As the Chair of the Schoolcraft College Board of Trustees, Joan Gebhardt bullied, harassed and intimated anyone that got in her way. As a result of Joan’s outlandish behavior, the young women that worked from the administration renamed the janitor’s closet the “crying room”. A room where these young women would often go to cry after Joan berated them.

Here are a few examples taken from the investigative report and final report of Joan’s bullying tactics:

(Please note that the “Respondent” and “JG” is Joan Gebhardt)

Witness D stated that this was not an uncommon occurrence to come into the president’s office area and see one of the three women either in tears or near tears because of their experience with JG. Witness D stated that because he would often be the first to arrive to campus for meetings, he would see the aftermath of JG’s treatment of XX Witness C, and Witness A including observing that they had been crying, visibly upset/shaken.

During their conversation Respondent told her that the reimbursement process wasn’t “rocket science,” that it should “only take a matter of five minutes,” and that “someone dropped the ball [on her training].”

Respondent was asking Complainant why her expense reimbursement had not hit her account. Witness B said that Respondent told Complainant that if she could not do what Respondent needed her to do, then Respondent would work with the fourth floor directly. Witness B heard Respondent say, “Is it that hard for you to do that job? Is it rocket science? Is this a hard task? Is it hard for you to be on time?”

Witness D stated that she complained to Witness D and others that she went through a lot of red pens and thought the College should hire an English professor to review the minutes since she was not paid and should not have to spend time correcting the minutes. Witness D stated JG would complain about the minutes consistently/each time they were sent. Witness D stated that JG told him that “it’s not Witness C’s fault that she’s bad with grammar. She was home-schooled in the upper part of Michigan so it’s understandable that she would not know grammar.”

After the May 2022 commencement ceremony, JG invited Witness F and Witness D to JG’s house for a beer where JG proceeded to “rip” on XX and Witness C about all the things that were done wrong at commencement. A specific example was around the VIP parking and how JG was made to wait for the police to show up and move the cones so she could park. JG was also not happy it was further away for her to have to walk into the event