Dr. Dianne Van Hook, who served as Chancellor of College of the Canyons for more than 36 years, has filed wrongful termination and Department of Fair Employment and Housing claims against the Santa Clarita Community College District and its Board of Trustees.

COC forced Van Hook to resign after decades of transforming COC into one of the premier community college districts in California. During her tenure and under Van Hook’s leadership, COC developed into a national and statewide leader in higher education, received six full accreditations with numerous commendations, grew from 2,400 full-time students to 17,000, increased its annual operating budget from $8,000,000 to $414,000,000, garnered the resources to expand the instructional and support spaces from 200,000 square feet to close to 1,000,000 square feet, earned a reputation for sound fiscal responsibility as evidenced by multiple independent audits and regular accreditation reviews, won several awards and distinctions both as a district and as individuals/departments within the district, increased grant revenue to fund special programs for students and staff from under $100,000 per year to close to $18,000,000 per year and increased foundation revenue from $30,000 to over $1.2 million annually.

During the more than 36 years of Van Hook’s leadership, the college hired more than 2,500 full-time faculty, staff and administrators representing the “cream of the crop” in education. These extraordinary hirings enabled the district to create and expand the educational options, opportunities and access for Santa Clarita Valley high school students and the SCV workforce.

The claims allege that Van Hook was abruptly removed from her position and forced to resign based on the board’s misuse of the results of a campus climate survey conducted to gauge various aspects of COC’s work environment. The campus climate survey contained a disclaimer that the results were to be utilized only to identify areas for improvement and would not be used for any employment actions, discipline or retaliation to encourage staff to complete the survey. All responses were to be anonymous to avoid fears of retaliation.

The survey results from respondents indicated that 97-98% of respondents found their work to be satisfying and meaningful, and 94% of respondents were happy at work.

However, there were some anonymous comments regarding the executive leadership of the college. The Board of Trustees’ and the district, contrary to their express written representations and disclaimers, then used the survey’s results for employment and retaliatory purposes adversely against Van Hook and others comprising the executive leadership of the college.

The district did not follow proper procedures, the evaluation process, contractual obligations, or rules or regulations and placed Van Hook on a so-called administrative leave without explanation or cause and then threatened her to force her resignation, resulting in her constructive discharge from the college.

Details of the Claims

The claims detail that Van Hook was the target of a deliberate campaign by the Santa Clarita Community College District Board of Trustees to oust her from her long-standing position with the college. According to the claims, this campaign included harassment, defamation, discrimination (based on age and gender), disparate treatment, isolation, deprivation of due process and retaliation.

The orchestrated effort breached Van Hook’s employment agreement, while also attempting to sideline her from participating in key decisions surrounding the upcoming trustee elections and damaging her credibility.

The claim further states that Van Hook’s forced resignation denied her the ability to complete the unexpired term of her employment agreement, which had been approved by the board only one year prior. She alleges that the damage to her professional reputation and the emotional distress caused by these actions have been irreparable.

Attorney’s Statement

Jeff Hacker, Partner at Adamski, Moroski, Madden, Cumberland and Green, is representing Van Hook, along with Molly Wilson.

Hacker released the following statement:

“This past July, after 36 years of unprecedented service to COC, the Board of Trustees unceremoniously kicked Dr. Dianne Van Hook to the curb without good cause. The board placed her on administrative leave without explanation or cause using the pretext that the limited and inaccurate results of a confidential campus climate survey allegedly documented a fabricated hostile work environment at COC. Mind you, in all the years that Dr. Van Hook led COC, there is not one other instance of any claims that Dr. Van Hook created any uncomfortable work environment at COC.

Instead, the board harassed her, threatened her and discriminated against her, all to force her out. The board denied Dr. Van Hook her due process rights. The board did not follow existing procedures, contractual obligations, approved district policies and procedures and labor laws. The board violated Dr. Van Hook’s rights and acted contrary to the public policy of this state. The board deprived Dr. Van Hook of her due process rights. The board did not conduct an investigation, nor did it advise Dr. Van Hook on why the board was taking its action, nor allow Dr. Van Hook to respond. There was no valid reason to force her out. Dr. Van Hook was constructively fired when the board forced her to abruptly “retire.”

The board refuses to honor the unexpired terms of its long-standing written contract with Dr. Van Hook. The board also singled Dr. Van Hook out for different treatment than other employees who previously separated from the COC. As some examples, despite repeated demands, the board refused to provide Dr. Van Hook with all files or conduct an exit interview. Dr. Van Hook has not even been allowed to craft her own message to forward emails on her college email account so that her contacts can get ahold of her. After all these years and what she has done for the college, Dr. Van Hook should receive some respect from the COC Board, the production of all her files and allowed to craft her own email message on her email account.

Dr. Van Hook’s legal team is committed to holding the District and the Board of Trustees fully accountable for their conduct.”