The news remains bleak about the impact of budget cuts on
our campus. A packed room heard some painful messages at last week’s open
forum/Planning and Resources Council meeting. Two additional Budget Forums were
held this week. Approximately 100 people had attended one of these
forums. Three separate, distinct components will influence the final
outcome of our college’s budget reductions, and they are works in progress.
·
An
unresolved state budget.
Absent enactment of a budget,
State Controller John Chiang has announced that California will experience a
cash shortfall in July and be forced to issue IOUs (payments protected under
the State Constitution, including payments to community colleges) during the
month. For now, the state budget process is again at an impasse. All previous
budget proposals would negatively impact community colleges.
·
Early
retirement decisions.
Eligible current district
employees can declare their intentions by July 15 to accept an early retirement
incentive.
·
Negotiated,
contractual issues.
Roughly 90 percent of our
college’s budget goes for personnel related costs. Academic salaries
account for 53.8%, classified salaries – 17%, and benefits - 19.9%.
The bottom line is that all of us must prepare for major
budget reductions. In 2008-2009, the overall budget cut was 3 percent. In
2009-2010, the cuts will get deeper, perhaps 9.5-to-12 percent, or possibly
higher. We are anticipating zero percent for both COLA and growth funds in
2009-2010, as well as deeper apportionment shortfalls (revenue deficits).
In addition to impacts on general fund, an additional 16-to-32 percent
reduction is likely in categorical funding.
Districtwide budget priorities will include:
·
protecting
the learning core of “Students First;”
·
balancing
the needs of students and employees within budget constraints;
·
funding
structural commitments and fixed increases;
·
maximizing
potential revenues; and,
·
addressing
accreditation, legal and fiscal stability challenges.
Among our planning and action steps: maximize savings in
08-09 in offset cuts in 09-10; freeze at least 42 positions collegewide; reduce
utility expenses; reduce 210 sections in 09/10; eliminate intersession;
implement minimum class size of 20 students, or 80 percent of cap; reduce
supplies and hourly employees by 30 percent; reduce service hours concomitant
with hourly reductions to maximize efficiencies; and reduce postage and
printing expenditures.
Unfortunately, given the state of our budget, we cannot
afford to offer the same level of service to students as we have in the
past. Our goal will be to minimize the negative impacts to students as
much as possible. Still, we know that every reduction we make will have an
impact on the needs of students and employees. Clearly, we have entered a time
of doing business in different ways than in the past. Our life with budget
reductions will continue for the next several years, including the possibility
of additional mid-year cuts and greater challenges for 2010-2011. The easy
choices are gone, the painless cuts have already been made. So now the
challenge is to choose the best of less than ideal choices. However,
every good crisis should never go to waste, so if you can do with less in a way
that’s different and better than before, then this is the year to do it.
During the challenging times we may create new solutions that will work better
for our students and ourselves.
Tuition Likely to Increase
|
The news is that state lawmakers are expected to approve a
tuition increase for community college students to $26 per unit from $20 per
unit, which has been the cost since 2007. The $6-per-unit increase would lift
fees to about $780 a year for full-time students.
Due to budgets cuts, we can all do our part to reduce energy
consumption. Together, we can lower our energy bill, which will redirect
dollars into other areas. Everyone is encouraged to follow these simple steps:
·
Turn off your office and classroom lights when
you are not in the room.
·
Utilize the natural
light if educationally appropriate, especially in the 500 Building classrooms
which are equipped with skylights.
·
Keep
your classroom and office doors closed when the A/C is on. This allows the
mechanical system to operate more efficiently (we can’t afford to try to
air condition all of El Cajon).
·
Turn
off computers and printers when not in use, over the weekends, and break
periods.
·
Remove
any un-needed appliances such as coffee makers, refrigerators, toasters, and
space heaters.
Budget cuts have resulted in reducing the summer operational
hours for several offices that serve students, including Counseling, Financial
Aid, Admissions and Records, Career Center and DSPS. Unfortunately, we are
unable to serve everybody
in the way that we would prefer. Some offices will begin serving students at 9
a.m., instead of the previous time of 8 a.m. Meanwhile, other offices will
close at 5 p.m. or 6 p.m. and couple of nights instead of the previous closing
time of 7 p.m. If you are making a special trip to campus, please check the
college website for summer hours of operation. The revised hours are
also posted in offices and on office doors.
The latest draft version of the Accreditation Follow Up
Report is available on the intranet for all to access and
review. The text contains all of the changes received that were
usable. But there are still some gaps in action and/or evidence that are
identified in the report, so responsible parties should review the report,
take action, and provide the necessary updates and evidence to me as soon
as possible. Here's the URL for access:
http://www.grossmont.edu/intranet/
(note that the intranet requires your usual identification and password.)
09-10 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
Stats
|
Financial Aid is currently up 21% in FAFSA applicants for
09-10 compared to 08-09. In 08-09, FAFSA applicants were up about 15%
over 07-08.
Enrollment for summer school for
2009 has set a new record in the school’s 48-year history. Census Day
enrollment for the 2009 summer session was 9,115 students, compared to the previous
high mark of 8,425 students set in 2002. In a comparison between summer 2009 and summer 2008, headcount
is 24 percent higher with a 27.5 increase in class units. Many students enroll
in summer school to earn extra credits in order to graduate sooner. Another
reason is because the UC and CSU schools are accepting fewer students. Four-,
six- and eight-week-long classes will be offered during the 2009 summer
session. Another four-week session will run from July 13 to Aug. 6. Some of the
classes will be conducted online, or with a combination of online and classroom
instruction. Look for Grossmont College to appear in an article about
“crowded classrooms” in the Union Tribune this weekend.
