IVC trustee accused of inappropriate conduct

IMPERIAL — The Imperial Valley College Board of Trustees on Wednesday voted to authorize an ad hoc committee investigate a female trustee’s allegation of having been inappropriately touched by a male trustee.

The three-member committee will investigate Trustee Karla Sigmond’s allegation that Trustee Rudy Cardenas Jr. inappropriately touched her on the buttock following a closed session board meeting on June 20.

Sigmond had notified then campus President Victor Jaime of the alleged incident a day after its occurrence, and had written to current president Martha Garcia on July 10 asking the board agendize an action item proposing an investigation.

“I trust the process that is in place and the findings will show it was inappropriate behavior,” Sigmond said on Monday. “I will not tolerate it as a trustee and as a woman.”

The resolution authorizing the ad hoc committee’s investigation was unanimously approved by the sevenmember board, and its initial motion to approve had been seconded by Cardenas.

On Monday, Cardenas denied any wrongdoing, as well as Sigmond’s written characterization of what had transpired between them on the day in question.

“It was a real surprise to me that she would make that allegation,” Cardenas said. “I never touched her in the way she said.”

In her July 10 letter to the board, Sigmond stated that Cardenas had touched her right buttock as she was bending over to retrieve some personal belongings from the president’s office.

The alleged physical contact had caused Sigmond to panic and feel nauseous, her letter stated, and prompted Cardenas to allegedly state “Oh, sorry.”

After a brief pause, Cardenas is then alleged to have said, “No, actually I enjoyed it!” Sigmond’s letter stated.

The alleged incident was reportedly observed by fellow Trustee Mark Edney, who subsequently encouraged Sigmond to report the matter to the IVC president, her letter stated.

When reached via email on Monday, Edney chose not to comment on the matter, citing the ongoing investigation.

The three-member ad hoc committee will be comprised of Trustees Jerry Hart, Steve Taylor and Louis Wong. The trio is tasked with conducting a factfinding initiative to be completed within a reasonable period of time to determine the validity of the complaint, the authorized resolution stated.

The committee must also compile a report within a reasonable period of time and present its findings to the board for any potential action.

The alleged incident is being investigated as a possible violation of board policy 2715, which states trustees are to act “in the best interest of the needs of the students we serve; and representing the interests of the district and the community rather than those of special interest groups.”

Cardenas said he had the utmost confidence in the committee members conducting the investigation, and looks forward to sharing his side of the story.

“I believe once the investigation is completed I will be completely exonerated,” he said. “I believe my side of the story is more reasonable.”

Cardenas also disputes that he had told Sigmond during a June 25 phone conversation that he would “plead guilty” to her allegation.

Instead, Cardenas maintains that he had apologized over the phone for having done anything that might have hurt her feelings, but at the time had no idea what Sigmond perceived to have allegedly taken place.

In her letter, Sigmond also alleged that Cardenas had previously directed remarks toward her that had “sexual overtones.”

“They occurred infrequently, so even though I was offended, I tended to ignore them,” her letter stated.

If found to have violated the board policy, Cardenas said he could possibly be censured by the board.

Cardenas has served as an IVC trustee since 1989, while Sigmond has been on the board since 2010. Sigmond, Edney and Taylor are all facing re-lection this November.

The board had last considered disciplinary action against one of its own last summer, when it investigated then-Trustee Juanita Salas, who at the time had also been campaigning for a seat on the Imperial Irrigation District Board of Directors.

Salas, too, had faced an accusation of having violated the same ethics policy as Cardenas. That investigation determined that a class presentation Salas gave on campus had amounted to unsanctioned campaigning.

When the ad hoc committee returned with its findings, it resulted in the board expressing its “disapproval” of Salas’ actions, since by that time she had vacated her seat to join the IID board.