Antonio Hernandez, Gil Riego Jr.
The looming crisis of the California budget has hovered low over community colleges state-wide. Prospects of classes being cut, enrollment fees rising, and dramatic reductions in staff have shaken up the student community.
However. It seems that Pierce College has stayed above the game and hopes to ride out the storm as Sacramento attempts to repair a $42 billon shortfall.
Pierce seems lucky though, as it has saved an estimated $2.5 million by capping expenditures in certain areas. According to Pierce College president Robert Garber, Pierce has a variety of sources of income and has saved a considerable amount.
“We’ve received money from the MTA in leasing the Orange Line station, and that gets put in the bank, where it remains unspent. From there, we take money from the interest earned and use it to hire new staff in needed positions, such as custodians,” said Garber.
Using the money wisely is done in hopes of steering clear of certain decisions that other community colleges have engaged in.
According to a Jan. 13 article the Community College Week, Santa Ana and Santiago Canyon colleges have both canceled winter intersession classes. Many other community colleges have followed suit. However, Garber sees these actions as a last resort.
“My personal philosophy on how to run a college, is that it is successful by offering exceptional instruction, attracting students and giving them the confidence they need to reach their educational goals consistently. Cutting classes would be an absolute last resort.”
Garber continued saying that he doesn’t want to “drive students away. Students need what we have to offer now, more than anytime before, due to this economic environment.”
While this $2.5 million in saving serves as a pillow for Pierce to rest on, it does not quell the frustration that many community colleges feel with the California Legislature, nor does it assure students.
Other nearby schools feel the financial crunch as well.
Moorpark College, a member of the Ventura County Community College District, has reduced its spending by more than $1 million by not taking in anymore new hires and canceling other activities.
“We’ve reduced spring classes by 10 percent and summer by 25 percent,” explained Ray DiGuilio, Vice President of Business Services at Moorpark. It was part of an effect that the entire VCCCD went through to reduce spending by $8 million.
Diguilio is unsure about the next school year, but preparation plans have been taken into consideration for budget reductions.
Eric Harnish, Special Assistant to the Chancellor and Director of External Relations of College of the Canyons said they are “keeping a close eye on the situation.”
With Canyons being member of the Santa Clarita Community College District, Harnish affirms, “[We] are meeting students needs and preparing for whatever decision the governor says.”
According to Harnish, Canyons has seen a 30 percent increase in this year’s winter intersession and that they don’t want to cancel any intersession courses.
“This is nothing that surprised us,” Harnish continued. “We could see this coming, and we’ve been very careful in our budgeting process and protected our reserves.”
He continues stating that they worked to maintain a six percent reserve in the budget. “We’ve just been very careful with what we’re spending money on.”
“For our students it’s the frustration that they can not come to Pierce with a positive outlook,” Garber said. “To cancel classes or not offer programs that are in high demand would only add to that frustration.”
Students won’t be the only ones frustrated with the state of the California budget crisis. Faculty, staff and administrators of campuses up and down the state will have to wait to see what the governor decides for our futures.
