New SMC Board Seated, Reorganizes Administration

By Lookout Staff

December 22 -- Carole Currey, a member of the old guard on the Santa Monica College Board, and Dr. Nancy Greenstein, a former leader of the powerful tenants’ group that is helping to reshape it, were elected as chair and vice chair of the board Monday.

In addition, two new members Dr. Susan Aminoff and Rob Rader -- both of whom received the endorsement of the faculty and Santa Monicans for Renters’ Rights -- were sworn into office for four-year terms, as was Trustee Dr. Margaret Quiñones, who was re-elected to a second term.

Elected in 1979 and serving as chair for the fifth time, Currey succeeds Quiñones in the top post, while Greenstein fills the spot previously held by Currey. The officer posts rotate annually.

The board also voted unanimously in closed session to reorganize the college’s senior administration for one year effective January 1, while it searches for a permanent replacement for outgoing President Dr. Piedad F. Robertson.

Robertson, who has been the college’s top official for a decade, announced she would leave her post next month to head a prestigious national education group.

Dr. Thomas J. Donner, who will serve as interim president in 2005, recommended the temporary changes "to improve the efficiency of senior management" while he serves in his temporary post.

Under the plan Randy Lawson, currently vice president of academic affairs, will become executive vice president, the post that Donner currently holds. The board also reshuffled administrators in four other posts.

In addition, the board voted unanimously to appoint Trustees Herb Roney and Rob Rader to serve as liaisons to the City of Santa Monica and the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District in 2005.

New board Chair Currey has long been involved in a wide range of community and education organizations. She currently teaches current affairs/history classes to older adults and high school diploma courses through the Culver City Unified School District's adult education.

Greenstein, who was elected to the Board of Trustees two years ago, is the Director of Police Community Services at the UCLA Police Department and co-chair emeritus of SMRR. She is also the City of Santa Monica’s representative to the Los Angeles County West Vector District.
Greenstein is a current board member and past president of the Southern California ACLU.

A sociology professor at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Aminoff, who has been a Santa Monica resident for 21 years, has been active in several community college organizations and projects. She has served since 1999 as the chair of the Joint Labor-Management Benefits Committee of the Los Angeles Faculty Guild.

A member of the Bayside District Corporation board, Rader is an entertainment attorney working for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios. Currently, he is Vice President of Business Affairs for MGM Television Distribution, where he is responsible for all domestic pay, free, cable and syndication television licensing.

He also chairs the neighborhood group, the Wilshire/Montana Neighborhood Coalition.