Restore Trust at Wenatchee Valley College: A Petition for New Presidential Leadership
The Issue
Petition to the Wenatchee Valley College Board of Trustees
To the Members of the Board of Trustees:
We, the undersigned students, employees, alumni, taxpayers, and members of the community, respectfully ask the Board of Trustees to exercise its authority under President Faimous Harrison's employment contract to terminate his employment for convenience and begin a transparent search for new leadership at Wenatchee Valley College.
This petition is not a vote against Wenatchee Valley College, it is a vote of confidence in its students, faculty, staff, and future. We believe the institution is stronger than its current leadership and deserves the opportunity to move forward under new direction.
This request is not based upon one disagreement or isolated event. Rather, it reflects a growing pattern of concerns regarding the direction of the College, its governance, and the erosion of public confidence in its leadership.
Over the past several years, Wenatchee Valley College has experienced:
- Significant employee turnover affecting faculty, staff, and administrators.
- Budget reductions that have limited course offerings and opportunities for students.
- An accreditation Warning issued by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU).
- Multiple lawsuits and Public Records Act litigation involving the College.
- Public controversy surrounding text messages exchanged between members of the Board of Trustees and senior administrators that have raised legitimate concerns regarding governance, professionalism, and transparency.
- Growing concern among students, employees, alumni, and community members that confidence in the College's leadership has been substantially diminished.
These issues affect far more than the administration. They directly impact students trying to complete their education, faculty and staff committed to serving them, and the communities that rely upon Wenatchee Valley College.
The Board unanimously renewed President Harrison's contract in November 2025. Since then, additional public records released under Washington's Public Records Act have raised legitimate questions about the process leading to that renewal. Those records include communications discussing support for President Harrison, his contract extension, public statements, and messaging surrounding the Board meeting.
While these communications do not, by themselves, establish wrongdoing or unlawful conduct, they have created the appearance that important governance decisions may have been discussed privately before the public meeting. Public confidence requires not only fairness, but the appearance of fairness.
At the same time, Wenatchee Valley College's own 2026 Comprehensive Self-Evaluation Report, prepared for NWCCU, acknowledges continuing challenges involving financial health, employee satisfaction, communication, shared governance, institutional planning, and campus climate. The report recognizes the need to improve transparency, rebuild trust, strengthen communication, and address workplace concerns throughout the institution.
These are not criticisms made solely by outside observers. They are concerns acknowledged by the College itself.
NWCCU has likewise placed Wenatchee Valley College on Warning, requiring continued oversight and additional review before the College can demonstrate that these issues have been adequately addressed.
Meanwhile, students continue to face reduced course offerings, employees continue to describe declining morale, and public confidence continues to erode.
The purpose of this petition is not to attack President Harrison personally.
Leadership carries responsibility.
When confidence in leadership has been substantially diminished, it becomes the responsibility of the Board of Trustees to determine whether continuing under the current administration serves the long-term interests of Wenatchee Valley College.
Fortunately, the President's employment contract gives the Board exactly that authority. Under Section IX of the contract, the Board may terminate the President for convenience, without cause, at its sole discretion.
The Board does not need to conclude that misconduct occurred.
The Board need only determine whether continuing under the current administration is in the best interests of Wenatchee Valley College.
We respectfully believe it is not.
Wenatchee Valley College deserves leadership that restores trust, strengthens shared governance, improves communication, retains talented employees, protects accreditation, and places students, not politics or personalities, at the center of every decision.
We respectfully ask the Board of Trustees to:
- Exercise its contractual authority to terminate President Harrison's employment for convenience.
- Appoint interim leadership focused on restoring stability, transparency, and trust.
- Conduct a transparent nationwide search for the next President of Wenatchee Valley College.
- Reaffirm the Board's commitment to independent oversight, accountability, and good governance.
- Place the long-term interests of students, employees, and the community above loyalty to any individual administrator.
The future of Wenatchee Valley College is too important to allow continued division, uncertainty, and declining confidence.
Students deserve better.
Faculty deserve better.
Staff deserve better.
