Harassment claims made agains ASO President

Gustavo Perez, ASO Vice President of Public Relations, said Senator Clinton Smith turned in his badge because of duress from ASO President Claudia Duran. Miller said that Duran’s treatment of her in public and behind closed doors provoked her to also resign from the ASO. Former senator Rondell Holland said he resigned largely because of the unprofessional culture of the ASO.

“I personally did not experience mistreatment because I’m a big guy,” said Holland. “Within the ASO body did I hear about struggles and complaints? Yes. We got to the point where everyone was unhappy. And you’ve got to sit back and go, ‘Okay, what’s going on here?’”

Perez said Duran demonstrated “exaggerated hostility” towards senators and executives alike, and damaged the productivity of the organization.

“She asked for my resignation weekly,” said Perez. “I had to begin to brainstorm ways to survive instead of ways to serve the campus. I was very upset by that. It made my job more difficult.”

The antagonistic climate of the ASO, Perez said, was very noticeable, with harsh stares and gossip, making it an unpleasant place to work.

Duran’s beleaguering of ASO Executive Vice President Angel Castro, Miller said, was so exasperating that Castro contemplated resigning from her position and only remained on the executive board after persuasion from ASO colleagues.

“Claudia would make Angel cry all the time,” said Miller. “I think that was wrong.”

Castro said Duran’s behavior towards her was spiteful and cruel.

“It is true, I was manipulated and emotionally abused at random times by Duran and her friends (who did not attend SWC),” said Castro. “And I did break down a few times, once during an executive meeting. And though I was crying throughout the 90-minute meeting, I stayed for the whole thing because there were items on the agenda that needed to be voted on and reports to make, as well as hear, and I needed to stay, regardless of my feelings.”

Duran denied any knowledge of the complaints from senators.

“Had I known that these allegations existed, I would have been able to approach each one individually,” said Duran.

During an executive board meeting ASO Treasurer Angela Ramirez said senators refrained from approaching Duran out of fear.

“Senators have come up to me saying they can’t really voice out what they want to say because they think Claudia will get mad at them,” she said.

Both Miller and Perez said senators felt they had no one to confide in about the struggles in the ASO because of backlash from Duran and other executives.

Perez said Duran’s conduct as president has been destructive and hurtful.

“The way I’ve seen this mistreatment come from Claudia and her friends has been unjust,” he said. “It’s wrong on a couple of levels. It’s wrong spiritually because these people were harassed when they not should have been. It’s also wrong professionally because this harassment has gotten in the way of business and I think Claudia should be held accountable.”

SWC’s student government experienced the forced resignation of its student affairs coordinator, Craig Moffat, earlier this year, then saw its director of student activities, Arlie Ricasa, placed on administrative leave after the San Diego County District Attorney charged her with multiple felonies in the Proposition R construction scandal. EOPS Director Aaron Stark has done double duty covering Ricasa’s responsibilities. Dr. Gonzalo Quintero was brought in mid-semester as acting student activities coordinator.

Miller said she originally joined the ASO to help give back to the school. She said she is a humanitarian activist who serves so she can help better the world.

“When I finally got in I was excited,” she said. “I was crying, actually. I was so happy to be accepted.”

The experience, said Miller, was not what she expected and the level of harassment provoked her into quitting.

“I spent maybe two semesters on the outside looking in,” said Miller. “I came out with nothing.”