The Sims Hot Date: Katharine Muller's Romantic Getaway

In Spring 2004, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger appointed both J. Steven Rhodes and Margaret Quinones to the California Community College Board of Governors. During this same year, Quinones is successful in her "Friends of Margaret Quinones" re-election campaign for a seat on Santa Monica College's Board of Trustees. Note that J. Steven Rhodes was the chief advisor to Vice President George Bush roughly during the same period that Joan Abrahamson was assistant chief of staff. Abrahamson eventually becomes one of two program directors for SMC's Academy of Entertainment and Technology (AET) and continues to sit on the AET President's Advisory Board under a consultant contract with SMC.

Governor Schwarzenegger appoints both Quinones and Rhodes to the California Community College Board of Governors while also appointing then SMC President and Superintendent Piedad Robertson to his transition team. Richard Riordan, Secretary of Education, also utilizes Robertson during this time. As we mentioned previously, both Riordan and Robertson contributed to Quinones' SMC Board of Trustees re-election campaign.

Now that Quinones is back on board for another term at SMC, she is able to keep the consulting contract money flowing to Rhodes former Bush associate, Joan Abrahamson, in addition to SMC Professor Jim Keeshen under his fictitious company, Studio Animatics. Abrahamson signs a consultant contract with SMC as an outside consultant. In her required tax information to SMC, she states that she is working as an individual consultant, yet she has her SMC payments made through her non-profit public policy Jefferson Institute. Quinones also rewards Robertson's loyalty by increasing her salary to over $200,000, making her the state's highest paid community college president.

Despite this lucrative salary and the support of all her alleged cronies, Robertson eventually receives her second vote of no-confidence in her career in tandem with a poor accreditation of SMC from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges in 2004. On or about January 2005, Robertson leaves SMC to take over the Education Commission of the States in Denver, Colorado. The ECS is considered a national education think tank that shapes public policy. Eventually, former SMC Administrators, William L. Shade and Winniphred Stone join Robertson.

Before coming to Santa Monica College, Robertson was Vice President for Public Affairs and President at Miami-Dade Community College in Miami, Florida from 1980 to 1988. SMC Dean of External Programs, Katharine Muller, also worked at Miami-Dade. Let's examine her background and employment history.

Upon attaining a Master of Education with a major in Guidance and Counseling from Florida Atlantic University in Boca, Raton, Florida in June 1969, Katharine Muller obtains a job at Miami-Dade Community College District. She remains at Miami-Dade until 1997, when she is brought in by Robertson to oversee the newly created Academy of Entertainment & Technology. Let's see how Muller rose through the ranks of Miami-Dade's employment ladder, taken from her resume:

8/69-8/78:
Miami-Dade Community College, New World Center Campus
Faculty, Counselor, Advisor

8/78-5/79:
Miami-Dade Community, Medical Center Campus
Chair, Mental Health Technology

3/79-8/84:
Miami-Dade Community, Medical Center Campus
Coordinator, Student Activities & Organizations

9/84-9/87:
Miami-Dade Community College District
District Director of Special Events

9/87-6/88:
Miami-Dade Community College District
District Director of Marketing

6/88-9/97:
Miami-Dade Community College District
District Director of Academic Programs

Provide leadership and management for the development and maintenance of curriculum, curriculum systems and curriculum documents; provide college wide leadership, monitoring and liaison for international education, out of district programs and technical assistance; provide college wide leadership, monitoring and liaison for dual enrollment.

So, in 1988, when Robertson resigns from her presidency at Miami-Dade, Muller is put in place to hone her skills in dual enrollment and curriculum, skills that would become useful to Robertson when she places Muller in charge of SMC's Academy. Here's Muller's employment history for SMC AET, again taken from the same resume:

9/97-Present:
Santa Monica Community College District
Dean of External Programs & Academy of Entertainment & Technology.

Responsible for four SMC satellite sites, including the development and maintenance all instructional and student support services for satellites sites. Planned and developed the Academy of Entertainment and Technology. Develop and maintain industry contacts for Academy programs.

