Mat-Su College director resigns

February 19, 2006

JOEL DAVIDSON\Frontiersman reporter

PALMER - Mat-Su College Director Paul Dauphinais resigned Friday, and the University of Alaska Anchorage generated a brief press release stating he will be reassigned to the UAA campus as officials select an interim director this week.

Dauphinais could not be reached Saturday to discuss whether his resignation is related to an internal audit of the college, which has expanded into a larger investigation of the school.

On Feb. 10, Mat-Su College's business manager, Debbie Dickey, was placed on administrative leave, after working at the college for 23 years.

&#8220They asked for my keys and my university credit card and asked me to leave,” Dickey said earlier this week. &#8220I'm only aware of them doing this one other time since I've been at the college, and that person was in trouble.”

But Dickey claims to be in the dark regarding her indefinite leave. &#8220I was not given a reason,” she said. &#8220I don't have a clue.”

On Saturday, Dickey said she had hired a lawyer and would not answer any further questions regarding her administrative leave. However, she expressed surprise that Dauphinais had stepped down from his position.

Steve Lindbeck, UA's vice chancellor for university advancement said Dickey's leave is due to the fact that the investigation involves personnel matters as well as university resources. He would not say if Dauphinais was also under investigation.

&#8220I can't comment on Dr. Dauphinais,” he said. &#8220We have an obligation to protect our personnel and also to protect university resources.”

Dauphinais said Monday that he could not comment on the investigation because it is ongoing. &#8220As far as I know this is confidential information,” he said.

In January, the University of Alaska authorized an initial audit of the Mat-Su campus after a faculty union alleged numerous payroll errors, including over- and underpayments that were left uncorrected for more than a year.

Union leaders from the Alaska Community College Federation of Teachers said they suggested the university investigate MSC after attempts to resolve the issues with college leadership were unsuccessful.

The payroll errors involved only a handful of employees who were told to pay back any overpayments or else they may be terminated.

In a letter to staff last week, Dauphinais explained that the college made repeated attempts to secure the overpayments.

ACCFT union spokeswoman Marcia Stratton said most of the payroll problems have now been resolved but other issues have come to light during the investigation. She declined to elaborate, however, until the investigation is complete.

&#8220We know that as a result of the payroll audit which we requested, a number of other issues have come up,” she said Friday. &#8220It's the nature of these things; you start on one avenue and then end up finding some other things.”

After working at the college for five years, maintenance employee Jim Taliaferro said he turned in his resignation letter last month due to what he called the lack of concern for the morale and mental health of the university employees as well as problems he had with the upper management.

On Thursday, university officials interviewed him as part of their ongoing investigation.

Taliaferro said he didn't want to elaborate on what he told the auditors out of fear that he might hamper their investigation.

&#8220I'm just trying to give the auditors what they need without muddying the waters,” he said. &#8220Everyone is trying to keep this hush hush for now.”

Taliaferro did say that his main problem involved the way employees are treated at the college.

&#8220Management walks around there with a chip on their shoulder,” he said, &#8220and they are held to a different standard.”

Dave Read, the director of UA's Department of Internal Audit, said he couldn't say for sure when the investigation would wrap up. &#8220It depends on what issues we find,” he said. &#8220I hesitate to put an end date on it.”

Once the audit report is completed, however, Lindbeck said it should be a matter of public record.

Frontiersman reporter Dawn De Busk contributed to this story.