Clackamas Community College
Wednesday, March 11, 1981
College faces levy
By David J. Hayden
Of The Print
For the third time within five
months, the College Board will
present a tax proposal to
district voters March 31 in a
special election.
If passed, the levy would
authorize a tax rate of $1.14
per $1,000 true cash value for
three years beginning July 1. It
I
. would provide a substantial cut
in comparison to the current
serial levy, which will expire
July 1, v
On Nov. 4, a proposal for a
permanent tax base was
soundly defeated by the voters.
On Feb. 17, two three-year
serial levies, one to cover
operating costs for the College
and the second for future con-
struction costs for the College,
were both defeated. The
operating levy went down by a
margin of 2,200 votes, and the
construction levy lost by 2,071
votes.
“If everyone who was enroll
ed in classes at that time had
voted yes, both of the levies
would have passed,” College
President John Hakanson
commented on the last elec
tion.
The College Board has
decided that, at least for the
present, all construction will be
suspended. “We concluded
that, at this time, people are so
concerned with the economic
situation that College growth,
even to meet demand, will
have to be delayed,” com
mented Dr. Hakarison. “We
will wait until we can show a
need great enough to gain their
support.”
Previously the College had
plans for several buildings on
campus, and one in the North
Clackamas area. With the
Staff photo by Ramona Isackson
BEFORE —Last March, an employee works on what might suspension of construction, the
AFTER—This March, a different employee vacuums up
the dfart left in the Science Building.
board is considering moving
eight trailers that are now on
campus to the North
Clackamas area to meet the
needs of the growing popula
tion in that area.
Concurrent with the serial
levy problems is a reduction in
state aid. Within a .two-year
period, state aid has been cut
by approximately 20 percent.
“The state funding problem
is not going to go away next
year, or the year after. It is
something that we’re going to
have to deal with on a long
term basis,” commented
Hakanson.
The cut in state aid has caus
ed the board to look closely at
enrollment procedures. “The
lack of funding may very well
mean we have to stop- our
growth and close enrollment,”
Hakanson said. Under a closed
enrollment system, only a
limited number of students
would be admitted.
“I think some people have
the impression from the three-
year serial levy that the College
has a tax base,” Hakanson
said. “It doesn’t. If we fail to
pass a levy by May, the sum
mer session will be cancelled. If
we haven’t passed it by August,
the closure of fall class is
likely.”
be the last new building constructed on campus. Namely
the Science Building.
College funding reaches critical level
By David J. Hayden
Of The Print
During the past year, the
College’s funding problem has
gone from bad to such a critical
level that the College Board
Iwill soon be - determining
whether funds are available for
the upcoming summer session,
if staff will need to be laid off
land, eventually, if classes will
be held next fall.
I The current financial pro-
blems have had three .major
(causes: the expiration of the
(current serial leVy, the defeat of
two tax proposals and repeated
(cuts in state funding.
The College’s current serial
(levy will expire July 1. Two at
tempts at securing funding, the
(Nov. 4 tax base proposal and
(the Feb. 17 bid for an operating
(levy and a construction levy,
both failed. Without a replace
ment for the current levy, the
(College will be 50 percent
(under funded.
I At an Oregon Community
(Colleges Association meeting
Ion Feb. 20, the College ad-
iministration received the latest
in a series of discouraging news
(from state officials: all agencies
(should prepare for an addi-
(tional 10 percent cut in state
revenue. According to the
(State Department of Educa
tion, that would mean a loss of
$405,000 to the College for
the 81-82 year.
According to Tony Van
Vliet, state representative, this
action follows three previous
cuts in state funding to com
munity colleges.
The first limiting of funds
came in the 1979-80 state ap
propriations. It allowed for a
maximum growth rate of 2 per
cent in enrollment for each of
the two years. The College ex
perienced an actual growth rate
of 8 percent in 1979-80 and an
estimated 9 percent in
1980-81. Any growth over the
state’s limit has had to be sup
ported, by the College without
the usual assistance from the
state.
The second reduction in aid
came in September 1980,
when state revenue shortages
caused a $300.000 cut in funds
for the College in the 1980-81
year.
The final cut carr
i the
governor’s 1981-83 buaget. It
allowed for no growth in com
munity college enrollment,
even though they are the only
segment, of education officially
expected to increase.
The state’s revenue to the
College is currently budgeted at
$3,799,000. With the propos-
ed 10 percent cut, the College
will be left with approximately
$3,394,000 in funds from the
state.
“If the state continues to cut
community college funding, it
may very well mean that we
will have to stop our growth
and close enrollment,” com
mented College President
John Hakanson. “We would
then be forced to turn students
away.”
The first effects of -the
revenue shortage will be felt
almost immediately. Dr.
Hakanson outlined a nine-step
plan to cut all possible ex
penses in a Feb. 27 letter -to
College staff.
—The cost-cutting plan’s first
step is to freeze all staff posi
tions that become open. Posi
tions will be filled only if the
department dean and the Col
lege president approve them in
writing.
—Second, all expenses ex
cept those necessary to the dai
ly operation of the College are
suspended unless approved by
the department dean.
—Third, all out-of-state
travel is suspended except
those trips approved prior to
Feb. 24.
All classes with an enroll
ment of less than 15 students
will be cancelled unless there
are extenuating circumstances
and it has been approved by
the Dean of Instructional Ser
vices Ron Kaiser.
—Fourth, the library will re
main closed during the
weekends despite student and
community requests that it be
kept open.
—-Fifth, no equipment will be
purchased unless approved by
the department dean and the
College president in writing.
—Sixth, the spring in-service
day is cancelled.
—Seventh, the College
Board will discuss the possibili
ty of halting the mall construc
tion project.
—Eighth, all department
deans are requested to prepare
lists of staff positions which will
have to be eliminated if the
College has failed to pass a tax
levy by the end of May.
—Ninth, all deans were ask
ed to show at the March 3
President’s Council meeting
how the College can cut
$410,000 from the 1981-82
budget.
“You can cut things back so
far,” continued Hakanson. “If
people want to close the Col
lege, they will. We hope to
convince them that the College
is a worthwhile part of the com
munity.”
If the board fails to pass a
levy by May, the summer ses
sion will be cancelled. If a levy
is not passed by August, fall
term classes will have to be
cancelled.
What’s inside
ASG election soon
Page 3
Development or bust
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