McCollege: As Dallas College consolidates its campuses, some see crisis

The sun gleamed on a brisk February morning as Richard Menchaca arrived in the parking lot ahead of his first class. Few cars dotted the pavement at Dallas College’s Cedar Valley campus when the integrated reading and writing professor parked his red Chevy HHR. Menchaca had worked exclusively at another Dallas College campus, El Centro, for 55 years, but things had changed. He now teaches just one course at his old stomping grounds in downtown Dallas. His commute sometimes more than triples on days like this, when he weaves through rush-hour traffic to make it on time for his early Cedar Valley lecture in Lancaster. The halls at Cedar Valley were hushed that Tuesday. Menchaca stopped by the office of a colleague and exchanged pleasantries, but soon enough, the talk turned to the conflict that had been festering behind the scenes. Like many others, the men believed that Dallas College hasn’t been the same since it was restructured. What was once a district comprising seven independently accredited colleges, Dallas County Community College District (DCCCD), had merged under one name in 2020 to become more streamlined, updating both its outward brand and internal operations.

Some professors supported the shift to the school’s “one college” model, but Menchaca had accepted his new role as the face of the resistance. Critics say he's a troublemaker who’s clogged the wheels of progress. Supporters laud him as a principled maverick. In 2020, as the pandemic upended life, many workers suddenly faced unemployment. Soon, cuts crept into Dallas College’s roster and hundreds of employees were laid off. Four hundred forty-six of them signed nondisclosure agreements (NDAs) to receive severance pay, costing the county taxpayers more than $12.3 million, Menchaca said. Some who had openly opposed the changes reported that they were retaliated against. Certain older professors at odds with the administration claimed they’d received grueling teaching schedules and suspected it was a calculated move on the school’s part. Last year, Menchaca led a group of full-time faculty in voting on a resolution of no-confidence in the school’s chancellor, Joe May. More than 71% of professors who voted endorsed the resolution. It was the second-largest voter turnout of full-time faculty in the college’s history, Menchaca said. At the time, a Dallas College spokesperson pointed out the vote gauged only a portion of faculty members because it left out adjuncts and part-timers. In response, Menchaca and company have accused the school of trying to spin the narrative. The Observer has heard from numerous professors and students worried and upset by the restructuring, yet few were willing to speak on record. Menchaca described a chaotic and stressful work environment. Chaplains have been sent to campuses, as have therapy dogs.