O.C.C. is exceptional? When I think of exceptional Harvard, Princeton and Yale come to mind...but O.C.C? come on.

Am I missing something? Did someone get fired because of some horrible miscarriage of justice? So a couple of teachers were led to believe they were on track to get tenure and they didn't...it's not the end of the world. Do what us workers do in the real world when things don't go our way. We work hard and try again next year, get a new job with an employer who will better appreciate us or maybe start our own business. I was passed over for a promotion that I was led to believe was mine...where is my TR Patch article? These people really do live in an alternate universe.

holden2112:
The problem is the process OCC takes when reviewing those who have applied for tenured. The reasons given to Prof. Flynn specifically are not based on her abilites, but rather on her residence. Others were given reasons as to why they were not recieving tenured that is not related to teaching excellence.
And in response to your first comment:
Ocean County College deserves a lot more credit than people give it. For example, they have a 99% passing rate on the Nursing Boards and was rated one of the top programs in the state. Just because it is a public and state funded "junior" college, does not mean its not worth anything. Yes, comparing OCC to Harvard, Princeton, and Yale is ambiguous. Maybe I should have used a better term, my fault. However, it does deserve credit for quality education.

I was one of the students who spoke at the meeting. I am appalled at how the President and the board of trustees behaved. These people are supposed to hold a certain extent of professionalism, but I did not see that in the room yesterday. They played on the phones and stared into space like they were bored to tears. I feel if these are the people we are supposed to "trust" with our educational outcomes maybe they should be reevaluated. There were plenty of professors in that room, that were very professional and well put together. The proffesors that were choosen on disbelievable allegations are some of the few greatest teachers at Ocean County College. With OCC being a community college, these teachers would be the best to keep around. They make learning fun, worry free, and possible. They are not easy A's, but they make sure they put some hope into us, and us do feel that. They make us want to learn and do much more for ourselves. They are worth the students money. The evaluations the students give and the spaces available are serious pieces to look at. The students at OCC strive to take these professors because they know not that they wil get an A; but that they will actually acheive education and success.

holden2112 - the problem is that, yes, she is getting fired. She isn't just being denied tenure - she is not being brought on to teach a 5th year. The article doesn't do an adequate job explaining that, however, so let me state it again: Professor Flynn and the 3 other faculty being denied tenure are being fired. From the article: "Flynn said the decision to deny her a fifth year at OCC and tenure protections was not based on classroom performance..." The key there is "deny her a fifth year." It just so happens that tenure and continued employment go hand in hand at many institutions, OCC included. So, yes, someone is getting "fired because of some horrible miscarriage of justice" - that is, they are being fired simply because the administration doesn't want more full-time faculty, not based on performance. That is a miscarriage of justice in my opinion (and in the opinion of the law in many cases - it is wrongful termination).

I know that they are being denied tenure, but theyre are allowed to finish out the spring semester. After that they must have abother job or be workless. They are getting fired. These teachers will not be around in Fall of 2012. And; there are five professors total, not four. Two of which are my professors. One i see needs improvement, but the other far exceeds some of the proferssors that have tenure. There was one gentleman at the meetin, and I could not believe that he had tenure or even a teaching job at all. He was one of the worst, correction the worst teacher I have ever had. He did not adequetly teach us the information or give above average test that would call up our wisdom. Instead most of the students would fail his tests. After the class was over, everyone could not believe they even passed with a C. he had to hand them that grade due to the fact that he could not perform his duties well. My professor that is being let go, is one of the best. I am a blatantly honest person. She makes us think. We learn information inside and out. We do not just graze over information. If we have questions, she answers them. She does not leave us hanging in the dark of failure.

Perhaps more jobs should be safe. I am sorry you were let go after 16 years. Rallying against these protections will assure we, the middle class, gets less and less. And, we are doing it to ourselves with attitudes that "if I don't have it, no one else should." We should try to figure out how we can all be protected. "If I don't have it, how can I get it?" is more like it.

So by that standard we should all just bow to the machine that permits an endless turnover of newer, cheaper employees? Do you think everyone should bend at employer whim? Did they kiss ya first?

. . . . . And then employers cry that they can't find loyal employees anymore.

So your saying because you lost your job everyone else should?

Alan, I understand "tenure" is a heated word anymore, so remove that from the conversation for the moment. She applied for it merely because that's the process at OCC. She was denied a renewal of contract, another year working, not because she was no longer needed, not because they had eliminated the position, not because she wasn't doing her job well, but because they didn't approve of where she lived.

I'm not saying that tenure is a good thing, or a bad thing, but the mentality of "I don't have this, so that person shouldn't have it either" doesn't get us anywhere. I work where I can be let go at any time as well, and I have been let go from other jobs, so I know how you feel, I don't think, however, that everyone should be at risk of losing their jobs, but would strongly support better protections for all of us.

That is extremely unfortunate when it is at the expense of students; better yet, our community's future. Its also a shame that the Dr. Larson is more concerned with offering classes online to China, rather than worrying about establishing a well-rounded and distinguished teaching faculty. I am embarrassed to be an "Ocean County College" student.