From 1991 to 1995, Robertson served as Massachusetts Secretary of Education, appointed by Governor William Weld. One of Robertson's duties was to supervise the drafting of a comprehensive K-12 Education Reform Act. She also worked furiously to establish charter schools throughout the state. Winniphred Stone was the Senior Policy Analyst in the Executive Office of Education in Massachusetts. In 1995, Robertson moves into power at SMC, eventually bringing in her friends, Winniphred Stone, Katharine Muller, and William Shade. As previously mentioned, Shade was Chief of Staff for the ECS. According to a cached page from the ECS website:

William L. Shade joined ECS as chief of staff in February 2005. He oversees ECS operations and coordinates the activity of all ECS departments. Shade has executive-level experience in government, higher education and the private sector. This includes service on the staffs of Governor Bob Graham of Florida and the Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives, and as vice chancellor for public affairs of the State University System of Florida, vice president for planning and development of Santa Monica College, and manager of external relations of the Florida Power and Light Company. He also has taught political science and public administration at Florida State University, Southern Illinois University and the University of Scranton.

So, it is conceivable that both Robertson and Muller knew Shade in Florida. In any event, he was brought by Robertson to SMC to serve under her administration. An interesting news flash: William L. Shade has vanished from the ECS website! Now, he only recently joined the ECS in February 2005, a month after Robertson became president. What happened to him? I can't find any information whatsoever pertaining to any departure or resignation from the ECS. Is someone trying to hide something here from us? Is it mere coincidence that Shade vanishes from the ECS staff directory within a few weeks of someone at the ECS reading the SAVE SMC Blog according to our traffic meter? Where is Shade now? What is Robertson up to at the ECS?

According to the ECS Form 990 ECS 2004 tax filings, Ted Sanders, the former president of the ECS, made $222,637 in compensation and $13,399 in "expense account and other allowances." Robertson will reel in the same salary or perhaps a bit more. Winniphred Stone, as Vice President of Planning and Development for the ECS should take in well over $110,000 plus perks. According to the 2004 ECS Form 990, "The Mission of the Education Commission of the States is to assist governors, state legislators, state education officials and others to identify, develop and implement public policy for education that addresses current and future needs of a learning society." So, by virtue of this mission, it is beneficial for Robertson to convince ECS Chairman and Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee to appoint Joan Abrahamson to his Governor’s Commission on the Arts in Education. After all, she runs her public policy Jefferson Institute, which has received large sums of money from SMC.

And what do we have here in the ECS tax filings? In 2001, the California Department of Education in Sacramento, California donates $160,007 to the ECS while Robertson is President of SMC. This is the same year that Robertson helps Stone, Muller, Abrahamson, and Keeshen obtain their largest SMC Board of Trustee approved grants and consultant contracts. Money is really flowing through the California educational system and federal government. No one is really paying attention, that is, until the tragedy of 9/11 abruptly shuts off the money valve as the government shifts its gears to national security issues.


(EDITOR'S NOTE: PHOTO PARODY - NOT TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY!)

THE SIMS: HOT DATE – KATHARINE MULLER’S ROMANTIC GETAWAY

Let's see how Robertson, Shade, and Muller use their ties to Florida to shape public policy at the ECS. In 2003, the State of Florida donates $10,000 as does the Florida Department of Education under cash grants and allocations. In 2004, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts' Department of Education donates $5000. This is mere pocket change compared to the $160,007 donation from the California taxpayers. Let's see what the ECS does with all this money.

On or about July 13, 2005, SMC Dean of External Programs Katharine Muller and Steve Seabolt, Vice President of Human Resources for Electronic Arts, Inc. (EA), take a little romantic getaway to the ECS under the guise of participating in the Workforce Development for the Creative Economy. Seabolt also acts as "Head of Strategic University Relationships" for EA. Of course the ECS has now deleted all references to this session from their website as they did with their references to William Shade. Fortunately, we've retained cached copies of this information.

