MATC Board Meeting: We Called and You Answered!
Local 212 called on members to attend the MATC Board Meeting to show solidarity with those speaking during the public comment section, and the board room was packed, with nearly 60 additional people filling the overflow room! Public comments began with three speakers expressing concern over the implementation of the new Part-Time Faculty pay model (see PTF section), then Local 212 President, Lisa Conley, addressed the Board with challenges facing the college, and she opened the floor for five speakers to address the termination of the long-serving Multicultural Affairs Office staff.
Lisa Conley, Local 212 President, addressed the Board with a broader view of the challenges facing the college. She described this as the most turbulent start of a semester in her 21 years at MATC, including pandemic semesters. Lisa pointed out widespread issues such as staffing shortages, sudden policy shifts, and the contentious restructuring of the Multicultural Affairs Office. These changes, have left employees feeling “unappreciated and that contributions were undervalued.” She emphasized that many of these problems could have been avoided with stronger communication and collaboration. Lisa also referenced the high turnout at a Friday afternoon emergency information session, where faculty raised key concerns about:
threats to Shared Governance
breaches of, and frustration with, the Part-Time Faculty Pay Model
confusion over new parking policies
and the elimination of the Multicultural Affairs Office
Closing the public comments section of MATC’s Board meeting were students, staff, alumni, and community leaders who spoke out against the termination of four employees from the Multicultural Affairs Office. The testimony underscored the office’s crucial role as a safe place and support system for marginalized students. Students gave credit to the office for helping them succeed in higher education despite personal and systemic challenges. Former students, like Kelly Logan, shared how the Multicultural Center provided the community and mentorship he needed to graduate, stating, “I would never have made it… if it weren’t for that center.” Indigenous faculty leader Kate Ericson emphasized how MATC’s failure to maintain American Indian Student Services has jeopardized vital relationships with sovereign tribal nations and put students’ financial and educational stability at risk.
Floyd Griffin III, one of the four affected employees, delivered one of the meeting’s most powerful testimonies. Speaking as a current employee marked for termination, Floyd described the emotional toll of being forced out while grieving the recent death of a parent, saying, “I stand here as a grieving son… betrayed by an institution I served faithfully.” He criticized MATC’s lack of compassion, the rushed process of dismissal, and the deeper culture of fear and retaliation at the college. Floyd questioned why some positions were protected while others were eliminated, and he called for transparency, accountability, and the immediate reinstatement or reassignment of the four multicultural specialists. His message was clear: the decision not only harms individuals but undermines the trust and wellbeing of an entire student body that depends on culturally competent support. He warned MATC’s Board, “If you do not act… MATC will not be remembered for community impact. You’ll be remembered for community betrayal.”
Read Lisa Conley’s Board Remarks HERE