The communities served by Wenatchee Valley College deserve better.
If you believe Wenatchee Valley College deserves new leadership and a renewed commitment to transparency, accountability, and student success, please sign and share this petition.
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Sources and Supporting Documents
We encourage every signer to review the underlying records and reach their own conclusions.
Official Accreditation Information
Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)
Official accreditation status for Wenatchee Valley College.
https://nwccu.org/institutional-directory/wenatchee-valley-college/
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WVC 2026 Comprehensive Self-Evaluation Report
WVC's official accreditation self-evaluation discussing institutional effectiveness, governance, finances, employee satisfaction, shared governance, campus climate, and plans for improvement.
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NCWLife Coverage of the NWCCU Warning
"Wenatchee Valley College gets warning from accreditation body over management, harassment issues."
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Contract Renewal
"WVC Board of Trustees unanimously renews President Harrison's contract."
https://www.wenatcheeworld.com/education/wvc-board-of-trustees-unanimously-renews-president-s-contract/article_1736bf34-5544-5b84-a934-fca5e0672cf8.html
and
The Contract:
https://wvc.edu/about/leadership/board-of-trustees/media/documents/WVC-Board-of-Trustees-Packet-Nov19-2025.pdf (Pages 92-95)
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Public Records, Released Text Messages, and Governance Analysis
Public records obtained under Washington's Public Records Act, including released text messages and analysis of governance issues.
https://wenatcheevalleycollege.com/news
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Community Experiences and Concerns
Letters and statements submitted by current and former students, employees, alumni, and community members regarding leadership, morale, turnover, campus climate, and institutional direction.
https://sites.google.com/view/concernedforwvc/home
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About These Sources
This petition relies on official accreditation records, Wenatchee Valley College's own institutional reports, Board materials, published news reporting, records released under Washington's Public Records Act, and statements submitted by members of the WVC community.
Personal and anonymous statements are presented as the experiences and opinions of their authors and should be understood in that context. Readers are encouraged to review the underlying records and reach their own independent conclusions.
83
The Issue
Petition to the Wenatchee Valley College Board of Trustees
To the Members of the Board of Trustees:
We, the undersigned students, employees, alumni, taxpayers, and members of the community, respectfully ask the Board of Trustees to exercise its authority under President Faimous Harrison's employment contract to terminate his employment for convenience and begin a transparent search for new leadership at Wenatchee Valley College.
This petition is not a vote against Wenatchee Valley College, it is a vote of confidence in its students, faculty, staff, and future. We believe the institution is stronger than its current leadership and deserves the opportunity to move forward under new direction.
This request is not based upon one disagreement or isolated event. Rather, it reflects a growing pattern of concerns regarding the direction of the College, its governance, and the erosion of public confidence in its leadership.
Over the past several years, Wenatchee Valley College has experienced:
- Significant employee turnover affecting faculty, staff, and administrators.
- Budget reductions that have limited course offerings and opportunities for students.
- An accreditation Warning issued by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU).
- Multiple lawsuits and Public Records Act litigation involving the College.
- Public controversy surrounding text messages exchanged between members of the Board of Trustees and senior administrators that have raised legitimate concerns regarding governance, professionalism, and transparency.
- Growing concern among students, employees, alumni, and community members that confidence in the College's leadership has been substantially diminished.
These issues affect far more than the administration. They directly impact students trying to complete their education, faculty and staff committed to serving them, and the communities that rely upon Wenatchee Valley College.
The Board unanimously renewed President Harrison's contract in November 2025. Since then, additional public records released under Washington's Public Records Act have raised legitimate questions about the process leading to that renewal. Those records include communications discussing support for President Harrison, his contract extension, public statements, and messaging surrounding the Board meeting.
While these communications do not, by themselves, establish wrongdoing or unlawful conduct, they have created the appearance that important governance decisions may have been discussed privately before the public meeting. Public confidence requires not only fairness, but the appearance of fairness.
