Henry Zimon, one of the losing finalists for the position of president at Bakersfield College, faced tough questions Feb. 16 at an open forum held in the Fireside Lounge at BC.
In his opening statement, Zimon gave a speech focused on his personal life and experience as an army officer and college administrator.
Zimon, a former army colonel, faced a different audience than the other three candidates, however. Before the open forum, information was distributed via e-mail to the faculty that raised questions about Zimon’s credentials. The e-mail pointed to an article written in 2000 and published in the Chronicle of Higher Education, which suggested he had misled administrators by claiming he had written two books listed as “forthcoming” in 1999 on his resume. Neither book is published.
Zimon said the allegations were the product of an “anarchist professor.” He said Achal Mehra, then a journalism professor at Albright College, where Zimon was president, was out to get him from the day they met.
Mehra “physically harassed my wife and I,” Zimon said. “He would intentionally bump into me or into my wife.”
In a phone interview, Mehra denied harassing Zimon or his wife.
“I’m not sure what he’s talking about,” he said. “I have never even met his wife.”
Zimon maintained that the conflict began the first day he met Mehra.”After he was hired at Albright [College], he sent me an email- I still don’t know how he got my email address, but he introduced himself and said, ‘I’m professor Mehra, and I will be your enemy until the last day of your presidency.’ ”
Mehra acknowledges he sent the e-mail but disputes the content.
“What he’s talking about is an Indian proverb that is meant to be a challenge… you will always strive to do better to prove yourself to your enemy,” he said. “It was never meant to be provocative or personal. I just had questions about his resume. And it wasn’t just me. Many faculty members had the same questions.”
He accused Mehra of being motivated by anti-military and anti-religion ideology, which Mehra denied.
When asked to explain why neither book listed on his resume was published, Zimon said one book, titled “CFE: The Making of the Treaty and Its Implications for the Future,” which he claimed was to be co-authored by R. James Woolsey, was scrapped because a similar book surfaced. The Chronicle, however, noted that at the time, Woolsey denied having plans to co-author it. The other book, “Reshaping U.S. National Security Strategy: Peacetime Engagement, Regional Stability, and Global Security”may still be published, he said.
“The interesting thing is it hasn’t been published yet because it is so good that we need to add and make changes to it,” Zimon said.
He again said the controversy was triggered by Mehra blowing things out of proportion.
He went on the attack again, saying Mehra has once been deported for residing in the U.S. illegally.
“He was deported to the country of India after it was found that he was an illegal alien,” he said. “The only way he was able to come back was by bringing one of his students to India. He later married that student and got back in as a spouse.”
Again, Mehra denied it, and accused Zimon of attacking him to dodge questions about his resume.
“First of all, my wife was never my student, not that it would matter if she was,” he said. “And I was never deported. I left the country after I got a notice that my visa had expired.
“I find it remarkable that his whole response is based on personal attacks rather than on explaining his resume. I think it just illustrates what kind of man he is.”
The tough questions did not end there, however.
Beth Kinchla, a 72-year old woman who attended all the forums, attacked Zimon for not being specific enough on what he would do as president.
“I’m just a feeble old lady,” she said. “I pay taxes, and I come here to hear what you have to say, and you don’t give us a single idea of what you would do for BC. Why is it that you refuse to answer any questions? Why won’t you tell us what you would do to improve Bakersfield College?”
A tired-looking Zimon responded: “Well, because I don’t want to say at this point what I would do … I think the purpose of this [forum] was for you to get to know me a little better. I only want to make decisions after listening to the community and after learning about it.
“I’ll have to be honest. I couldn’t tell you what’s best for BC next week, next month, or even next year.”