Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs

State auditor knocks Imperial Valley College for under-reported hate crime

Darrell Issa staffer on UN junket to New York

A new report by the California State Auditor’s office on violations of the federal Clery Act, an crime disclosure law, has singled out the Imperial Valley Community College District for failing to fully report an unspecified hate crime allegedly committed at the district’s Imperial Valley College.
A new report by the California State Auditor’s office on violations of the federal Clery Act, an crime disclosure law, has singled out the Imperial Valley Community College District for failing to fully report an unspecified hate crime allegedly committed at the district’s Imperial Valley College.

I.V. haters

A new report by the California State Auditor’s office on violations of the federal Clery Act, an crime disclosure law, has singled out the Imperial Valley Community College District for failing to fully report an unspecified hate crime allegedly committed at the district’s Imperial Valley College. “Imperial Valley improperly determined that it should not report an intimidation hate crime because the case was under investigation by local law enforcement,” says the July 30 audit report. “However, law enforcement had not determined that this case was unfounded; therefore, it was inappropriate for Imperial Valley to omit this reported crime from its statistics.”

The school’s website portrays Imperial as “an inclusive and supportive learning environment where all students can thrive, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity,” and claims the college has made it standard policy to “collect and verify reports of bullying, harassment, or intimidation based on real or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity.”

Darrell Issa wants his advisor to be U.N.-informed.

But auditors reported they found otherwise regarding the Clery Act, which mandates annual disclosure of a range of criminal activity at academic institutions. “Imperial Valley’s associate vice president of human resources said she believes that management turnover is the primary cause of Imperial Valley’s difficulties complying with the Clery Act, because that turnover has led to a loss of institutional knowledge, disruption in trainings, and delays in policy updates. She also explained that prior to our audit, she was not familiar with all Clery Act requirements.”

Adds the report: “According to Imperial Valley’s vice president of administrative services, the institution identified the need for a campus safety plan in April 2023. It subsequently developed a plan, but finalization and approval of the plan has been delayed because of a vacancy in the campus safety manager position since December 2023.”

Imperial was one of six California academic institutions included in the latest audit. All schools failed their examinations, at least in part, the report says. “This audit focused on six institutions, some public and some private, from across the State: California State University, Chico; Imperial Valley College; Mount Saint Mary’s University, Los Angeles; Orange Coast College; University of San Diego; and University of California, Santa Cruz.

“We based our selection on a number of factors, including the number of crimes each institution reported to the U.S. Department of Education, the institution’s geographic location, the type of institution, and whether we had previously audited the institution.” The University of San Diego came in for criticism that it was over-reporting crime at the school. “These reporting errors can mislead interested parties, such as prospective students, about campus safety. San Diego’s Clery Act compliance manager said she strongly believes that additional specialized Clery‐specific training would be useful for staff campus wide, particularly for staff involved in preparing crime reports and serving on the institution’s Clery committee. The compliance manager indicated that she shares some training opportunities, such as webinars, with other Clery committee members and relevant campus partners, but the university does not require its staff to take any specific Clery Act training.”


Junketing oversight 

A top staffer to House Republican Darrell Issa, who last year helped United Nations critic Donald Trump clear the path to renomination at the GOP convention in 2024, spent part of his D.C. summer break on a gratis trip with other congressional staffers to New York City, courtesy of the non-profit United Nations Foundation.

“The trip will provide Mark Erste [Jr.] foreign policy advisor to Congressman Issa, the opportunity to discuss the world’s most pressing humanitarian challenges with representatives from major U.N. organizations, learn about their programing, and conduct oversight over the use of U.S. taxpayer dollars by these organizations,” says an August 6 disclosure of Erste’s two-day overnight trip, beginning July 25.

Sponsored
Sponsored

Events attended, according to the document, included “Meetings with U.N. officials to better understand the U.N., Tours of the U.N., and meeting with U.S. diplomatic representatives to the U.N.” Erste’s transportation expenses amounted to $537, with lodging at the Westin Grand Central billed at $225, and total meals at $213.46.

Per the trip disclosure report, “The U.N. Foundation (UNF) works to educate all Americans, including the U.S. Congress, on the importance of a strong U.S.-U.N. relationship. Over the course of this trip, the delegation will meet with several high-level U.N. and U.S. officials, offering congressional staff an opportunity to learn about multilateral efforts to respond to a number of political, economic, and humanitarian crises. UNF is the primary sponsor of this trip and is organizing all aspects of the program and logistics. UNF handles all outreach to congressional offices and is the contact for planning purposes.”

Influence Watch, a conservative website, says the group is “a private charitable nonprofit organization that supports the initiatives and advocacy of the United Nations. CNN founder and environmentalist activist Ted Turner created the Foundation in 1997 with a ten-year, $1 billion pledge.” Most of the cash since then has come from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, per Influence Watch.

