This week news broke that DA Ben David has asked the State Bureau of Investigation to investigate claims of criminal wrongdoing at Cape Fear Community College at the highest level, the office of president.
In the scandal-weary world we live, this revelation will not make waves very far from the 58-year-old college’s hometown, other than to certainly forever taint the forced out president’s chances of being employed in his chosen profession wherever he goes.
But in the Port City, the news comes as a shocker, although, if one had been paying attention there were clues that something was going on; just the terseness of the college’s trustee meeting notices was a sign.
Then there was the intense push by the member of the county commission who represents the county on the trustee board to challenge the enrollment numbers put forth by the college. That effort came close to derailing the remaining $40 million bond money (previously approved by voters in 2008) to construct the advanced and emerging technologies center at the north campus in Castle Hayne, plus upgrade vocational facilities downtown at the vastly popular college.
For many, for the last allocation of the bonds not to be approved would have been a travesty.
And now an SBI investigation. That horrible word: fabrication. Possible coercion of an employee.
College president Ted Spring resigned abruptly in January following a special trustee closed session meeting. The only scuttlebutt leaked by the tight-lipped group of political appointees was reported as the mishandling of expense reporting, billing the college for his wife’s travel meals, and for mileage reimbursements for usage of the car that was provided at no cost to him.
None of those infractions, while serious, justified what we were seeing: a supposedly popular president of a robust institution let go with zero notice or, as of yet, severance. A warning, a sincere apology and back to business of educating would have been more in keeping. Thus, it was obvious something was amiss and speculation, along with fear, swirled.
Anchoring the north end of the city, Cape Fear is the sixth largest of 58 community colleges in the state; enrollment is cited as over 28,000 students attending classes each year (downtown and on its north campus). The partnership between the school and businesses is a source of community pride, as is the college’s care of its veteran students, minorities and education and trade seekers who did not complete high school. It has been a game changer in the lives of many. Job skills, computer training, literacy, construction, heating and air, even welding training are a big part of what the college is, in addition to the mainstream program allowing completion of the first two years of a bachelor’s degree for college transfer. The nursing program is prized, as is marine tech.
Hence, what the president has allegedly done affects a broad range of people in the community, not to mention the 500 plus full-time employees, and another 600 to 800 employed part time. It besmirches their good names along with that of the college; scandal in the president’s office is a big deal. Accusations of falsification or an attempt at falsification of a report on enrollment numbers, intimidation of an employee to do the dirty work of preparing a false report — these are grave charges to the integrity of the beloved college.
The enrollment numbers were a source of dispute between the ousted Spring and New Hanover County Commissioner Woody White. White said the numbers are down, Spring said they are up. Getting to the bottom of that will play out in public, but logic says if the county population will jump an estimated 50,000 to 134,000 by year 2040, it follows the college’s enrollment will for sure grow exponentially.
There is no questioning GE, Corning, CastleBranch, Vertex, the hospital and other businesses large to small look to CFCC to supply badly needed skilled employees.
Of the original $164 million of voter-approved bonds, $120 million went to build the downtown campus’ parking deck, the fantastic Union Station building and the much-anticipated humanities and fine arts center. These last two, both stellar additions to the downtown street scape, appear to highly irritate Woody White.
In a 4-1 vote, Commissioner White voted against issuing the remaining bond money, questioning what he called the community college’s “lavish” and “extravagant” use of bond funds to construct Union Station and the not-yet-completed humanities and fine arts center and whether those buildings contribute to a stated need for instructional space.
There is no question Union Station and the new performing arts center are shining lights in the city, which has not always shone so brightly.
An 18,000-square-foot veterinary tech building is one of three new buildings to be constructed at Castle Hayne under the release of the final allocation of the bonds, plus nanotechnology, forensics and biotechnology facilities. Businesses looking to locate into the county will take notice.
If the vet tech building is constructed it will house the only veterinary tech curriculum east of I -95 in the state. Programs already in high demand — including those training in home heating and cooling systems, automotive technology, construction management, and heavy equipment and transportation — will also benefit from space created by the new buildings.
The reputation of the community college’s educational excellence could continue to draw students, but “what if” is on a lot of minds.
More than one in the community pondered the revelations of Ted Spring’s mishandling of expense accounts and mileage; there is a direct correlation between hanky-panky in little things and bigger ones. Was there more?
Is this just-announced investigation more sour grapes or something more nefarious? Is it a witch-hunt, as Mr. Spring’s attorney states, a personal vendetta or an attempt to damage the college itself?
Only time will tell.
In the meantime, the college is a source of hope and that precious gift should be guarded at all costs.
