June 23, 2025 Breaking News, Latest News, and Videos

Santa Monica College Professor Questioned for Conflict of Interest:

Conflict of interest charges are plaguing Santa Monica College (SMC) Political Science Professor Richard Tahvildaran after some of his students distributed election flyers for the organization Santa Monica For Renters Rights (SMRR), of which the professor is a co-chair.

The Mirror was unable to speak to Tahvildaran regarding the charges, however, the officials from SMC did address the matter. The college’s senior director of government relations and institutional communications, Don Girard, explained that the flyer distribution was part of a service-learning project that occurs in an election year and gives students the opportunity to work with local/municipal campaigns. Students learn about the project the first day of class, and according to an SMC e-mail to the Mirror on the project guidelines, “students sign an agreement declaring that they are voluntarily choosing to participate in the project. If a student chooses to participate she/he may select one of the options presented by the professor or she/he may research and select a campaign on his/ her own. For those students who choose not to engage in experiential learning there is an alternate in-class assignment.” Both are then equally weighted towards the student’s grade.

Girard emphasized that this type of service-learning project, with clear guidelines and multiple alternatives, “is common across the country in Political Science classes.” The practice has been used at SMC for ten years. Tahvildaran (also known as Tahvildaran-Jesswein) has been a professor at SMC since 1999 and became the co-chair of SMRR last June.

Jeffrey Shimizu who is SMC’s Vice-President of Academic Affairs, said that approximately 300 students are in Tahvildaran’s Political Science 1 classes and about 80 of them decided to participate in the service-learning project. However, the exact number who worked for SMRR was not disclosed. In addition, neither he or Girard or anyone else was able to specifically disclose which SMRR flyers were distributed by students or when they were distributed.

Santa Monica resident and attorney Stanley Epstein feels having Tahvildaran involved with this type of project is a conflict of interest because “the line is breached when an option is given for [student] credit in return for a distribution of election materials of the organization of which the professor is co-chair.”

Senior officials at SMC disagree with Epstein. Their official statement reads, “After review of the information provided, the College does not find a violation of institutional policy. However, we are reviewing potential conflicts of interest for this type of situation and will proceed with discussion on College policy in this area.”

After hearing the College’s statement Epstein responded, “it is not necessary to have a guideline that relates to this specific practice because every academic expert will advise that Tahvildaran violated professional ethics.”

Epstein, who is one of the most vocal voices against the professor, said he is willing to back–off Tahvildaran on this matter if he does two things: The first would be to write “a letter that he wouldn’t do this or anything like this again” and the second is that he will place the SMRR by-laws on the organization’s website. Until these conditions are met, Epstein said he intends to take the conflict of interest issue to SMC’s President and to the California Community College Chancellor’s Office in Sacramento.

SMRR’s Steering Executive Committee e-mailed the following statement about the issue to the Mirror. “SMRR welcomes volunteers from throughout the community, including students, and is pleased to be able to provide opportunities for students and other volunteers to learn what goes into a campaign at a basic grassroots level.”

The Mirror also asked the heads of the city’s neighborhood organizations to comment on the issue because Epstein brought it up at a recent Neighborhood Council meeting. The only one to respond was Ocean Park Organization’s President, Mary Marlow, who stated, “This is an inappropriate use of students as free labor to further the political agenda of a local organization. Shame on SMRR and the professor for teaching students that ethics isn’t important in politics.”

in News
<>Related Posts

Malibu Traffic Delays Expected: REPORT

June 21, 2025

June 21, 2025

The warning applies to the first weekend of summer Transportation officials are warning travelers on the Pacific Coast Highway through...

Strongman to Pull 34,680-Pound Bus at Santa Monica Pier

June 21, 2025

June 21, 2025

Licis, also the 2022 “Arnold Strongman Classic” champion, will undertake the feat to showcase his strength  Strongman Martins Licis, the...

All Aboard to LAX: Metro Opens Game-Changing Transit Hub Ahead of Global Events

June 20, 2025

June 20, 2025

 New LAX/Metro Transit Center Comes Closer to Connecting Metro Directly to LAX The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro)...

New Leadership at Samohi: Jane Han Named House Principal

June 20, 2025

June 20, 2025

Equity-Focused Educator Joins Samohi Leadership Team By Diana Bouchaaya, SMMUSD Communications Specialist The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District (SMMUSD) Board...

Food Fight on the Venice Boardwalk: Chefs Stand Up for Immigrants with Food

June 20, 2025

June 20, 2025

Turk’s Pizza Party Rallies Top Local Eateries for an Immigrant Rights Fundraiser In a bold display of culinary activism, Turk’s...

Weekend Lane Closures on PCH in Malibu Could Snarl Summer Beach Traffic

June 20, 2025

June 20, 2025

Army Corps Work Triggers Weekend Closure on Pacific Coast Highway Motorists traveling along Pacific Coast Highway this weekend should prepare...

SMC Gallery to Showcase Faculty Art in Virtual Exhibition

June 20, 2025

June 20, 2025

The online event will feature works by seven Emeritus faculty artists. The Santa Monica College Emeritus Art Gallery will host...

(Video) Where great minds grow at The Willows Community School

June 19, 2025

June 19, 2025

The Willows, a DK-8 co-educational school, enrolls 474 students from 57+ zip codes annually. As a balanced, progressive educational leader, experiential learning,...

Film Review: The Life of Chuck

June 19, 2025

June 19, 2025

FILM REVIEWTHE LIFE OF CHUCKRated R110 MinutesReleased June 6th A  heartfelt movie of lie, love, friendship and loss, delivered in...

THIS WEEKEND: Five Outdoor Concerts for Make Music Day Comes to Santa Monica

June 19, 2025

June 19, 2025

The global event, inspired by France’s Fête de la Musique, unites communities through music and is observed in over 800...

(Video) The Guest List Collab Dinner with Chef Raphael Lunetta and Chef Alan Wong

June 19, 2025

June 19, 2025

Held at Marelle Restaurant at The Sandbourne Hotel in Santa Monica. An Incredible mix of Hawaiian and Santa Monica’s flavors...

Jeni’s Drops Goose-Inspired Ice Cream Flavor to Kick Off Summer of Sweetness

June 19, 2025

June 19, 2025

Goose Tracks Is a Nod to the Jam-Band’s Live Magic + Super Fun Times Flavors Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams is...

Santa Monica’s ‘Summer Soulstice’ Festival Returns with Music, Classic Cars, and Family Fun

June 18, 2025

June 18, 2025

The event, featuring music, a PRIDE-themed bingo, a car show and a beer garden, spans Main Street from Strand Street...

(Video) A Plus Tree: A Steward of Urban Forest Management Across Los Angeles

June 18, 2025

June 18, 2025

For More Information, Go to Aplustree.com For More Information, Go to https://t.co/oL7U8M4k7B pic.twitter.com/fCAYMCsLXU — Santa Monica Mirror (@SMMirror) June 19,...

(Video) See Inside Voodoo Doughnuts’ New Venice Beach Shop

June 18, 2025

June 18, 2025

The Creative Portland Franchise Has Opened Up at Windward Circle The Creative Portland Franchise Has Opened Up at Windward Circle....