In 2004, EA comes to the University of Central Florida (UCF) in search of "hiring hundreds of first-rate programmers, artists and video-game producers to keep pace with the growing demands of the industry." In April of that year, EA with the help of the "Economic Development Commission and other industrial partners helped UCF secure funding from the State of Florida to develop and implement an immersive, real-world video game program" for UCF's Florida Interactive Entertainment Academy (FIEA). FIEA is located in Orlando, Florida.

How much funding did FIEA obtain? FIEA walked away with $4.2 million in grant money from the state of Florida budget signed by Governor Jeb Bush! This is almost four times what Santa Monica College's AET vocational school launched with back in 1997 thanks to then California Governor Pete Wilson's generosity. Perhaps this exponential amount of money takes inflation into consideration or at least the belief in the success of UCF's new Multimedia grad school over SMC's community college satellite vocational school.

Here's the summary of the July 13, 2005 ECS session #343 entitled: Workforce Development for the Creative Economy:

Is the United States on the verge of losing its competitive edge in the global economy? In addition to the changing demographics, outsourcing and technological innovations that continue to transform the nature of work in the 21st century, a creativity gap is emerging between the United States and other countries around the globe. Policymakers increasingly are looking to postsecondary education to produce a new "creative class" – workers and citizens capable of producing new ideas to sustain both America's economy and democracy. Join panelists from different sectors of the nation's creative community as they discuss the role of postsecondary education in shaping the future of the creative economy in the United States.

The participants are listed as Randy Cohen (Vice President, Research and Information, Americans for the Arts, District of Columbia), Antonio Flores (President and Chief Executive Officer, Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities), Katharine Muller (Dean of External Programs, Santa Monica College, California), and Steve Seabolt (Vice President, Human Resources, Electronic Arts, Inc.).

According to the ECS's website, the Outcomes for this event were as follows:

1. Learn about demographic and economic projections and what they mean for workforce preparedness and global competitiveness.

2. Have a better understanding of the role postsecondary education plays in preparing the "new creative class."

Take home policy options and strategies to ensure education institutions develop more workers able to compete in the world economy and join the creative class.

Now, let's backtrack to Electronic Art's previous visits to Santa Monica College's Academy of Entertainment & Technology. On or about October 21, 2004, EA came to AET for a meeting with Dean Katharine Muller and AET Professor of Animation, Jim Keeshen. I do not know who else attended that meeting. At the time, I was a teaching assistant for several of Keeshen's courses as well as a current student at AET. EA allegedly came to SMC's Academy to discuss potential jobs and internships for AET students. After the meeting, Keeshen informed me that EA wouldn't hire anyone at AET. At this time that Muller allegedly knew this information, she concealed this fact from AET students.

Despite EA's reluctance, on or about March 15, 2005, Electronic Arts came to the Academy to allegedly speak to students about their company as well as about their summer internship program and full-time positions. A memorandum was distributed on or about March 2, 2005 by AET Internship Coordinator Gloria Mottler. This memorandum was titled "Urgent Notification." It additionally stated: "This is a great opportunity, please plan to attend!"

What was the outcome of all of EA's participation at AET? To the best of my knowledge, according to the students who participated in these interviews, none were given internships with EA. It was a very depressing day at the AET computer lab for these talented students. Muller, Mottler, and EA crushed their creative spirits. According to SMC's AET Internship and Job Placement data provided under the California Public Records Act, Electronic Arts is shown as providing only one internship and one hire between the period of 1998 to October 2005. Given the doctored internship records for Jim Keeshen Productions, one should take this pathetic data with a grain of salt.

Remember how AET Chairman Bill Lancaster glowed to the media about jumping on the video game bandwagon? Well, EA, the top video game industry company in the United States, never even bothered to sit on the AET Entertainment Industry Advisory Board. So, wouldn't it have been better for Katharine Muller to revive those idle entertainment industry partners AET already allegedly had rather than try to wheel and deal with heavy hitter EA? Not necessarily, especially if Muller had a hidden person agenda with Steve Seabolt.

