Courier: PCC President’s Contract Negotiations Dividing Board

According to a story in the Pasadena City College Courier, the PCC Board of Trustees is divided over the retention of legal counsel and the potential extension of Superintendent-President Dr. Erika Endrijonas’ contract.

Endrijonas’ current contract, which extends through 2024, was verified by a 5-2 vote earlier this year. Last week Pasadena Now reported that Endrijonas is currently a finalist for the president position at LA Community College and participated in a finalist forum last week. 

According to the Courier, the board may have violated the Ralph M. Brown Act, which governs legislative bodies in the state, when it evaluated the Endrijonas in June. A satisfactory evaluation automatically triggers a three-year extension, one trustee told the online publication.

A three-year extension would have extended to June 2025. 

Pasadena City Colleges students Seamus Bozeman, Anjanette Gile and Kamron Sheikhalmolooki and Erin Kroncke also reported the previous board may have erred if it failed to properly follow the process which calls for an employee evaluation in closed session and a public report of any action taken during the 2022 meeting to approve Endrijonas’ evaluation.

According to the Brown Act, personnel matters can only be discussed in closed session, but legislative bodies, like the Board of Trustees, must publicly report any action taken in closed session and the vote or abstention of every member present.  Reports may be made orally or in writing.

If the Board voted on the contract and did not report it when the trustees convened publicly, it could be a violation of the Brown Act.  

“I believe that the superintendent was given more than a satisfactory evaluation,” Trustee Jim Osterling told Pasadena Now on Tuesday. “And that automatically extended her contract to June of 2025. I don’t think that the board should be hiding behind legal technicalities that can be legally cleaned up if there is an intent and a will to clean them up. Those potential errors can easily be fixed and the superintendent’s contract could easily be extended, which was the intent of the prior board.” 

The Courier also reported that in a split 4-3 vote in September, the board voted to retain the law firm of Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo to provide legal counsel for negotiations of the Superintendent-President’s contract. 

Endrijonas said she plans to complete the process at LACC while waiting to see what happens at PCC.