MADERA, Calif. — A Halloween costume contest held at Madera Community College last month is under investigation by the State Center Community College District.
The investigation appears to center around photos that were distributed by an anonymous faculty group online. They show Cory Burkarth, the director of marketing and communications at Madera Community College, dressed in an outfit that closely resembles long-time math instructor and president of the academic senate Todd Kandarian. Burkarth appeared in the ensemble during an on-campus Halloween party with staff and administrators on Oct. 31. Days after the costume contest, Kandarian came forward and said he was discriminated against over his weight.
Burkarth’s costume featured a bald cap, a blue-patterned button-up shirt with padding under it that enlarged the torso area, shorts and glasses, a brown satchel bag and a large AMPM water jug, according to the photos.
Kandarian, who spoke out about the matter to college administrations and later spoke to KVPR, said the outfit was very similar to what he wears to work during the warmer months. He did not attend the Halloween party and said he was shocked and offended when he received photos of the costume.
“I felt awful,” Kandarian said. “[Burkarth] clearly had gone out of his way to stuff something down his shirt to make himself look extra fat. He was wearing a bald cap and it's kind of accurate.”
A group photo also depicts Burkarth holding a gift basket which Kandarian believes was a prize for the contest winners.
Another photo shows what appears to be a judging table. It includes top college administrators. The photo shows them filling out what appear to be evaluation sheets for the contest. Among the judges is the president of the college, Angel Reyna.
Kandarian said he’s humiliated that these photos have spread throughout the school.
“My entire campus community is looking at me as the butt of a joke,” Kandarian said. “I never ever thought that I would have to deal with a situation like this. I mean it's so childish and immature.”
Kandarian and several other faculty members took their concerns to the State Center Community College District’s board of trustees meeting on Nov. 4.
“Was this insensitive costume payback, spite, retribution? I'm sure [Reyna] will say that it was harmless, or all in good fun,” Kandarian said to the board during public comment. “Maybe he'll even say I should take it as a compliment. I'm sorry, but fat-shaming is never OK.”
Two days later Kandarian filed two complaints against Burkarth and Reyna with the college district’s human resources department. He alleged unlawful discrimination for his medical condition as “obese.” The next day, SCCCD Chancellor Carole Goldsmith emailed college staff to say that the “matter is being taken seriously and under active investigation.”
In a Nov. 12 statement to KVPR a district spokeswoman confirmed the incident was still under investigation but would not offer any other comment.
“Because this involves personnel, we are unable to discuss or comment further,” Jill Wagner, the district's spokeswoman, said.
There has been speculation about Burkarth’s whereabouts from the college. KVPR reached out to him, but failed to receive a response in time for publication. However, an anonymous watchdog group called the “SCCCD Insiders” recently wrote in a blog post Burkarth was on paid administration leave.
Faculty leadership becomes the ‘butt of a joke’
Kandarian believes he was targeted in the Halloween costume contest because of his involvement in an ongoing dispute between college administrators and faculty.
This semester, Kandarian became president of the academic senate – a governing body made up of faculty that handle academic and professional matters including curriculum and faculty roles.
Among other issues, he inherited a battle between the senate and administration over academic matters as well as Reyna’s leadership. In November of 2024 the senate passed votes of “no confidence” against Reyna as well as the dean of instruction at the time.
Lynette Cortes Howden was president of the academic senate at the time of the vote. She questions whether the college will handle the Kandarian’s complaints adequately.
“All of the formal and documented ways that an employee has to address something like this has failed us in every single way,” Cortes Howden told KVPR. “I personally don’t have any trust in our institution to do anything with [those complaints].”
Meanwhile, Kandarian said he’ll no longer be meeting with the college president without union representatives present. He said the senate hasn’t formally met to discuss this situation yet.
“This is higher education,” Kandarian said. “This is not an elementary school playground… [Reyna] didn't stop it. He took pictures with it and endorsed it. I mean, that creates a hostile work environment.”
