Four years following former chancellor Eugene Giovannini’s resignation, after the board voted to terminate him, he sued the college for more than $1 million, alleging it had no cause.
Giovannini’s lawsuit filed in February stated the decision of former general counsel Carol Bracken and then-members of the board was based upon a “sham investigation” encouraged by falsehoods.
The lawsuit leading him to resign was made by former executive vice president for institutional advancement Kristen Bennett, who asserted she was wrongfully terminated by TCC.
Bennett claimed she was fired for disciplining a female employee who allegedly was having an affair with Giovannini. Bennett’s lawsuit was dismissed by the court in November 2023.
Now, Giovannini is denying the relationship, claiming the allegations were debunked at a board meeting during a closed session in February 2022.
“[Kip] Mendrygal and Lou Pham, outside counsel for TCCD, stated that Dr. Bennett’s claims regarding her employment, resignation and due process violations could not be proven,” according to Giovannini’s lawsuit.
The lawsuit also states Bracken, the board and Bennett participated in encouraging the rumors that led to the board’s decision to propose termination.
“It is hard to fathom that this was merely coincidence, given the power and influence of those who had manufactured the scheme in the first place,” according to Giovannini’s lawsuit.
Bracken said she did not want to respond to the lawsuit stating, “It would not be appropriate for me to comment.”
He argues that after the outside counsel determined Bennett’s allegations could not be proven, the board tried to find ways to terminate him. His counsel continued to communicate with college officials, but they never responded, making Giovannini submit a public records request to know what was happening.
“When it became clear that TCCD was not interested in finding the truth and that the appeal hearing available to him did not allow him to seek the truth or obtain vindication, publicly or privately, he had no choice but to involuntarily resign,” according to the lawsuit.
Vice Chancellor for Communications and External Affairs Reginald Gates did not respond to a request seeking comment.
