Bay Area

Court Ruling Temporarily Blocks Mills College Merger with Northeastern University

Mills College began formal talks to merge with Northeastern in June. In March, the college had said “mounting financial challenges” meant it would most likely close after 2023.

Published

3 years ago

August 11, 2021

Isabelle Price

Photo courtesy of element5digital via unsplash

Mills College in Oakland has temporarily been blocked from moving forward with its plans to merge with Northeastern University in Boston after a trustee alleged the school was withholding information about the merger.

Mills College began formal talks to merge with Northeastern in June. In March, the college had said “mounting financial challenges” meant it would most likely close after 2023.

But under the pending agreement, it would remain open as Mills College at Northeastern University and become gender-inclusive for all students. Previously, Mills College’s undergraduate program was only open to women and nonbinary students.

That agreement was halted August 5 after an Alameda County Superior Court judge issued a temporary restraining order based on a motion by Tara Singh, a former member of the school’s board of trustees, and Viji Nakka-Cammauf, a current trustee and president of the Alumnae Association of Mills College.

In the motion, Nakka-Cammauf alleges that the college has withheld financial information and planning documents, among other information, that has kept her from performing her duties as a member of the board.

College President Elizabeth Hillman said in a statement that Nakka-Cammauf was given “more than ample” information about the potential partnership and the Board of Trustees as a group was confident in the amount of information it had received.

In July, the school administration offered Nakka-Cammauf the opportunity to review hard copies of the information on campus so long as she did not bring legal counsel or financial analysts with her or make copies of the documents without the school’s approval.

Nakka-Cammauf rejected the offer and petitioned the court to require the school to provide the documents in an accessible manner, a move that Hillman called an “unfortunate side-show engineered by the AAMC and its lawyers,” but Alexa Pagonas, vice president of the Alumnae Association of Mills College Board of Governors, said it was necessary to push the college for more transparency about its financial state.

The merger has been opposed by the Save Mills College Coalition, a group of students, faculty, staff, parents and alumnae founded after the initial March announcement that Mills College would likely close in 2023.

In a statement, the group said the merger would “certainly terminate Mills’ historic mission, character, and status as an independent women’s college.”

The coalition commissioned a report by Stefano Falconi with the consulting firm Berkeley Research Group that said assets such as Mill’s endowment, alumni support, valuable land and artistic and literary collections could be used to keep the college open without a merger.

In February 2020, the Western Association of Schools and Colleges’ Senior College and University Commission reaffirmed Mills College’s accreditation and commended their “significant strides” in identifying alternative sources of revenue such as land resources.

In its report, the commission states that the college’s auditors did not identify any significant issues and that the U.S. Department of Education has rated the school as “financially sound” for the past several years.

However, the commission also identified that Mills College had been incurring operating losses from fiscal years 2011 through 2018 due to decreasing enrollment and was operating on a significant deficit in its budget for fiscal year 2020. The report also notes that the school had not met several of its key initiatives in its 2017 Financial Stabilization Plan designed to balance the budget.

Despite this, the commission reported that “If the market continues to perform well, there are sufficient reserves to support operational deficits for several years” — a point the Save Mills College Coalition stresses in its argument to remain open without the merger.

“It is deeply disappointing that the AAMC claims surprise and seeks to assign blame for financial challenges that the College, and smaller liberal arts institutions like it all across the nation, have been facing — and publicly addressing — for many years,” Hillman said in a statement.

The court’s action stops Mills College from taking any action toward potential partnerships, including the merger with Northeastern University. However, the judge also did not immediately grant access to the information Nakka-Cammauf requested, instead setting an August 16 hearing on the motion.

A Board of Trustees vote on the merger previously scheduled for August 12 has also been canceled.

Isabelle Price

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Oakland Post: Week of June 12-18, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of June 12-18, 2024

Published

3 days ago

June 14, 2024

Oakland Post

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Art

Mayor Breed, Actor Morris Chestnut Attend S.F.’s Indie Night Film Festival

On June 1, the acclaimed Los Angeles-based Indie Night Film Festival arrived at the Kabuki Theater in San Francisco. San Francisco native Dave Brown, Founder and CEO of the Indie Night Film Festival, has a vision for the film industry that is squarely focused on promoting the many talented producers, actors, and designers contributing to this billion-dollar industry. The festival has been running for 12 years and it’s only up from here, he says.

