 percent pay cut when he becomes the Academic Advisor/Transfer Specialist, a new position created by the college, for the 2008-09 year. In his current post, Durrett makes close to $94,000 per year, however, the new position is capped at $61,200, based on a pay grade scale created in 2006.
In his grievance, Durrett questioned the reason he was demoted and claimed age discrimination as well as retaliation for a disagreement with the administration’s wishes to hire a full-time athletic director.
"My reports seemed not to fit what they were wanting," Durrett said.
After Durrett spoke, WC president Joe Birmingham and attorney Mike Royal responded to the allegations by citing passages from the employment contract that state there is no guaranty of continued employment and/or salary beyond the contract’s expiration date.
Birmingham also emphatically said he would "never allow discrimination of any kind" to take place while he was president.
Though Durrett was up first, it was Colton who brought gasps from the audience during his 30-minute statement.
Colton also faces a significant pay reduction as well as a reduction in duties. Colton now makes "a shade over $79,000" but, like Durrett, would also only make the maximum $61,200 in his new position.
"It pains me to...stand up in front of you and in front of the college I dearly love and air our dirty laundry," Colton said. "To show you how serious I am — my commitment to Weatherford College — I am taking my grievance off the table and announcing my retirement."
In his response, Birmingham acknowledged Colton’s love for the college and said he was "personally moved" by the remarks.
"I don’t want to pass up the opportunity to recognize his passion for the college," Dr. Birmingham said. "Anybody that knows J.C. knows that."
After hearing both cases and asking questions, trustees and their attorney, John Westoff, went into closed session. They returned to open session a short time later but took no action.
The Board has until the next regularly scheduled meeting on August 13 to place the item on the agenda and render a decision. If they choose not to, the administration’s current rulings remain in effect.
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