In an email from Katharine Muller to Steve Seabolt, dated June 1, 2005, she wrote the following regarding her recruitment of Seabolt for the July ECS session: "There are too many bureaucrats on this panel from my perspective if we want to have credibility with policy makers. It has been my experience that when industry representatives make presentations with us in Sacramento legislators sit up and listen. So I am projecting that the same would be true on a national level." Again, on July 14, 2005, Muller wrote the following to Seabolt: "I feel strongly we need to keep hammering at educators and policy makers to effect the changes necessary to make education and training rigorous enough for all students so that they have the foundation and skills to be productive."

So, Muller should practice what she preaches. How is she providing the AET students with a solid foundation of skills when the AET program is disintegrating before our very eyes? In the wake of Muller's nine year reign and six-figure salary, certificates and classes are being cut, courses are losing units, professors and industry partners are dropping like flies, and our students are not being offered the internships and jobs promised. Most importantly, SMC has not produced a single email or letter between Muller and Seabolt regarding any correspondence pertaining to EA's role at SMC. Muller can take the time to write to him about E3 and about the ECS, but she cannot thank Electronic Arts for taking the time to come to the Academy of Entertainment and Technology. Or, alternatively, does SMC not want us to know what really transpired in those secret EA meetings with Muller, Mottler, and Keeshen? Why isn't SMC able to produce any documents pertaining to EA's March 15, 2005 presentation and interviews on the AET campus?

Back in sunny Florida, FIEA opens its educational doors on or about August 2005. This is only a month after Muller and Seabolt meet with Robertson and Shade at the ECS! So, it appears that Muller and Seabolt worked hand-in-hand to ensure the success of AET's competitor, FIEA. Isn't that considered a conflict of interest on Muller's part as SMC Dean of External Programs? Of course Muller and Seabolt needed the help of Robertson and Shade to make this all possible. Given the fact that both individuals were former administrators of SMC, wasn't this a bit unethical on their part? Both Robertson and Shade helped Muller with the creation of AET. Wasn't it their duty to remain loyal to AET's failing vocational program? What was the payoff for everyone at the ECS in the EA FIEA deal?

Well, if you examine the ECS's 2003 form 990 tax filing, you'll see that the ECS owns 571,315 shares of the Vanguard Index 500. In fact, Vanguard is the only securities held by the ECS during this period. With various Vanguard flavored funds, the ECS controls 2,884,149 shares. Oh, and what a coincidence: the sixth largest mutual fund holder of Electronic Arts, Inc. (ERTS) is the Vanguard Index Fund with 2,874,260 shares as reported on December 31, 2004 with a total estimated value of $177,284,356! So, could it be assumed that Robertson, Shade, Muller, and Seabolt together had a vested interest in EA's new school in Florida?


THE ELECTRONIC ARTS - ECS SIMS NIGHTLIFE HOT DATE COLLECTION. FROM LEFT TO RIGHT:
KATHARINE MULLER, PIEDAD ROBERTSON, EA MODEL, MIKE HUCKABEE, AND WINNIPHRED STONE.
(EDITOR'S NOTE: PHOTO PARODY - NOT TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY!)

THE SIMS 2: UNIVERSITY – THE EA-USC VIDEO GAME CASHCOW

Now, as Dean of External Programs at SMC, shouldn't Katharine Muller's involvement in this ECS event have benefited the students at AET? Shouldn't it have helped the AET students obtain employment with EA? According to a statement made by SMC AET Professor Jim Keeshen on or about September 26, 2005, "Well EA said to us that they're not really interested in anybody other than USC."

On or about March 23, 2004, the University of Southern California (USC) receives eight million dollars from EA to "fund a Master's Program in designing video games. The funding will establish both the Electronic Arts Interactive Entertainment Program and the Electronic Arts Endowed Faculty Chair. The donation was made to USC's School of Cinema-Television."

