Photo by Sally Gillies for Headline Surfer / Mori Hosseini, chairman/CEO of ICI Homes and philanthropist, and shown above, is looked upon by the accreditation entity for Daytona State College as a meddler in DSC's affairs. And there is no justification for taking that adversarial position with Hosseini.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- In a stunning reversal of its verbal report, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools has decided only one man is responsible for the problems at Daytona State College with no justification, of course: Mori Hosseini. He is a local philanthropist, owner of ICI homes and one of 17 members of the Board of Governors of the Florida State University System. His wife, Forough Hosseini, is on the DSC board. Apparently, when he speaks his mind that is considered undue influence on board members.
SACS’ preliminary report, which indicated that just a couple of adjustments needed to be made by the college to address problems presented by a former employee suffering from sour grape syndrome, disgruntled staffers, and others. This verbal report was presented before the commission even talked to the accusers.
America’s system of justice is pretty much the reverse of this process. The accused always have an opportunity to face their accusers. A judge or jury weighs the evidence and a verdict is given.
This was not the case in Daytona Beach this week where the nameless, faceless accusers met in at the Hilton Hotel to discuss their views with the SACS commission while enjoying approximately $600 in food and beverages.
It is unclear who paid the lodging bill, which approached $8,000. The report the SACS commission issued this week was neither objective nor fair and damaged the reputations of members of the college board.
In fact, it appears that the accusers have used SACS as a tool of revenge with little purpose beyond smearing the names of board members. While everyone is aware that the College Board is under fire, neither the board members nor anyone in the public knows the names of the anonymous accusers.
In addition to being sandbagged, the integrity of the current board has been called into question with unfounded accusations some of which have already been rebutted in the News-Journal.
For example, DSC board member Mary Ann Haas denies she is a rubber stamp for the Hosseinis and has frequently voted on the other side of issues. Haas feels the accusers are not only hurting her, but hurting the college as well. Interim DSC President Frank Lombardo backs her up. But the SACS commission isn't interested in her side of the story.
For example, DSC board member Mary Ann Haas, shown here at left, denies she is a rubber stamp for the Hosseinis and has frequently voted on the other side of issues. Haas feels the accusers are not only hurting her, but hurting the college as well. Interim DSC President Frank Lombardo backs her up. But the SACS commission isn’t interested in her side of the story.
The SACS commission made no reference to a much more serious problem; why did former President Kent Sharples and former trustee Joe Petrock think they could spend $1.5 million of the college’s money to bail out their friends on the Community Cultural Foundation?
Was it all right for Petrock and Sharples to sit on both boards? Wasn’t it Sharples who told then-board chair Stephen Miles to release hundreds of thousands of dollars without board permission?
It would seem that several disgruntled former employees are behind these stealth attacks. Rand Spiwak, former Chief Financial Officer, resigned from the college board of trustees one day and on the next sent a box full of documents to the SACS Commission.
Former DSC board chair Miles must have known that the contract between the Community Cultural Foundation had expired when the college made some of the payments that bailed out his friends on the CCF board. Miles had engaged in a questionable deal with the college to receive services from his radiology company at a reduced rate in exchange for a contract to do some bookkeeping.
Did the any or all above-mentioned and perhaps former board member Mary Bennett attend the secret SACS meeting? What is the motivation behind this so-called “investigation” into the accreditation of Daytona State College? Is it revenge and an attempt to publicly dirty-up the Hosseinis so that the focus of any investigation shifts away from the wrong-doings of the malcontents?
This is just as unfair as the SACS commission’s handling of the issue.