Mt. Hood writing instructor links to CCC controversy
A lengthy and contentious public records search by a student newspaper has focused attention on a high-profile MHCC faculty member and her spouse.
On Tuesday, the Clackamas Print, student-led newspaper for Clackamas Community College (bit.ly/ClackPrintMingo) reported that longtime CCC instructor Andy Mingo abruptly resigned in February 2016 after coming under investigation for falsifying student records.
Mingo is married to Mt. Hood instructor Lidia Yuknavitch. Her recent novels have gained much critical acclaim, locally and nationally.
Relying on internal CCC records and emails, the newspaper reported that Yuknavitch was enrolled at CCC during Mingo’s 12-year stint at the college. It found that the falsified grade records were “likely those of his wife, Lidia Yuknavitch” – though documents cited in the article were heavily redacted due to FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Rights Act) rules that protect the privacy of student education records.
The Print published a January 2016 email to Mingo from Sue Goff, dean of arts and sciences at CCC, that she would recommend “charges of falsifying grade records” and other documents against him. Mingo, a full-time instructor, resigned a month later.
The couple’s attorney told the Print that Mingo denies the allegations. CCC administrators and faculty members declined comment, the Print reported.
According to the Print, Mingo signed an agreement that included a non-disparagement clause. “The… clause begins, ‘The parties agree that neither party shall make disparaging or damaging remarks to the media or other third parties about one another, and that any such remarks would constitute a breach of this agreement.’”
The story followed a year’s effort by the Print. The Clackamas County District Attorney twice ordered the college to comply with public records laws after the newspaper’s effort stalled, the newspaper reported.
The Print said that Mingo and Yuknavitch’s personal attorney, Lisanne Butterfield, “initially called and sent emails threatening to sue student reporters for invasion of the couple’s ‘privacy.’ ”
Reporters from the Advocate reached out to Butterfield, who spoke with the paper off-the-record regarding the situation. There is currently no legal action taking place, she said.
The Advocate also emailed Yuknavitch; as of print time she has not responded.
I am curious about something, and I have wondered if anyone else has thought about this…
***What would Mr. Mingo have to gain by falsifying student records…???***
I have read both articles written about this situation. The one in CCC’s The Print and this one here.
I see nothing that leads to motive other than Mingo’s wife was enrolled as a student at one point while Mingo was an instructor there.
It also appears to me that apart from speculation, you have no *real* evidence. ie: “It found that the falsified grade records were “likely those of his wife, Lidia Yuknavitch” – though documents cited in the article were heavily redacted due to FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Rights Act) rules that protect the privacy of student education records.”
In addition to no evidence and no motive, publishing now smells salacious and like an attempt to cash in on likely page hits due to the name recognition of the subjects involved. It is an invasion of privacy, in that I found it based search engine results of supposedly FERPA protected names alone.
And yet, I can’t figure out from the reporting what is meant to be inferred. I have to assume inside, petty community college level in-fighting that someone was convinced was a good idea to put out there for any random reader to find for posterity. Sloppy, and certainly not a positive recommendation for Oregon academia.