LFA President Tobin F. Terry presented trustees with this message prior to the start of the November 14 board meeting in which 25 layoffs of Lakeland employees were approved in addition to 29 voluntary separation agreements.

Dear Lakeland Board of Trustees,

The Lakeland Faculty Association respectfully asks that you take more time to consider the long-term repercussions of the immense budget decisions on tonight’s agenda for several reasons.

First, Lakeland’s students will be directly and adversely affected by the potential cuts to services and staff. The elimination of student support programs and extracurricular activities can deprive students of valuable learning opportunities and social experiences. This can be especially detrimental for students from low-income families who may not have access to these opportunities outside of school.

Second, eliminating these positions reduces Lakeland’s sense of community. Cuts in services can leave students without the support they need to succeed in college and have a negative impact on students’ academic achievement, social development, and overall well-being. Cutting staff salaries and benefits and laying off support staff can send a message to students that their needs are not a priority. 

Finally, students can not feel supported and cannot possibly be successful without adequate staff and services in place throughout all areas of the college. The LFA recognizes the invaluable work done by staff and administrators who work directly with students and behind the scenes.  We do not support cuts that would undermine their vital work. 

As email communications this week have indicated, various members of the college welcome increased transparency in financial matters. As stakeholders in Lakeland with a deep understanding of the needs of our students, the LFA has a vested interest in the success of our college and welcomes the opportunity to participate in conversations about how to address current budgetary needs. 

Sincerely,
Tobin F. Terry
President of the Lakeland Faculty Association

The following remarks were delivered by LFA President Tobin F. Terry at the May 5, 2023 meeting of the Lakeland Board of Trustees. 

Chairperson Rispoli, Board, and President Beverage, I am Tobin Terry, President of the Lakeland Faculty Association, Lake County resident and father of three. 

First, I want to offer some recognition. Congratulations to Dr. Kay Malec, for your distinguished service award. It is well-deserved.

I thank Trustee Hebebrand, as I was pleased to hear of his commendation of Lakeland’s programs and his acknowledgement of the political diversity amongst our faculty in his remarks at a recent speaking engagement. That diversity, too, is a testament to our commitment to fostering an inclusive learning environment where diverse perspectives are valued and respected.

I had expected that some attendees from that event would be here due to Trustee Hebebrand’s suggestion that they attend these meetings. I looked forward to hearing their perspectives on Lakeland’s positive impact on our community.

I would like to express my gratitude to President Beverage for his clarification that no board members believe that there is an attempt to indoctrinate students at Lakeland. I also appreciate President Beverage’s attempts to explain why faculty may have felt otherwise given the current climate. 

I understand that it was expressed by some at the April Board meeting that they felt attacked by the speakers we’ve heard at public comment. As the elected representative of the faculty, I urge the board not to mistake our passion for aggression. We educators are passionate about our subjects. And we are committed to inspiring and challenging our students to think independently and critically and to engage in thoughtful discourse. 

Our invitation to join us in our classrooms was not meant as a confrontational gesture. Rather, our invitation is meant as a genuine opportunity for the board to better understand our students and witness the outstanding work we are able to do, thanks in part to the support in policy and leadership provided by the board and administration.

We take immense pride in the services we provide to our community. We are grateful for your dedication, your commitment to advancing our shared mission, and your understanding that the concepts of equity, inclusion, and diversity enhance our students’ learning experiences.

Thank you for your time, attention, and leadership.

The following remarks were delivered by LFA President Tobin F. Terry at the March 2, 2023 meeting of the Lakeland Board of Trustees. At the previous meeting, three trustees were appointed to the trustee-only committee to review diversity, equity, and inclusion/inclusivity language in Lakeland’s plans and policies. The motion to form that committee was approved in the September 1, 2022 board meeting. 

Chairperson Rispoli, Board of Trustees, President Beverage. I am Tobin Terry, president of the Lakeland Faculty Association.

As you probably guessed, I am here to advocate for the inclusion of college students, staff, and faculty on the committee charged with reviewing the words equity, diversity, and inclusion in college documents. As a member of this community, I believe that we have valuable insight to help in shaping the policies that affect us directly.

Many of you likely recall that inclusion, equity, and diversity are, by those terms, crucial to our accreditation by the Higher Learning Commission, our institutional accrediting body. 

Beyond that, a core component of the Higher Learning Commission’s Criterion 5A for accreditation requires that, quote, “Shared governance at the institution engages its internal constituencies—including its governing board, administration, faculty, staff and students—through planning, policies and procedures.”

Also, “The institution’s administration ensures that faculty and, when appropriate, staff and students are involved in setting academic requirements, policy and processes through effective collaborative structures.”

For our accreditation, and perhaps more important, for our community, we must work together. 

To ensure that the committee’s recommendations are truly reflective of the entire Lakeland community’s needs and values, it is important that the committee includes a broad range of voices, including those of students, staff, administration, and faculty.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

The following remarks were offered by LFA President Tobin F. Terry at the February 2, 2023 meeting of the Lakeland Community College Board of Trustees. 

Dr. Beverage, Chairperson Rispoli, and Lakeland Board of Trustees, thank you for the opportunity to speak. I am Tobin Terry, Professor of English and President of the Lakeland Faculty Association.

I’ll start by welcoming Mr. Cornachio and Mr. Rupert to the board and welcome back Ms. Vitaz and Dr. Beverage. I look forward to working with you all.

I also acknowledge the basketball teams, and personally thank them for embodying Lakeland’s winning spirit. Watching them with my children has been meaningful and inspiring.

I’ve addressed the board many times over the last several months regarding equity, inclusion, and diversity and the meaning of those words and their impact on our students. 

Mr. Hebebrand visited our classes last semester and testified to the level of true education that is provided here at Lakeland. With help from the President’s office, you have now been provided a list of classes from all over the college that faculty are formally and personally inviting you, our trustees, to attend.

Please come see for yourself the true education that has been made possible for our students in an inclusive, diverse, and equitable environment.

Finally, I continue to urge the board, as Trustee Frager did before his departure, to change the structure of the special committee to allow for representatives from Lakeland’s students, staff, and faculty. 

Individual trustees, in board meetings and in the press, have stated that the special committee was formed because the board wants to understand what inclusion, equity, and diversity mean at Lakeland. This is an admirable goal, and it is one that cannot be accomplished unless the people who have that information and who are most affected by the board’s decisions are part of the conversation.  

Thank you for your time, attention, and leadership.