Michael Pohyar, club coordinator for Associated Students of Central Oregon Community College, couldn’t say what it was that led him to check his e-mail early Saturday morning, only that he should.

    In his mail box was an e-mail from The Broadside requesting an interview about the recall petition that would soon be circulated on campus for him.

    It was the first he’d heard of the recall petition for his position at ASCOCC.

    On Friday, April 19 a petition began circulating on Central Oregon Community College’s campus requesting that the student body sign because, “Throughout the 2007-2008 year… Michael Pohyar has used his ASCOCC position of authority in a manner that is disruptive to COCC students, faculty and organized clubs on campus.”

    The petition in its entirety can be seen on broadside.cocc.edu.

    At the time of press the student responsible for the petition was unable to be reached.

    Kathy McCabe, the advisor for the Criminal Justice Club, did not suggest the petition, but she helped the students with the wording and advised them on how to go about it.

    McCabe said that she believed an e-mail conversation with Pohyar and herself was the straw that broke the camel’s back for the students.

    Due to The Broadside’s deadlines, and the COCC policy, the e-mails were not yet available after a public records request.

    During a phone interview shortly after Pohyar read the e-mail about the recall he said he was, “Somewhat speechless. I mean, to wake up in the morning and come to my lap top and see that one [e-mail] says a recall election is going on… I mean put yourself in my shoes, you’d be a little shocked too.”

    Gordon Price, director of student life, and the advisor for ASCOCC, was not surprised when a few students came to him for clarification on wording used in the student constitution on how to recall a member of ASCOCC.

    He also wasn’t surprised when they told him who the recall was for.

    People from the COCC community have gone to Price to express their concerns and according to him none of them were official complaints. In response to the concerns brought to him by faculty and students, Price said that he and Pohyar talked about Pohyar’s strengths and weaknesses, concerns and congratulations.

Price applauded Pohyar’s passion for his job, and feels that it’s unfortunate that it got to this point.

    According to Price, Pohyar has brought a lot of good ideas to student government as well as given a voice to students up in Juniper Hall.

    Pohyar was a driving force behind the creation of the student lounge, now referred to as “the Den”, said Price, along with creating the Student Life committee, whose purpose is to bring together the multiple clubs on campus.

    “I wanted to see a large growth [in clubs]. I encouraged people to start clubs,” Pohyar said.

At the beginning of the year Pohyar said there were four or five clubs, according to their budget there was 21.  There are now 23 clubs at COCC.

    “I really put in 110 percent. I really went there with my heart and my passion and it’s probably that passion that ruffled some feathers the wrong way,” Pohyar said.

    “Good things have been accomplished here,” said Brenda Pierce, the events coordinator for ASCOCC. “I don’t think the problem lies in his productivity.”

    Garrett Galvin, public relations officer for ASCOCC, said that Poyhar has “good intentions, but poor communication skills.”

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