Pierce College’s second Academic Senate meeting of the spring semester discussed ways to overcome budget concerns from multiple angles, on Monday, Feb. 24 at 2:30 p.m. in Building 600. Generating more revenue to rebuild and modernize the campus’ needs was a focus for Academic Senate President Margarita Pillado.
Pierce College President Ara Aguiar took LACCD Interim Chancellor Alberto Román and Vice Chancellor Leigh Sata around the Pierce campus to different “highly specialized areas” including the farm, Performing Arts Building, gymnasiums and other buildings slated for improvements related to Measure L.A.
“In essence, we were doing a pitch in terms of about $40 million to be able to build our brand-new gym,” Aguiar said. “We are scraping every nickel from any project that has any reserve funds to build new facilities rather than deal with asbestos in our older buildings.”
During this pitch, the farm was discovered to need modernizing. The state isn’t recognizing the farm as educational, it’s coded as “Animal Quarters,” meaning it doesn’t receive the same level of funding. Funding has been requested for more accessibility by road and a working restroom, among other components.
Funding through Measure L.A. to Pierce isn’t the only plan for stabilizing the budget. The Pierce College Chapter of the Los Angeles College Faculty Guild, AFT 1521, reviewed their three-year projections submitted to the district for areas of growth.
Projections of an increase of 5% in graduates may not be enough to meet financial needs, according to Aguiar. One of many solutions discussed was adding one to two students to each class.
“Assuming 1,600 sections in one semester, we could generate between half a million to three-quarters of a million dollars,” Aguiar said.
This would allow for more students into high-demand classes at no incurred cost to the faculty. Limitations on classrooms, physical or crediting agency caps, would be an issue for this plan.
Coding for Career Technical Education classes is becoming an issue, according to Aguiar. Mislabeling classes as “possibly occupational” is losing the college “hundreds of thousands of dollars,” according to Aguiar.
With talks of increasing student enrollment, Pierce is considering applying for a Strategic Enrollment Management Program. This program brings students from all backgrounds into a simplified onboarding process in hopes of increasing the number of transfer-ready students.
Dean of Student Engagement Juan Carlos Astorga and D’arcy Corwin, director of the Dream Resource Center, are teaming with Central American Resource Center (CARECEN), the largest Central American immigrant rights organization in the country.
“CARECEN comes in every Monday to provide legal assistance and support for our students,” Astorga said. “We are going to be here to be their advocates and their champions.”
Pierce’s Technical Librarian Clay Gediman discussed how Artificial Intelligence could be integrated into college life. Teaching students how to use AI effectively for positive uses like financial aid rather than the negative, is a priority. China’s advancement and education on ChatGPT is highlighted as a benefit used in schools for both students and faculty.
“It’s a great way for students to rephrase things to their own language, or their own way of thinking,” Gediman said. “I wish I had this when I was in college.”
ASO President Jasmine Minchez showed optimism for what the future of AI may hold.
“If AI can be used to translate in real time for students with language barriers, it would be great,” Minchez said. “If in the future there is something that remedies that, it’d be amazing.”
The next Academic Senate meeting will be held on Monday, March 10 in Building 600.
