New College Independent Alumni/ae Association

Now that New College is closed and bandits are busy looting the remains, the 

Peter Gabel coterie is probably getting nervous about having to return 

ill-gotten gains. Should a class-action lawsuit materialize against them, 

that is a real possibility.

So what better way to derail the alumni than to drive a wedge between the 

alumni leadership? After all, the tactic of divide and conquer was standard 

operating procedure for the Gabel gang in preventing democratization of the 

school for three decades. They've honed the technique of infiltrating, 

rumor-mongering, and back-stabbing to an art. (There is now evidence pointing 

to a recent undercover operation by a true-believer of the Gabel cult to cozy 

up to some of the alumni leadership in order to undermine the most vocal of 

Gabel's critics.)

In social conflict, there are always those who intentionally sow discord as 

part of psychological warfare. There are also those who unintentionally create 

disharmony due to their ignorance or argumentative nature. 

In order to prevail against enemies of social justice, both intentional and 

unintentional subversion of authentic activism must be dealt with. Whether 

those who disrupt productive organizing do so as a result of being misguided 

or malevolent will determine the manner in which they are dealt with, but due 

to the limited energy available for these distractions, needlessly indulging 

them is strategically unwise.

People get emotional under stress, and even civil discussions can get heated. 

But better that discussions take place than not. Otherwise, no learning. I 

could avoid criticism by flattering the ignorant or cajoling the delinquent, 

but that requires sacrificing the goals we've set. 

Over the years I've discovered that teaching and mentoring means that students 

and proteges sometimes turn on the messenger. It's unfortunate, but it happens. 

But with agents of discord, I find it's best to point out their game straight 

off before they can do much damage. A good policy is that everyone's welcome who 

participates in good faith. Those who don't can suffer the consequences.

I’ve now read Peter Gabel’s pleading to WASC, and frankly, he’s become such a predictable bore, I can’t recommend wasting the time suffering any more of his nonsense. I’ve dealt with deluded trust-funders before, and were it not for their inclination to muck up other people’s lives with their fantasies, I wouldn’t give these delinquents the time of day. But since these prima donnas almost always insist on throwing their tantrums in public, I mostly have no choice but to ridicule them in this arena.

Gabel’s latest adolescent whining, typically undeserving of response by mature adults, nevertheless warrants further mockery. The title of his juvenile argument, Truth and Reconciliation, says it all; Gabel doesn’t know the meaning of the phrase. He hasn’t told the truth in ages, perhaps ever. He and his minions have done nothing but lie for the last thirty years–and they’re still at it.

So while all the injured parties from Gabel’s games now have to make the best of the misfortune he has brought on everyone, poor little Peter has chosen to throw himself on the floor kicking and screaming about conspiracies against him and his brave new world. Pathetic.

But even worse than his childish effrontery, Gabel’s assertion that his criminal enterprise must not be terminated, because they ostensibly served underprivileged populations, turns accountability on its head. In fact, it is precisely because the school once had an infrastructure that could do public good, that the malfeasance of Gabel and the other trustees is so reprehensible.

In maritime disasters, boards of inquiry are convened to determine whether any act of misconduct, inattention to duty, negligence or willful violation of the law contributed to the casualty, so that appropriate proceedings against such persons may be recommended and taken. In academic disasters like New College, accrediting commissions investigate similar responsibilities and take measures to prevent public harm. Given all the evidence against Gabel et al, they should be thankful that they aren’t facing criminal charges or personal liability for destroying the institution they were responsible for. That may still happen.

As I write this post, the buffoons self-identified as the ‘Council of Elders’, ‘Thinkers for the Whole’, aka ‘Historical Leadership’ of New College, are preparing a letter to the Western Association of Schools and Colleges pleading their case for leniency in moral terms. We kid you not.

While attempting to get away with fraud and gross incompetence due to their assumed piety is nothing new for charlatans like Peter Gabel (the leader of this imagined ’spiritual community’), it’s still galling, after all the lives he’s ruined, to hear him claiming a right to the high ground.

One really has to read Nina Siegal’s profile of Gabel to comprehend the extent of his delusions. At some level of consciousness, he probably knows he’s a fraud, but that is likely more than he can psychologically handle. Especially now that his playhouse has been taken away.

New College Trustees July 2005

Ernest Brown

Tedd Corman

Kristin Faust

Peter Gabel

Martin Hamilton

Agar Jaicks

Luis Molina

Colleen O’Neal

Rodel Rodis

Ronald Smith

Cathrine Sneed

James Sweeney

New College Trustees July 2003

Jerry Black

Kristin Faust

Peter Gabel

Martin Hamilton

Agar Jaicks

Linn Jones

Luis Molina

Colleen O’Neal

Rodel Rodis

Cathrine Sneed

James Sweeney

New College Trustees July 2002

Jerry Black

Peter Gabel

Martin Hamilton

Linn Jones

Colleen O’Neal

Rodel Rodis

Cathrine Sneed

James Sweeney

New College Trustees July 2001

Jerry Black

Peter Gabel

Martin Hamilton

Kim Jackson

Linn Jones

Hans Kolbe

Colleen O’Neal

Rodel Rodis

David L. Smith

Cathrine Sneed

James Sweeney

Matthew Wilkes

Matthew Wilkes, Peter Gabel's co-conspirator in conning WASC, as well as fellow 

board member for New College's landlord, the Arlene Francis Foundation, might 

not be personally wealthy, but he could conceivably be compelled to testify 

against Gabel in a court of law. If anyone knows about Gabel's liability in all 

this, it is Wilkes. The only way to test the depths of his loyalty to Gabel is 

to force him to face charges of perjury for not coming clean. It's amazing the 

treachery that unfolds when everybody tries to save their own hide.

A class-action lawsuit by New College alumni against Peter Gabel, et al would undoubtedly be a real circus. But should the alumni determine that it might be worth the effort and expense to sue the trustees for damages, there are some tangible remedies to consider. One of those — based on alumni input — would be the establishment of a community service center that would provide guest instructors, motivational speakers, and mentors from the alumni association as a resource to other schools and colleges. In this way, alumni could receive stipends or fees and simultaneously support ongoing community service consistent with the stated mission of their alma mater. My recommendation would be to use a court settlement to establish this facility in the Mission District of San Francisco. My suggestion for a name is the Ani Mander Service Center.