Theresa (and the other students who have commented):
Thank you for speaking up. Don't be afraid to do so. Dr. Larson so frequently says that the things he does are in the best interests of the students. At the same time, I believe he's forgotten that he, the Board of Trustees, and all the employees of OCC work for the community and the students. Tax payer dollars and student tuition pay the bills around there.

If nobody speaks up, the Administration will get away with everything they have been able to thus far. This is extremely disconcerning for the student body. If there is something that I feeling passionate about its my education and the money I am willing to put into it. I now am worried about the rest of my time spent at Ocean County College/Kean @ OCC and can only hope that I will continue to recieve exellent education, like that that I have recieved from Professor Flynn and many, many others on campus.

Wouldn't the most important expense of the taxpayer's money be on the teaching staff? Could one of the reasons behind denying those five professors their 5th year be due to the fact they would rather pay more adjunct faculty at a lower salary? Isn't that taking the cheap way out? I would think academic/teaching excellence deserves more than the "cheap way out."

I agree, but neither should Principals, VP or any other Administration for that matter, most do not do what is right. They will play the favorite card and get rid of anyone who not kiss up to their arrogant assssss! They will keep all the inadequate as long as they cover for them at all cost, even if it means the students have to suffer under their poor leadership. Believe me, there is many.

Yes, but the one that got paid to babysit you was underpaid by any standard. Also "can't" has an apostrophe. You should have paid attention in school! You wasted the taxpayers' money.

Morrissey, you are just a ray of freakin' sunshine, aren't you? You know we all see right through your act. I bet you rescue kittens and grow orchids in your spare time.
That's right, we know.... ;-)

Just as a point of edification, teachers are by contract required to keep up their continuing education credits and submit to regular obervation and review. The process can be very subjectiive ie, NOT objective. I am not a teacher, nor an OCC employee, but this is how it works. Long time teachers should not be given the boot just because they are veterans.

I agree that some professors/teachers do not keep up the standards, but until they find a solution for the issue, is there just to be a denial of tenure for some and not for some others? How is a student suppose to have faith in the college they are attending when they see professional, exemplary professors disappear. We are losing a science professor who had all these little tricks to help us remember things, who enjoyed the classes she taught, who made science classes interesting (impossible at times, I know, but she could pull it off), another excellent professor lost at the end of May. After the release of both of these professors, I am at a loss. I feel like Dr. Larson is not looking out for the academic excellence of the students of OCC, as he should be, yet he is more concerned about pilots of classes for people in china and being the first community college to have such a relationship. His focus, imo, should be towards his college, full of his professors and students who are losing faith in him.

Amen! The problems at OCC do seem to start at the top. It would be great to see the Trustees do something other than rubber stamp the President.

maybe you missed the post that states "She applied for it merely because that's the process at OCC". Denial of tenure at OCC also seems to equal losing their job so to me it seems like a double edged sword, don't follow the process, which could also lead to termination or follow the process and still risk termination even if it is unjust, like in this situation.

All you need to understand out of this entire article and the posts is that something went really wrong in this entire process, and like some of the other professors, Professor Flynn is paying the price by losing her job.

I spoke at that board meeting and was quite astonished at how quickly Dr Larson tried to shuffle through the process of hearing the public comments. I was standing right behind him and couldn't hear him until it got to the part where they wanted to end the meeting. It is all a little shady how everything went down, like they were trying to avoid the public outcry from her fellow professors AND the students, supporting their professors. The room was full with people sitting and standing (to the point where we were sandwiched together) and there were also a ton of people outside the board room doors. If this really was no big deal, if these professors weren't doing their job and excelling at it, there would have not been the support there was. Being fired for exemplary teaching at a college/school is ridiculous, let alone for the reason that they don't live in county.

I never understood why people go for a degree in anthropology, women's studies, ar art history then get PO'ed when they dont land a 6 figure salary a week after graduating.

Maggie,
Have you ever taken a sociology class? I would presume otherwise by your feelings of its importance, or rather lack there of. Sociology is probably one of the most influential courses a particularly young student takes. Many people of the "older generation" are constantly complaining about our (the "younger generation") sense of entitlement, naivety of the "real" world, and what is truly going on around us. Sociology brings up, especially in Flynn's class as she requires her students to refer to current events in relation to sociology (and is counted as a grade), many real-world issues. Its "conclusions" do "propel" its students "into a productive life," as it gives an understanding of how society works and what needs to be in place for success. This is especially true for those in Political Science (the ones who decide where your tax dollars are going, what laws to provide to protect you and your family, etc.). If you took a sociology class, you would understand that there are certain things that need to be acknowledged in order to provide a functional society. But I guess you haven't.

Degree's at Kean which require sociology:

B.A. in Biology, Teacher Certification
Certification for Teacher of Students with Disabilities and K-12 Biology
B.A. in Criminal Justice (requires 3)
B.A. in History, Teacher Certification
B.S. N. in Nursing (requires 2)
B.A. in Physical Education and Health, Teacher Certification
B.A. in Sociology (obviously - requires 7)
AND the majority of the degrees there need general humanities courses as fillers, which sociology falls under.