With staff changes taking no definite form, it is becoming difficult to get in contact with certain division deans.

Many of the college’s top-level positions have staff from other departments filling the vacant job positions.

“We’ve got a slue of people who are in acting positions or interim positions and we have a number of vacancies for which I’m conducting recruitment for,” Marcy Wade, director of human resources, said.

These changes may not seem noticeable at first, but are real for some faculty, like Interim Vice President of Academic Affairs James Schwartz.

“I think a lot of community colleges are experiencing a big turnover. At El Camino, it is an exceptionally large number at one time,” Schwartz said.

July 1 is the date that some of the temporary position contracts are up. After that, the positions need to be filled again either by an existing staff member or a new applicant.

“I have agreed to stay in this position until they find someone else or until July first,” Acting Vice President of Administrative Services Alex Kelley said. “I had already submitted my retirement papers when they asked me to fill the position temporarily.”

One reason for the sudden increase in job vacancies is due to the college coming out of a three-year hiring freeze; there are still concerns about whether or not the positions will be filled in time.

“Even though there is a recruitment going on right now, there is a strong possibility we will not have the position filled by July first,” Wade said.

With worries of positions not being filled, the effects are trickling down from staff levels to the students.

“It depends on the position, especially the dean-level jobs, because of the involvement with faculty and the interaction that the faculty has with students. So yes, it indirectly impacts the students,” Wade said.

Dealing with the vacancies and the recruitments is harder than it seems.

“All we are doing is relating those requests that are sent and putting them on an agenda so the board can review them and improve them or ratify them if the action has already taken place,” Wade said.

After trustee Dr. Robert Haag’s passing, his position was left open, leaving many wondering who would become the next board of trustess president.

“There was a special session held by the board last month where the board voted to leave the position vacant until an election,” Wade said. “The board did have an election and has elected Bill Beverly as the president.”

So with one position filled and many more to go, the college is facing difficult times and will continue to do so.

“I am hopeful we will fill these positions with good candidates,” Schwartz said.