6. A “chilling effect” or a “chilled work environment” was created at Cleveland Community College by high level administration persons, Allegedly by Shannon Kennedy herself, unchecked by President Steve Thornburg or the CCC Board of Trustees. The use of the words chilling or chilled is not related to the weather. These words are used in regards “to a perception that the raising of concerns is being suppressed or discouraged – either outright with discrimination, by a slow or no response and selective firing to intimidate everyone else to “keep them in line.” In a well managed organization employees and staff must feel free to raise potential issues and problems directly to their management. The most egregious part of a chilled work environment alleged at CCC is when people who voice concerns are disciplined, fired, employment contracts are not renewed, not promoted, unfairly given poor job performance evaluations, grievances are not allowed to properly proceed to the full Board of Trustees, etc. The list goes on and on and all of this seems to certainly apply to the numerous allegations and situations at CCC. As does another level of a chilled work environment; the fast and often promotion of so called “brown nosers,” “stool pigeons” or “suck ups.” Those who seem to enjoy the perks that encourage and support those who dish out “chill” to others. Note that poor employee morale is a very good indication of a “chilled work environment.” And there is plenty of that at CCC.
Necessary Actions on issue 6:
7. Miscellaneous allegations of Fraud, misappropriation of grant funds, deception and deceptive presentations to the CCC Board of Trustees and others for grant applications, appropriately accounting and spending grant funds etc. Some allegations state that Shannon Kennedy directly ordered some grant funding diverted to other purposes. Just bringing in an internal or external auditor is not sufficient. The School Board brought in an external auditor regarding their credit card scandal and the auditor’s report indicated no serious problems. Only thing was School Board Member Kathy Falls inadvertently blurted out that the auditors were instructed to only look forward, past the reported abuse of funds, and not back at when the cards were seriously and likely fraudulently used. We suspect the CCC financial administration folks know all these tricks too. As far as the grant people go, these are mostly government bureaucrats who probably don’t check the paperwork very closely either. As long as the government money going out is spent, without going over, they most likely would not notice it. For example, early in the Obama Administration millions of dollars in stimulus money was sent to dead people. Some were dead over 40 years. Then they decided it would be too costly to recover the money, so they didn’t even try. Of course dead people don’t cash checks or spend money. If they had just tracked down a few of those checks and charged and imprisoned those who did cash the checks, there would be less people doing such scams on the government. Same with the CCC accounting of grant money. Besides, if CCC ever did get caught. who would end up paying the money back. Taxpayers, that’s who.
Necessary Actions on issue 7:
