The fix is in at the largest community college in the nation.
They couldn’t change the rules and requirements in the middle of the search for a new president, so the Miami Dade College Board of Trustees — which is rumored to have a former Republican lawmaker-turned-lobbyist in mind for the job — scrapped the whole process Wednesday and decided to start over.
All but one member, chairman Bernie Navarro, voted to begin a new search 
open to new candidates. Only one current candidate from the selection committee’s shortlisted four, Vice President and Provost Lenore Rodicio (pictured left), is still in the running. The only inside candidate, a faculty favorite, issued a statement saying she was disappointed but hopeful.
“At this point, I am left with no choice but to await the board’s final decision and pray that whatever decision that is, it’s in the best interest of our students,” Rodicio said.
But, at this point, wait and pray seems moot and foolish. Because the board obviously didn’t get who they wanted in the first round.
Who is that? For months, las malas lenguas have been saying that 
person is former State Rep. Jose Felix “Pepi” Diaz, who lost a bid for state senate last year. That’s why a new board with Gov. Ron DeSantis appointees wanted to water down the criteria in May to require only a master’s degree, instead of a doctorate, and far less education experience. So “Selfie King” Diaz could get the job. Word leaked. Opponents, including the college faculty union balked, and the new board members with these crazy ideas backed down. Now this.
At Wednesday’s meeting, several faculty members, students and other observers shouted “shame” and labor attorney and faculty union president Mark Richard ripped into the board during comments.
“The soul of this college is being ripped apart today. We don’t believe in this process any longer,” Richard said. “This is the saddest day of my 40 years as a faculty member at this college.”
Several of the highly respected members of 17-person search committee have said they feel disrespected and would not participate in the process again. Miami Foundation CEO Javier Soto called it a “farce.”
Two other names have come up as possibilities: Former Congressman Carlos Curbelo and State Sen. Manny Diaz, Jr. But Curbelo, a former Miami-Dade School Board member and former Congressman who recently announced he would not seek to regain his seat, has hinted he wants to run for Miami-Dade mayor, where he can get a lot more pay to play. And Diaz Jr. is even more unqualified than Pepi Diaz. Even, perhaps, a conflict of interest, seeing as how he works for and represents the charter school industry. Ladra thinks the faculty would walk out and students would hold a sit-in.
Read related: Jose Felix Diaz outspends Annette Taddeo 3 to 1 plus — but loses anyway
But Pepi Diaz — who was once fired
by Donald Trump on The Apprentice — is the most consistent name mentioned (since April!) when this politicized process is discussed. After losing a bitterly fought special election against Annette Taddeo in 2017, Diaz left Akerman Senterfitt, joined Ballard Partners, a leading Florida lobbying firm, as nothing less than Executive Vice President, and became partner at Panza, Maurer and Maynard. He’s also done a bit of travelling this summer — going to Seattle (pictured at the space needle, left) and Vancouver on business and the Smoky Mountains and Universal Studios in Orlando with his family. Ladra tried but could not reach him.
So, he’s a busy guy, likely making loads of money. He is registered for no fewer than 19 companies or firms at Miami-Dade County, including Dell Technologies, Bell Helicopters, Florida East Coast Railways and Miami Beckham United. He will make more when he can start lobbying at the state level in Tallahassee after his ban is lifted next year. But, on the other hand, the college president’s job could pay around or more than half a million a year and offers sizable perks and a comfortable, prestigious place to primp and keep a public profile on a key national issue so he can run for office in the future.
Plus it gives the the GOP leadership another swipe at MDC President Eduardo Padrón, who naturally wants to leave the beloved community school he nurtured into a top notch nationally-recognized institution in good, capable hands. Padrón does not want to see his post become an attaboy political prize to a good Party boy who raised lots of money for local and state Republicans, including House Speaker Jose Oliva, Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez — who used to work for MDC Board of Trustees member Carlos Migoya — and former (termed-out) State Rep. Michael Bileca, Diaz’s BFF in Tallahassee, who just happens to be another board member.
Sure, they won the battle when Oliva defeated Padrón’s attempt to get a five-
year, half-penny sales tax to fix leaky roofs, renovate old buildings, add classrooms, faculty and technology, beef up scholarship programs and, perhaps, build two new satellite campuses.
But Padrón embarrassed Oliva. He correctly and courageously called out the powerful lawmaker and three of his flying monkeys (former State Reps. Frank Artiles, Bileca — now a board member! — and Carlos Trujillo) as “bullies” for holding back the legislation — which would have simply provided Miami-Dade voters the opportunity to vote on the tax, which polls show had overwhelming support.
Read related: Miami Dade College tax battle still brews after big fight
But Padrón had the harshest words for Oliva, who he said was a college “dropout” born with a silver spoon in his mouth.
Oliva — who went on to arm teachers, call pregnant women “host bodies” and hold firefighter health protection back as a political vendetta — apparently likes a good grudge (firefighters better watch their backs next year). It seems much too important to him to make anyone who slights him pay the price, no 
matter how much it costs the community.
Miami Dade College, with the largest undergraduate enrollment (170,000 students from almost 200 countries) in the United States, is a lot of important things. It is one of the top employers in the county, not only because of the jobs there but also because of the jobs it prepares people for. It is one of the top educators, having graduated more minority students in the past 25 years than any other higher-ed institution in the country. It is an economic engine, supplying hundreds of vendors and contractors with jobs and encouraging entrepreneurship.
And it is a lifeline to affordable higher education and better quality of life for hundreds of thousands of people who have gone there to get a leg up.
But it is not a political reward.
The community should show this untrustworthy board — between now and their next meeting in two weeks — that we won’t let them turn it into one.
Political palanca puts Miami Dade College president search on pause added by Ladra on
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Devil’s Advocate, I have a grunt for you: Ugh. The upper level admininistrators are required to earn doctorates, and an increasing number of the faculty have earned doctorates. Youur suggestion, which merely parrots the board’s weak and unreasonable thinking, shows no understanding of or respect for an academic institution, scholarly inquiry, and educationaln achievement. I don’t want a dentist with an MBA instead of a D.D.S. I don’t want an attorney with an M.A in political science instead of a J.D. Oh,wait — hat couldn’t happen. THOSE professions have standards.
Would it not be advantageous for the students to have someone who could secure state and other resources for the students and faculty of MDC?
Pepi Diaz was able to get computers donated to the libraries/schools.
You should evaluate their resumes on whom has been able to deliver best for the community already. Who has a record of being able to leverage their influence to best serve their constituency and nonprofit work….
Bringing in a person from the outside who has no relations in the state legislature is actually not serving the students and faculty well….
We need someone who knows all of the players and is able to navigate the nuanced systems already in place.
A doctoral degree sounds great, but this position actually needs to be someone with proven leadership and administrator skills.
We should look at the whole picture. Ideally, it would be someone with an advanced degree who is a proven leader in Miami-Dade County with well-established relationships.
As someone who studied journalism and mass communications at what once Miami-Dade Community College – South Campus (now Kendall), I’m horrified that Dr. Padron will be replaced by a political flunky. I think the job of College President should go to someone who knows the College well and has a genuine interest in making sure that students at M-DC get the best education possible, rather than a political operator with GOP connections. Robert McCabe, who was the College President when I attended, is probably spinning in his grave.
Shame. On the Board. In my years as a faculty member, union organizer and Faculty Senate President I was proud to serve on many search committees. We kept high standards ‘, never watered down education credentials and recruited top candidates again and again. Hopefully the search will still be a strenuous one for a top notch leader. Since retirement everywhere I travel in the world the Miami Dade brand is held very high.
For the Board to pull this outrageous stunt on final selection night after a long and thorough selection process by a search firm and a dedicated screening committee is a disgrace. They said that they had one most favored candidate who appears to be highly qualified. They should have selected her at this meeting. In a second selection process, what qualified candidate will apply after all of the original candidates were rejected by the Board? Will any distinguished external citizen agree to serve on any new screening committee after the first committee was so disrespected to have all of their finalists rejected?
Republicans are always busy trying to subvert the election process —- why would this be any different? Thank you for the true picture!
Gov. DeSantis has no freaking business trying to
control MDC or our education. (1) You don’t reward republican lobbyists
with college presidencies.
It didn’t work when they made
Modest Matique president of
FIU and it will be worse for MDC. All Matique did was use college funds to build a
new house for himself and cater to Bush/Cheney, and
the republican lobbyists he
wants for consideration are
Trump lackys. (2) Where
has anything Trump, Scott,
or DeSantis done to prove
they give a crap about education or our schools.
Example Betsy Divos?
Case closed.
This is an absolute disgrace. Miami Dade College is not only the nation’s most important and historic Community College, providing 60 years of visionary and exceptional education for the thousands of young students that have gone on to become pillars of our South Florida’s community, but has become a beacon and example of leadership, integrity and students’ first Institution. And to now see it being thrown out as bait to please some newbie political ignoramus whose only claim to fame is as a lobbyist and friend of friends, with no educational background or interest… what kind of a dirty sham is this? Let’s appeal directly to our Gov, Ron DeSantis, who has shown he understands and respects Florida’s national treasures, such as the restoration of our Everglades. As such, Miami Dade College has become through the years, another of Florida’s gems… this can not be ignored! DO NOT DEGRADE the requirements of a NEW COLLEGE PRESIDENT! If he or she does not have the proper background, that person will never have the respect of the students nor the community. THIS NEW BOARD OF TRUSTEES apparently does not care ONE BIT about the importance of EDUCATION. GET RID OF THIS BOARD whose interest is naming their own friends for another political appointment. MIAMI DADE COLLEGE DESERVES BETTER.
Why Waste Our time ? Should get the lobbyist around and let them make a decision for All , The Student interest is a PRIORITY but Not Politically Correct ?
What a shame ! MDC is such an important institution led by an iconic educational President .
It was never going to be easy to replace Padron . MDC under his leadership has afforded opportunity for thousands of MD residents.
He has been instrumental in the growing g diversification of the MD economy .
Hiring based upon political allegiance rather than educational competence will potentially alter the course of this outstanding institution
Shame on the Governor and those he has appointed in this bold move to subvert the selection process .
If they are successful folks like in Puerto Rico should take to the streets in protest
Didn’t Alex Acosta just get off a flight to Miami?
From reading the article, seems there was only 1 qualified “faculty favorite” who seems qualified: Lenore Rodicio. Standards cannot be watered down for a position of this size. Thank you for the article.
“Quítate tu pa’ ponerme yo” that is the motto of the recycled Miami Dade County politicians who fight as cats and dogs to reap the scraps of power. It is not about education or the benefit of the common citizen. It is about how much influence and power they can wield by controlling multi million dollar contracts and getting paid with benefits on the back end. The sad part of it all is that most involved are Cuban born or first generation and lack the historical perspective to remember that such similar corrupt behavior brought their old country a six decade dictatorial regime.
No sense of community, society, honesty or morality. From dog catcher to the governor, this state is a cesspool.
You are so right. What brought us here is what we continue to practice, all at the expense of our community. But then again, we have never believed in community or country, rather, only in our self-serving interests. The sad but true story of the exile community. Después de 60 años, continuamos con más de lo mismo. Somos los tontos útiles.
Miami is full of dumb spics, why not have one leading the local college, eh, te gusta ?