COLLEGE PRESIDENTS GET POOR GRADES; BING FAILED TO CORRECT PIERCE CAMPUS'S TAILSPIN, BOARD SAYS.

Byline: Sharline Chiang Daily News Staff Writer

Despite repeated warnings, Pierce College President E. Bing Inocencio failed to improve community relations, hire a second in command and remedy fiscal woes since he was appointed 2-1/2 years ago, Los Angeles college district officials said Friday.

It cost him his job.

The Los Angeles Community College District board of trustees voted Wednesday not to renew Inocencio's three-year contract, which will end May 31.

The board will vote to create a search committee for a new president at its Dec. 2 meeting, trustees said. Until then, Inocencio remains in the post.

``There had been some serious problems at Pierce for some time,'' board President Elizabeth Garfield said.

``We felt that it was important to have someone run Pierce who has the ability to administrate and put it on a strong financial footing. And Bing had unfortunately been unable to do that.''

Inocencio did not return repeated calls.

Reasons cited by board members for their decision included:

Pierce wound up the 1997-98 year with a $1.8 million deficit, the larger amount among the district's two colleges that ended with negative balances.

Declining enrollment. Pierce saw the steepest drop in student enrollment among the district's nine campuses this year. This fall, the school enrolled about 13,300 students, about 10 percent fewer than last year. In the late '80s, enrollment had reached 24,000.

When hired, Inocencio was told to appoint a permanent vice president of administration. Nadar Farnoush served as an interim until fall 1997, and the seat is still not filled.

None of the college's top officials, including Inocencio, attended a conference to host potential bidders for the college farm last month, leaving developers stranded and waiting for a promised tour of the farm.

Students and community members flooded trustees with complaints that Inocencio failed to listen to their views, especially their opposition to plans to develop the farm.

On Friday, Georgia Mercer, the only board member from the San Fernando Valley, said that ever since she arrived on the board five months ago, she received complaints about Inocencio's lack of communication.

``It seems that we really need strong leadership and support of the whole community . . . and you can't lead if nobody is following,'' Mercer said.

The board's decision comes at a time when the 51-year-old campus is moving rapidly forward with two ambitious, money-making projects: a golf course or other money-making venture on its 240 acres of farmland and a biotech park. Together, they could bring the college more than $2 million a year.

Trustees said they acted this week because Inocencio's employment agreement had an automatic three-year renewal clause that would have kicked in Dec. 1.

According to his contract, Inocencio is afforded a ``retreat right'' to move to a faculty position if he so desires.

Inocencio is Pierce's sixth president in 10 years and has often cited the challenges he faces as a newcomer charged with fixing a campus saddled with financial and enrollment problems.

But board members said Pierce is running out of time.

``I think anyone can argue that they are working on old problems, but I think we can only wait so long,'' Garfield said.

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Photo: Inocencio