CLEARLAKE >> Incumbent Douglas Harris, running for re-election for Yuba Community College District, Board of Trustees, Area 7, has concerns over his opponent in the race: 63-year-old Jeffrey Lee Dryden who, according to documentation filed with the Lake County Superior Court, found himself in the role of defendant following his involvement in an incident with an underage student at the college in the spring of 2022.
Court documents detail evidence presented by the student, 17 years old at the time of the incident which occurred in a cooking class at the college which both she and Dryden attended. The student described how “apparently on April 4, 2022, Dryden walked by her, reached down and grabbed her phone and grabbed her buttocks as well.”
According to court records, following the touching, Dryden joked with two adult male classmates that she had a “big flat screen TV which the student believed he was referring to her butt because “he continued to look at her butt and laugh.” Dryden subsequently sent a letter to her and her attorney, allegedly attempting to dissuade them from criminal proceedings.
Records also detail as recently as late June, Dryden was still facing multiple charges of attempting to dissuade a witness, one count of PC243.4 (e) sexual battery for the purpose of sexual arousal, one count of PC647(a)(1) annoy/molest Child Under 18 years, and one count of PC242 Battery. An initial trial held this summer was declared a mistrial and the matter has been reset on the Superior Court calendar for later this year.
Responding to the question of his opponent Jeffrey Dryden’s legal challenge, Harris noted there was only one thing to say. “After COVID-19, college enrollment has suffered, but we are working our way back,” he added. “But the greatest source of new enrollment, coming out of COVID has been dual enrollment of high school students. The charges against Mr. Dryden raise serious doubts about his ability to assume ultimate responsibility for the safety and success of our students.”
Yet he was upbeat regarding a current collective bargaining with YCCD (Yuba Community College District) full-time faculty that is a critical issue moving the institution forward, noted current board trustee and candidate in the fall election.
Harris says negotiations are on the right tack as their lead legal counsel was changed recently. The fulltime faculty has gone without an agreement for two years. But he cannot disclose details since that would be bargaining in public and not allowed in collective bargaining. Yet since finding a new lead, all issues are now on the bargaining table. “In my consideration, achieving an equitable bargaining agreement requires compromise on both sides,” Harris said. But he brought forth a distinction that there are the full-time faculty, in current negotiation, and part-time faculty who are covered by a different agreement.
“It’s important to know part-time faculty concluded an agreement and it made an historic provision going from 50 to 65% of fulltime faculty pay to 80% of full-time pay with a commitment to close the gap entirely,” he said. “Also, it’s important to know for the first time the district is offering benefits to pay for health care coverage for part-time faculty.” Also worthy of note, are the classified employees, who are not teachers, but clerks, maintenance staff and specialists (library techs) reached a contract agreement a year and a half ago. “We’ve now been successful with two of three bargaining units and it’s urgent to complete negotiations with full time faculty,” he added.
During a prior college administration, before his term on the board, Harris noted the chancellor resigned and was succeeded by an interim. Shortly thereafter, Woodland Community College President resigned and was also replaced by an interim administrator. Both Vice Presidents at WCC were interims, as well as a high rate of turnover in the Lake County Dean position. “Reliance on interims in these key leadership positions does not allow for any new initiatives or priorities” he said. “We now have stability and energetic and visionary leadership.”
He said his critique of the school in no way reflects on the recently installed leadership team at the District or College level. Yet he recommends streamlining the admissions and registration process. “I’ve heard from those who tried to enroll their children, found it to be a cumbersome process,” he said. “The Chancellor’s Office has hired a consultant to study the process and make it more user-friendly.” There has been a dramatic drop-off of people who apply for admission compared to the number who enroll. And the school would like to reduce that drop-off and restore and expand career pathways.
“There’s a crying need for nurses,” he said. Due to a departure instructor of a biology professor, an Anatomy class has been suspended for over a year at the Lake County Campus. This makes it much harder for pre-nursing students to meet this pre-requisite particularly in our rural area.” A previous Woodland administration neglected to replace faculty and staff who retired or transferred,” Harris noted. Along with the personnel attrition more online classes were implemented.
Harris said, “I’ve been instrumental in organizing in the community, urging people to come to board meetings, and develop one-to-one relationships to make the needs of our community known to the leaders in the Yuba Community College District.”
Student housing is among critical needs Harris pointed out. “There are many students with housing insecurity,” he said. “They are likely qualified for state and federal aid which helps with housing costs. It is a complex issue and there are no easy fixes.” Harris noted being a trustee is a complicated endeavor. “But I have given my all to the Lake County campus,” he said.