At the same time, Wenatchee Valley College's own 2026 Comprehensive Self-Evaluation Report, prepared for NWCCU, acknowledges continuing challenges involving financial health, employee satisfaction, communication, shared governance, institutional planning, and campus climate. The report recognizes the need to improve transparency, rebuild trust, strengthen communication, and address workplace concerns throughout the institution.
These are not criticisms made solely by outside observers. They are concerns acknowledged by the College itself.
NWCCU has likewise placed Wenatchee Valley College on Warning, requiring continued oversight and additional review before the College can demonstrate that these issues have been adequately addressed.
Meanwhile, students continue to face reduced course offerings, employees continue to describe declining morale, and public confidence continues to erode.
The purpose of this petition is not to attack President Harrison personally.
Leadership carries responsibility.
When confidence in leadership has been substantially diminished, it becomes the responsibility of the Board of Trustees to determine whether continuing under the current administration serves the long-term interests of Wenatchee Valley College.
Fortunately, the President's employment contract gives the Board exactly that authority. Under Section IX of the contract, the Board may terminate the President for convenience, without cause, at its sole discretion.
The Board does not need to conclude that misconduct occurred.
The Board need only determine whether continuing under the current administration is in the best interests of Wenatchee Valley College.
We respectfully believe it is not.
Wenatchee Valley College deserves leadership that restores trust, strengthens shared governance, improves communication, retains talented employees, protects accreditation, and places students, not politics or personalities, at the center of every decision.
We respectfully ask the Board of Trustees to:
- Exercise its contractual authority to terminate President Harrison's employment for convenience.
- Appoint interim leadership focused on restoring stability, transparency, and trust.
- Conduct a transparent nationwide search for the next President of Wenatchee Valley College.
- Reaffirm the Board's commitment to independent oversight, accountability, and good governance.
- Place the long-term interests of students, employees, and the community above loyalty to any individual administrator.
The future of Wenatchee Valley College is too important to allow continued division, uncertainty, and declining confidence.
Students deserve better.
Faculty deserve better.
Staff deserve better.
The communities served by Wenatchee Valley College deserve better.
If you believe Wenatchee Valley College deserves new leadership and a renewed commitment to transparency, accountability, and student success, please sign and share this petition.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Sources and Supporting Documents
We encourage every signer to review the underlying records and reach their own conclusions.
Official Accreditation Information
Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)
Official accreditation status for Wenatchee Valley College.
https://nwccu.org/institutional-directory/wenatchee-valley-college/
-------------------------------------------------------------------
WVC 2026 Comprehensive Self-Evaluation Report
WVC's official accreditation self-evaluation discussing institutional effectiveness, governance, finances, employee satisfaction, shared governance, campus climate, and plans for improvement.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
NCWLife Coverage of the NWCCU Warning
"Wenatchee Valley College gets warning from accreditation body over management, harassment issues."
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Contract Renewal
"WVC Board of Trustees unanimously renews President Harrison's contract."
https://www.wenatcheeworld.com/education/wvc-board-of-trustees-unanimously-renews-president-s-contract/article_1736bf34-5544-5b84-a934-fca5e0672cf8.html
and
The Contract:
https://wvc.edu/about/leadership/board-of-trustees/media/documents/WVC-Board-of-Trustees-Packet-Nov19-2025.pdf (Pages 92-95)
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Public Records, Released Text Messages, and Governance Analysis
Public records obtained under Washington's Public Records Act, including released text messages and analysis of governance issues.
https://wenatcheevalleycollege.com/news
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Community Experiences and Concerns
Letters and statements submitted by current and former students, employees, alumni, and community members regarding leadership, morale, turnover, campus climate, and institutional direction.
https://sites.google.com/view/concernedforwvc/home
-------------------------------------------------------------------
About These Sources
This petition relies on official accreditation records, Wenatchee Valley College's own institutional reports, Board materials, published news reporting, records released under Washington's Public Records Act, and statements submitted by members of the WVC community.
Personal and anonymous statements are presented as the experiences and opinions of their authors and should be understood in that context. Readers are encouraged to review the underlying records and reach their own independent conclusions.
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Petition created on July 31, 2026