Adult Reentry’s “Your Turning Point is Now”
|
In this depressed economy, the road from a layoff to a new
career often goes through a classroom. Many laid-off workers are being forced
to make tough decisions about their futures as they re-evaluate their version
of the American dream. While pursuing a new career is not the easiest thing to
do, the Grossmont College Adult Reentry Center is doing its part to provide a variety of resources for returning adult
students who are seeking assistance and encouragement about new educational
goals and career options. The Reentry Center also acts as a bridge between the
college and the community providing referral services, academic counseling and
information about admission procedures, transfer programs, self-help programs,
financial aid and transportation. Adult reentry students enroll at Grossmont
for a variety of reasons, including a desire to learn new skills for a career
or lifestyle change, earn a job promotion or because their college career was
interrupted years ago because of work, family or economic situation. Other
reentry students who did not finish high school now are seeking a college
diploma. On Wednesday, July 15, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Griffin Gate,
the Reentry Center will present “Your Turning Point is Now,” a free adult
reentry orientation program featuring a panel of successful reentry students
and college staff. To RSVP, contact Susan Esparza at extension 7697. The
transition from old dreams to new realities can be painful, but the Adult
Reentry Center is here to help.
Parking Structure Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
|
Everyone is invited to the ribbon cutting of the new parking
structure and District Police offices on Monday morning, Aug. 17. The
festivities will be held outdoors on the top floor of the parking structure. In
lieu of the traditional Convocation kick-off breakfast on Monday morning in the
Student Center, continental breakfast will start at 7:30 a.m. with the ribbon
cutting ceremony at 8:00 a.m..
The Fall 2009 Convocation program, the
kick-off for Professional Development Week, will begin at 9 a.m. in the Student
Center. Among the planned grand opening festivities: remarks from campus
representatives, community dignitaries and students, as well as special
checkered-flag ribbon cutting and vintage cars on display.
Grossmont College Foundation News
|
The Grossmont College Foundation reports that $83,500 has
been raised so far --mostly from five local entities -- for six perpetual,
$1,000-a-year scholarships for Grossmont College students as part of a partnership
with the San Francisco-based Bernard Osher Foundation. Additional
scholarship monies raised over the next two years by the Grossmont College
Foundation for Osher Foundation-related scholarships could result in as many as
55 perpetual, $1,000-a-year scholarships for Grossmont College students. The
five entities include the Grossmont College Foundation’s Board, Grossmont
Schools Federal Credit Union, Grossmont Center retail mall in La Mesa, Wells
Fargo Foundation and proceeds from the Brad Daluiso Golf Classic. Each of the
five entities donated $13,500, which have been invested in a pooled equity fund
managed by the Foundation for California Community Colleges, the fiscal agent
for the Osher Foundation scholarship program. Another $16,000 was donated to
the Grossmont College Foundation by about 25 individuals, including Grossmont
College faculty, staff and administrators, as well as community members, to
reach the current $83,500 amount.
The Osher Foundation’s statewide fund-raising challenge-- a 50-percent
match ($1 for every $2 raised), up to a maximum of $25 million -- could create
hundreds of perpetual scholarships for students at every one of California’s
110 community colleges. Maximum fund-raising goals were set for each community
college based on its full-time enrollment. Grossmont College’s goal to benefit
as much as possible from Osher scholarships is $548,530, with a deadline of
June 30, 2011.
Meet New ASGC President Marc Valenzuela
|
New ASGC President for 2009-2010 Marc Valenzuela has been
involved in student government and advocacy since middle school. A
native of El Centro, Calif., and graduate of Southwest High School in El Centro
(class of 2008), Valenzuela has attended Grossmont College since the fall of
2008. During the past two summers, Valenzuela has worked in San Diego as an
assistant stage manager at the Starlight Theatre in Balboa Park. For the past
six years, he has worked in various technical theatre roles. He was the senior
crewman at the Southwest Theatre in El Centro. After graduating from Grossmont
College, he plans to transfer to a four-year university, possibly San Francisco
State University and major in public relations.
At
the recent journalism awards presented by the Society of Professional
Journalists, San Diego Chapter, the Grossmont College Summit newspaper was
awarded second place in the best newspaper/college media category. San Diego
City College’s City Times won first place. Also, adjunct instructor
Christy Scannell received first place for “Best Magazine Column”.
Once
again one of our own Classified Staff, Alfred Ventura, Ceramic Lab Tech, has stepped
up to the plate, shining a positive light on Grossmont College! Al, along with
students from our Art Department, Jenny Miles, and Hilary Stone, painted an
8'X20' mural of the San Diego County Fair 2009 Logo "Music Mania" at
the entrance to the Student Showcase exhibit. It took them 7 days to
complete the mural working on weekends and nights to finish the master piece.
Fairgoers stopped to admire and comment on their work throughout the process.
Al has been painting the mural of the fair logo for the past 11 years, and in
the last four years since taking on the position as Ceramic Lab Tech with us, has
included Grossmont Art Students in this endeavor.
On Saturday, June
27th, an Awards Reception was held, in which Al, Hilary, and Jenny
were commended for their contribution to the fair. Also, student Brian
Chamber received First Place in Fine Arts, and student Jason Ward received
Second Place in Fine Arts, and First Place in Best of Class and Best of Show.
July
3, Independence Day holiday observed (all sites).
July 9, San Diego
Blood Bank Blood Drive, 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Main Quad.
July
10, last day to drop 6-week summer session classes.
July
13, registration begins for Fall 2009 semester.
July
24, last day to drop 8-week summer session classes.
Aug.
17, ribbon cutting for Parking Structure/District Police offices, 7:30 a.m.,
Parking Structure top floor.
Aug.
17, Fall 2009 Convocation, 9 a.m., Student Center.
HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!
