Goodrich versus Kinslow

The Texas Federation of Teachers criticized the Austin Community College administration for reprimanding ACC/AFT rep and former union president Mark Goodrich for statements he made attacking the college president at the Aug. 6 Board of Trustees meeting, according to a memo circulated within the union.

Goodrich, who handles employee grievances for the union, filed a lawsuit against the college, claiming the school violated his freedom of speech. President Kinslow and the vice president of business services, Ben Ferrell, were also named in the lawsuit.

"We find it ludicrous that the ACC top management is telling a union rep and dedicated employee that he can't raise concerns at a public board meeting," said Texas American Federation of Teachers President Linda Bridges. "The citizen communicationsportion of public meetings is specifically designed for people to communicate directly with elected officials like ACC trustees, and employees should be able to do so without fear of retribution from their bosses."

Four days after the meeting, Goodrich received a letter from Ferrell reprimanding him and placing him on probation for "repeatedly demanding inquiries regarding issues that the College has sufficiently addressed," and "raising issues to alarm other employees and the public by making false and inaccurate statements against the administration."

Goodrich questioned the leadership of President Kinslow and the administration's response to employee grievances over a recent employee compensation study. He also expressed concern over mercury contamination inside the Rio Grande Campus.

Union attorneys asked Kinslow and the Board of Trustees to overturn the reprimand before filing the lawsuit but their requests, including formal grievance proceeding were denied, according to a statement sent to union reps by ACC/AFT President Dan Dewberry.

This isn't the first time the administration has had troubles with the union.

During the tumultuous administration of former president Richard Fonte, in 1999 the ACC/AFT sued the college after the administration refused to allow the union to distribute recruitment information at the school's general assembly and in employee mailboxes. After a hearing in which the administration refused to comply, state district judge Scott McCown issued a restraining order against ACC permitting the union to distribute literature.

Although complaints about the college administration are a staple of conversations in faculty offices, college employees affiliated with the Adjunct Faculty Association have privately expressed their own misgivings with Goodrich, who has a reputation as an aggressive fire starter.

One representative of the adjunct faculty said that although he was frustrated by the administration's tone and previous actions, he disagreed with Goodrich's decision to sue to the college, claiming limitations on an employee's right to speak their mind in a business environment.

Although the outcome of the lawsuit has yet to be determined and many employees are say they are content with their environment, many others are sitting disquieted, waiting for the result and whatever consequences are on the way.