“Between 2020 and 2022, the United Nations Foundation donated roughly $5.4 million in grants to 12 state government offices, listed as ‘U.N. strengthening,’ as part of its ‘U.S. Climate Alliance’ initiative to coordinate environmental policies with Democrat-led states,” says the website. “According to Fox News, the initiative was started following then-President Donald Trump withdrawing the United States from the U.N. Paris Climate Accords in 2017.”


Government-related bodies

After more than a year of slash-and-burn job cuts by vulture investor firm Alden Global Capital and its Media News Group, the firm is advertising for new reporters at two of its San Diego papers, acquired last year from Los Angeles billionaire Patrick Soon-Shiong. “The La Jolla Light, a weekly Union-Tribune Community Press publication, has an opening for a full-time reporter,” says last week’s job notice. “We are looking for a journalist who will immerse themselves in coverage of community news, including government-related bodies, schools, sports, businesses, local personalities, entertainment, real estate, health and science. The hourly wage is $21.63. Pay is based on several factors including but not limited to education, work experience, time in role, certifications, etc. In addition to your salary, Media News Group offers a comprehensive benefits package, and 401K plan (all benefits are based on eligibility).”

Would Patrick Soon-Shiong recognize his old paper?

Meanwhile, over at the Union-Tribune, once the flagship of the now defunct Copley chain, “a reporter to cover the East County, including the communities of Santee, La Mesa, El Cajon and Lemon Grove and the more rural areas of the region,” is wanted. “We are looking for a versatile journalist who will immerse themselves in city government and become well-versed in the issues important to each city and the region at large. The successful candidate must be able to juggle aggressive beat work and breaking news while occasionally bringing an enterprise approach to the beat, focusing on deeply reported, high-impact journalism. The hourly wage is $26.44-$28.85.”

— Matt Potter

(@sdmattpotter)

The Reader offers $25 for news tips published in this column. Call our voice mail at 619-235-3000, ext. 440, or sandiegoreader.com/staff/matt-potter/contact/.

The latest copy of the Reader

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Live Five: Greyboy Allstars, Acoustic Revolt, Scary Pierre, Thee Sacred Souls, Glass Spells

Anniversaries, record releases, and fundraisers in Solana Beach, Ocean Beach, Little Italy, and Midway District
Next Article

San Diego Holiday Experiences

As soon as Halloween is over, it's Christmas time in my mind
A new report by the California State Auditor’s office on violations of the federal Clery Act, an crime disclosure law, has singled out the Imperial Valley Community College District for failing to fully report an unspecified hate crime allegedly committed at the district’s Imperial Valley College.
A new report by the California State Auditor’s office on violations of the federal Clery Act, an crime disclosure law, has singled out the Imperial Valley Community College District for failing to fully report an unspecified hate crime allegedly committed at the district’s Imperial Valley College.

I.V. haters

A new report by the California State Auditor’s office on violations of the federal Clery Act, an crime disclosure law, has singled out the Imperial Valley Community College District for failing to fully report an unspecified hate crime allegedly committed at the district’s Imperial Valley College. “Imperial Valley improperly determined that it should not report an intimidation hate crime because the case was under investigation by local law enforcement,” says the July 30 audit report. “However, law enforcement had not determined that this case was unfounded; therefore, it was inappropriate for Imperial Valley to omit this reported crime from its statistics.”

The school’s website portrays Imperial as “an inclusive and supportive learning environment where all students can thrive, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity,” and claims the college has made it standard policy to “collect and verify reports of bullying, harassment, or intimidation based on real or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity.”

Darrell Issa wants his advisor to be U.N.-informed.

But auditors reported they found otherwise regarding the Clery Act, which mandates annual disclosure of a range of criminal activity at academic institutions. “Imperial Valley’s associate vice president of human resources said she believes that management turnover is the primary cause of Imperial Valley’s difficulties complying with the Clery Act, because that turnover has led to a loss of institutional knowledge, disruption in trainings, and delays in policy updates. She also explained that prior to our audit, she was not familiar with all Clery Act requirements.”

Adds the report: “According to Imperial Valley’s vice president of administrative services, the institution identified the need for a campus safety plan in April 2023. It subsequently developed a plan, but finalization and approval of the plan has been delayed because of a vacancy in the campus safety manager position since December 2023.”

Imperial was one of six California academic institutions included in the latest audit. All schools failed their examinations, at least in part, the report says. “This audit focused on six institutions, some public and some private, from across the State: California State University, Chico; Imperial Valley College; Mount Saint Mary’s University, Los Angeles; Orange Coast College; University of San Diego; and University of California, Santa Cruz.

“We based our selection on a number of factors, including the number of crimes each institution reported to the U.S. Department of Education, the institution’s geographic location, the type of institution, and whether we had previously audited the institution.” The University of San Diego came in for criticism that it was over-reporting crime at the school. “These reporting errors can mislead interested parties, such as prospective students, about campus safety. San Diego’s Clery Act compliance manager said she strongly believes that additional specialized Clery‐specific training would be useful for staff campus wide, particularly for staff involved in preparing crime reports and serving on the institution’s Clery committee. The compliance manager indicated that she shares some training opportunities, such as webinars, with other Clery committee members and relevant campus partners, but the university does not require its staff to take any specific Clery Act training.”


