October 15, 2008

NEWS: JCCC Connection to San Antionio CC Shooter

Community of Colleges
Library and President's office linked to Northeast Lakeview College

Yesterday's shooting at Northeast Lakeview College (NLC) in San Antonio, Texas provided multiple shocks for staff at the Billington Library in Overland Park, Kan.

Library Ties
The Johnson County Community College (JCCC) library staff found it difficult to learn of another campus shooting much less one that took place in a college library and was allegedly perpetrated by a librarian against another librarian. Yet for some staff, the name of the man police identified as the shooter left them stunned.

Alan Godin, the alleged assailant and librarian at NLC, is married to former JCCC librarian, Christine Godin.

Christine worked in the JCCC library from the mid-seventies until the late nineties when she joined the staff at North Vista College (NVC) in San Antonio, Texas, as director of Learning Resources. In June, Christine was promoted to Dean of Learning Resources.

Both NLC, where Alan worked as a librarian, and NVC, where Christine works, are two of the five colleges in the San Antonio Community College system. Christine also teaches theatre courses at NVC.

Second Connection
Eric Reno, president of NLC, where the shooting took place, applied for the presidency at JCCC in spring 2007 after JCCC's president, Charlse Carlsen, resigned amid allegations that he unlawfully harassed female employees. Reno visited JCCC for an interview with the college's Board of Trustees February 5-6, 2007.

Today the chancellor of the San Antonio Community College system posted this message on the system's webpage:
TO: The Alamo Community Colleges Family
FROM: Dr. Bruce Leslie, Chancellor
DATE: October 14, 2008
SUBJECT: Northeast Lakeview Shooting
Yesterday's tragic shooting at Northeast Lakeview College has deeply affected all of us, especially those who personally knew Donald Devin Zimmerman, as well as those who know his alleged assailant, Alan Godin.
On behalf of the entire Alamo Community Colleges' family, I would like to express our deepest sympathy and our condolences to Mr. Zimmerman's family, colleagues, students and friends and to the family of Mr. Godin. We will inform you about funeral arrangements and memorial services for Mr. Zimmerman when that information becomes available.

Counseling for Northeast Lakeview College faculty and staff is being offered at both Northeast Lakeview College campuses and at Northwest Vista College as well.

All classes at Northeast Lakeview college have been cancelled for today. Classes will resume Wednesday morning, October 15, at 8 a.m. Counseling for students will be available at both campuses when they return to their classes tomorrow.

We will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available.