As in most cases, both colleges had a history of problems. El Paso Community College was first put on probation back in 1993 for non-compliance, but the warning was lifted the following year. Its most recent troubles erupted during the tenure of Dr. William Campion, who presided at the college from January through December of 1999. El Paso fired Campion, who complained in a document to SACS in March 2000 that the board of trustees intervened extensively and inappropriately into administrative matters. The association s inquiry was launched after it began receiving complaints from the faculty, professional staff and classified staff associations, as well as the college s student government association.
Members didn t like what they found.
After interviewing college staff and reviewing documents, the committee wrote a letter to the college expressing concern with what it called an apparent blurring of the lines between the Board of Trustees and the president. While praising the high degree of stability among the faculty and staff, the committee took the board to task for its unenviable record of presidential turnover. Since 1992 the college has had five presidents, including current President Ram n Dom nguez, who stepped in as interim president after Campion left. Dom nguez has said he will step down after this year. The visiting committee s report said probably a substantial part of the instability of the presidency was due to the board s relationship with that office.