Junketing oversight 

A top staffer to House Republican Darrell Issa, who last year helped United Nations critic Donald Trump clear the path to renomination at the GOP convention in 2024, spent part of his D.C. summer break on a gratis trip with other congressional staffers to New York City, courtesy of the non-profit United Nations Foundation.

“The trip will provide Mark Erste [Jr.] foreign policy advisor to Congressman Issa, the opportunity to discuss the world’s most pressing humanitarian challenges with representatives from major U.N. organizations, learn about their programing, and conduct oversight over the use of U.S. taxpayer dollars by these organizations,” says an August 6 disclosure of Erste’s two-day overnight trip, beginning July 25.

Sponsored
Sponsored

Events attended, according to the document, included “Meetings with U.N. officials to better understand the U.N., Tours of the U.N., and meeting with U.S. diplomatic representatives to the U.N.” Erste’s transportation expenses amounted to $537, with lodging at the Westin Grand Central billed at $225, and total meals at $213.46.

Per the trip disclosure report, “The U.N. Foundation (UNF) works to educate all Americans, including the U.S. Congress, on the importance of a strong U.S.-U.N. relationship. Over the course of this trip, the delegation will meet with several high-level U.N. and U.S. officials, offering congressional staff an opportunity to learn about multilateral efforts to respond to a number of political, economic, and humanitarian crises. UNF is the primary sponsor of this trip and is organizing all aspects of the program and logistics. UNF handles all outreach to congressional offices and is the contact for planning purposes.”

Influence Watch, a conservative website, says the group is “a private charitable nonprofit organization that supports the initiatives and advocacy of the United Nations. CNN founder and environmentalist activist Ted Turner created the Foundation in 1997 with a ten-year, $1 billion pledge.” Most of the cash since then has come from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, per Influence Watch.

“Between 2020 and 2022, the United Nations Foundation donated roughly $5.4 million in grants to 12 state government offices, listed as ‘U.N. strengthening,’ as part of its ‘U.S. Climate Alliance’ initiative to coordinate environmental policies with Democrat-led states,” says the website. “According to Fox News, the initiative was started following then-President Donald Trump withdrawing the United States from the U.N. Paris Climate Accords in 2017.”


Government-related bodies

After more than a year of slash-and-burn job cuts by vulture investor firm Alden Global Capital and its Media News Group, the firm is advertising for new reporters at two of its San Diego papers, acquired last year from Los Angeles billionaire Patrick Soon-Shiong. “The La Jolla Light, a weekly Union-Tribune Community Press publication, has an opening for a full-time reporter,” says last week’s job notice. “We are looking for a journalist who will immerse themselves in coverage of community news, including government-related bodies, schools, sports, businesses, local personalities, entertainment, real estate, health and science. The hourly wage is $21.63. Pay is based on several factors including but not limited to education, work experience, time in role, certifications, etc. In addition to your salary, Media News Group offers a comprehensive benefits package, and 401K plan (all benefits are based on eligibility).”

Would Patrick Soon-Shiong recognize his old paper?

Meanwhile, over at the Union-Tribune, once the flagship of the now defunct Copley chain, “a reporter to cover the East County, including the communities of Santee, La Mesa, El Cajon and Lemon Grove and the more rural areas of the region,” is wanted. “We are looking for a versatile journalist who will immerse themselves in city government and become well-versed in the issues important to each city and the region at large. The successful candidate must be able to juggle aggressive beat work and breaking news while occasionally bringing an enterprise approach to the beat, focusing on deeply reported, high-impact journalism. The hourly wage is $26.44-$28.85.”

— Matt Potter

(@sdmattpotter)

The Reader offers $25 for news tips published in this column. Call our voice mail at 619-235-3000, ext. 440, or sandiegoreader.com/staff/matt-potter/contact/.

Comments
Sponsored

The latest copy of the Reader

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

San Diego Holiday Experiences

As soon as Halloween is over, it's Christmas time in my mind
Next Article

Birdwatching bonanza, earliest sunset of the year, bulb planting time

Venus shines its brightest
Comments
Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed Big Screen — Movie commentary Blurt — Music's inside track Booze News — San Diego spirits Classical Music — Immortal beauty Classifieds — Free and easy Cover Stories — Front-page features Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts Feast! — Food & drink reviews Feature Stories — Local news & stories Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore From the Archives — Spotlight on the past Golden Dreams — Talk of the town The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it Letters — Our inbox Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news News Ticker — News & politics Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated Poetry — The old and the new Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers Reading — The hunt for intellectuals Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds SD on the QT — Almost factual news Sheep and Goats — Places of worship Special Issues — The best of Street Style — San Diego streets have style Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves Theater — On stage in San Diego this week Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads Your Week — Daily event picks
4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
Close

Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

This Week’s Reader This Week’s Reader