Remember that Joan Abrahamson gets appointed to ECS Chair Mike Huckabee's Governor’s Commission on the Arts in Education. Abrahamson also worked to create AET and sits on its Advisory Board. However, she also is on the Board of Councilors for USC! You can view her short biography and photo on USC's website HERE. Is there a conflict of interest here as well? Where's the EA money, jobs, and internships for AET students? Why wasn't EA on our AET Advisory Board?

According to the Lowell Alumni Association online report for Spring 2005, both Joan Abrahamson and Electronic Arts donated to Lowell. EA donated matching funds while Abrahamson graduated Lowell high school in 1969. According to Lowell's official Alumni website, it lists Abrahamson as follows:

Joan Abrahamson '69, B.A. Yale; M.A. Stanford; Ph.D. Harvard; J.D. UCB; President, the Jefferson Institute, Los Angeles. President, the Jonas Salk Foundation; Macarthur Fellow; Director, the National Geographic Society (1999).

Yet, Abrahamson pulled in $5200 a month plus expenses for consultant work for AET, the Institute for International Trade, and "other projects in the planning and development area." Shouldn't she, too, have focused her efforts on securing EA's industry commitment to AET? Was it a conflict of interest for her to remain on the advisory board of two alleged educational competitors?

While FIEA takes off with flying colors, poor AET professor Jeannie Novak gets her ET 42 Game Development class cut down from a 16 week 3 unit course to an 8 week 1 unit course. Furthermore, according to Dean Muller, this course doesn't even warrant computer lab privileges. Do I smell a bit of hypocrisy and breach of fiduciary duty at AET?

Also, the AET Project Management Track falls through, but not until then AET Professor Carol Kirschner secures a $15,000 consultant contract with SMC. So much for her wonderful 15-page analysis of the Project Management Track. Curiously, FIEA offers a specialization in project management as well as in animation, 3D modeling, and software development. The "Academy will train game developers, many of whom will be hired locally and at healthy salaries." History does repeat itself. Yet, despite Santa Monica College's June 1997 presentation to the California Postsecondary Education Commission regarding AET, the Gameworks program never launches and those tens of thousands of high paying salaries for AET graduates never materialize. FIEA is located in Orlando, Florida, right next to all those wonderful theme parks such as Disney World. While FIEA will probably benefit from its locality, AET's Theme Park Entertainment major shriveled up and died under Muller's administration.

Where did John Theodore "Ted" Sanders go after he handed over the ECS to Robertson? Sanders became the Executive Chairman of the Cardean Learning Group, "a prominent online education company." Well, I'm sure he'll utilize new ECS Vice President of Planning and Development Winniphred Stone's expertise. After all, Stone was Associate Dean of Distance Education at SMC thanks to Robertson. Oh, and here's another coincidence: Sanders was the United States Deputy Secretary of Education in the first Bush Administration, appointed in 1989. He may have known Joan Abrahamson and J. Steven Rhodes. Rhodes was nominated as U.S. Ambassador to Zimbabwe in November 1989.

Before coming to the ECS, Sanders was president of the Southern Illinois University. This was the same school where William Shade taught political science and public administration, according to Shade’s ECS biography. Sanders was forced to resign from his position effective February 2000. Even though Sander's left the ECS, he continues to maintain close ties with his former employer through Robertson and Anne L. Bryant. Bryant is the ECS Advisory Commissioner. All three individuals are on the Broad Foundation 2005 review board for the Broad Prize for Urban Education.

What a tangled web we weave. Except, this time, it is the students at the Academy of Entertainment and Technology who are being devoured alive by this public policy spider.

-- Des Manttari,
Editor-in-Chief,
Phoenix Genesis

(c) 2006: Phoenix Genesis/MBS LP

Editor's Note: Des Manttari is a current student at Santa Monica College's Academy of Entertainment & Technology. She received an MFA Degree from UCLA's School of Theater, Film and Television in conjunction with USC's School of Cinema-Television in 1992. She also runs a financial portfolio with includes stock in Electronic Arts, Inc. (ERTS).

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