Budget cuts are expected across the board at El Camino College but students services programs that serve the neediest students hang by a thread.
The District’s revenue funding is $2.3 million less than 2008-09.
El Camino College president, Tom Fallo, states in his latest newsletter to strive to keep programs and services running at the optimal level, prudently manage fiscal resources and protect regular, permanent employees although there has been a reduction in non-regular, permanent employees in all areas of employment states the newsletter.
The categorical programs budget including programs like EOPs, Cal Works and Special Resources Center, has been reduced by $5 million reducing the budget by anywhere from 32-64%.
These programs are planning on being backfilled by the one time $10 billion fund in federal stimulus money that Obama has promised to community colleges.
“The amount of federal stimulus money going to be received is getting lower and lower; the cuts might have to be more severe,” said Jeannie Nishime, Vice President of Student and Community Advancement.
Three-hundred classes have been cut from the fall schedule, their will also be a reduction in winter and spring classes although as of right now El Camino will continue to operate all semester sessions with the exception of the elimination the last 6 week summer session and winter session’s online classes.
“It is not fair, we pay so much more than resident students,” said Jeremy Kim, 23, business administration major.
The increase in tuition for resident students as well as international is to increase revenue for the school.
According to the 2009-10 California Budget Analysis by the Legislative Analysts Office, “UC[s] adopted a plan in January to reduce enrollment of new California resident freshmen by a total of 2,300 full time equivalent students for 2009-10,” causing a 6 percent reduction in size from the 2008-09 freshman class that are now enrolling in community colleges.
There has been a reduction of 3,545 students at El Camino although 2,200 full time equivalent students will be served over the limit the school receives money for.
“Twenty people were trying to add in my sociology class,” said business major Osbourne Furusa, 22, “Its hard to switch classes to be able to fit your work schedule.”
“It breaks my heart when I see a lot of money being spent on the military and prison industrial complex in as well as law enforcement, anytime there is a budget crises they cut education,” said Ali Ahmadpour, art professor and adviser for the Persian Club, “One bomb dropped in Afghanistan can save so many colleges”.
“The school has been very conservative in budgeting so we have a good size reserve, ” said Nishime, “The school will be using that money to operate as efficiently as possible but it has to hold over until the California economy erects itself.”
According to the Fallo’s newsletter, because revisions are expected to the current California budget, the school is now preparing for further mid-year cuts.