Published

3 days ago

June 13, 2024

Oakland Post

(Left to Right) Dave Brown, CEO, Indie Night Festival, San Francisco Mayor London Breed, and actor Morris Chestnut. Photo by Y’Anad Burrell

By Y’Anad Burrell

On June 1, the acclaimed Los Angeles-based Indie Night Film Festival arrived at the Kabuki Theater in San Francisco.

San Francisco native Dave Brown, Founder and CEO of the Indie Night Film Festival, has a vision for the film industry that is squarely focused on promoting the many talented producers, actors, and designers contributing to this billion-dollar industry. The festival has been running for 12 years and it’s only up from here, he says.

A weekly celebration of cinematic artistry designed to elevate emerging talent while providing a platform for networking and collaboration, entrepreneur Dave Brown created Indie Night to bridge gaps within the filmmaking community by fostering connections between like-minded individuals worldwide. The Indie Film Festival currently has over 450 film submissions worldwide, and its cinematic vault only continues to grow.

The festival showcased over 10 short films and trailers, and featured Faces of the “City: Fighting for the Soul of America,” produced by veteran actor Tisha Campbell. This film is about the vibrancy and legacy of San Francisco. The festival also previewed “When It Reigns,” a trailer by Oakland’s burgeoning filmmaker Jamaica René.

Indie films have not just challenged traditional cinematic norms; they’ve shattered them. These films offer unique storytelling perspectives and push creative boundaries in truly inspiring ways. With their smaller budgets and independent spirit, they often tackle unconventional subjects and portray diverse characters, providing a refreshing alternative to mainstream cinema. As a result, indie films have resonated with audiences seeking an escape from formulaic blockbusters and are increasingly celebrated for their authenticity and originality.

Organizers say the mission of Indie Night is to elevate the craft of independent artists and creators. It also provides a venue for them to showcase their work, network, and exchange information with new and established creatives. It creates a community that values and supports independent art.

For more about the Indie Night Film Festival, visit www.indienightfilmfestival.com.

Oakland Post

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Bay Area

Sen. Wiener, Mayor Breed Announce Bill to Shut Down Fencing of Stolen Goods

On June 3, San Francisco Mayor London N. Breed joined State Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) to announce a bill aiming to combat fencing, the sale of stolen goods. Authored by Wiener and sponsored by Breed, Senate Bill (SB) 925 would allow San Francisco to create permitting requirements to regulate the sale of items commonly obtained through retail theft and impose criminal penalties for those who engage in this practice.

Published

3 days ago

June 13, 2024

Oakland Post

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By Oakland Post Staff

On June 3, San Francisco Mayor London N. Breed joined State Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) to announce a bill aiming to combat fencing, the sale of stolen goods.

Authored by Wiener and sponsored by Breed, Senate Bill (SB) 925 would allow San Francisco to create permitting requirements to regulate the sale of items commonly obtained through retail theft and impose criminal penalties for those who engage in this practice.

“The sale of stolen items in San Francisco has created unsafe street conditions and health and safety hazards that have negatively impacted residents, businesses, City workers, and legitimate street vendors,” states a statement released by the mayor’s office.

San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) Chief Bill Scott praised the effort.

“I want to thank Mayor Breed and Senator Wiener for identifying new ways to combat the illegal fencing of stolen goods. This will help our hard-working officers continue to make progress in cracking down on retail theft,” said Scott.

Under the legislation, San Francisco can require vendors to obtain a permit to be able to sell items deemed as frequently stolen by asking for documentation that the merchandise was obtained legitimately, such as showing proof of purchase.

The legislation also establishes that those in violation would receive an infraction for the first two offenses and an infraction or a misdemeanor and up to six months in county jail for the third offense.

Under this bill, people can still:

Sell goods with a permit
Sell prepared food with a permit
Sell goods on the list of frequently stolen items with a permit and proof of purchase.

“In San Francisco we are working hard to make our streets safer and more welcoming for all. SB 925 would greatly help us get a handle on the sale of stolen goods, all while taking a narrow approach that specifically targets bad actors,” said Breed.

Wiener says the cultural richness of San Francisco and the livelihoods of legitimate street vendors are threatened when bad actors are allowed to openly sell stolen goods on the city’s streets.

“With this bill we’re taking a balanced approach that respects the critical role street vending plays in our community while holding fencing operations accountable for the disruption they cause. It’s critical that everyone feel safe on our streets, including street vendors and neighborhood residents,” said Wiener.