Nursing program suffers possible cutback
By Doug Vaughan
Of The Print
The proposed 1983-84
budget at Clackamas Com­
munity College is contained in
two large booklets and is
several inches high, but what it
does not contain is the concern
of several nursing students.
In the past the College has
offered two sections of entry­
level nursing classes, with 22
students in each. All that is
budgeted for next year is one
section for 33 students.
“Eleven positions does not
sound like many (to be
eliminated) but it is a quarter of
the program,” Beth Rogers,
nursing student, said. “I do not
have any more classes to take,
so what am I suppose to do,
wait another year to continue
my education?” ’
Dr. John Hakanson, the
College’s president, said the
decision was only a matter of
dollars and cents. “The reason
it was not put in the budget is
that it is more cost effective to
have one section with 33
students instead of two with
22,” he said.
A letter signed by 44 nurs­
ing students was sent to each
board member showing their
dissatisfaction. In addition,
many of the potential nurses
showed up at the May 9 Board
of Education meeting where
the budget was presented to
the board members.
Several questions were
asked about the budget, and a
motion was passed to have the
board members look over the
budget and return next week
with questions that the faculty
could answer involving the
budget. Even though a definite
answer was not given to the
nursing students, their concern
was noticed.
“The only alternative is to
offer the program, and we
would like to. The board asked
us to come back with a recom­
mendation next week,”
Hakanson said.
Ron Fullerton, board
member, showed concern
about the nursing problem
because the College currently
has the space an equipment for
the program.
“If you do not have the
space, equipment or faculty
then you have a big problem.
But when you have the space
and the equipment, but not the
staff, you have a much smaller
problem,” Fullerton said.
Hakanson said the addi­
tion would cost the Colege ap­
proximately $30,000. He said
there was an estimate of
$20,000 by the students, but
they did not take into account
the fringe benefits and the fact
that it is a 12-month teaching
position.
“We would like to serve
the student’s needs but first we
are going to have to decide
where we are going to get the
money,” Hakanson said. “As
everyone knows, we are facing
tight financing this year.”
The need for nursing pro­
grams was demonstrated by
Rogers, as she pointed out that
last week in the Oregonian
there were 134 job openings
for Registered Nurses, as op­
posed to three auto mechanics,
three drafting, no welding and
22 engineering jobs.
One area that has pleased
in their strive to get the class
reinstated is the cooperation
from the faculty. “The faculty
support has been really
positive—there hasn’t been one
negative comment about the
nursing program. They are the
ones who have kept me going
in the times where it felt like I
have hit a brick wall,” she said.
Garden plots
still offered
The Greenfingers Com­
munity Garden Project at
Clackamas Community Col­
lege opened May 8, providing
700 square feet of garden
space to district residents for $4
a plot.
The gardens, provided
with free irrigation, are located
between the Orchard Center
and the Environmental Learn­
ing Center. Some 275 plots
have been set aside.
“There are still quite a
number of plots available,”
Garden Project Coordinator
Paul Fiskum said.
For more information call
657-8400, ext. 208.
Anne Tongue
gives birth to boy
Anne Tongue, the
Clackamas Community Col­
lege public information
specialist, gave birth to a
healthy baby boy on Monday,
May 2.
Sam Donelson Tongue
weighed in at eight pounds, 13
ounces and was born at Kaiser
hospital in Portland. Mother,
baby and father Christopher
are all doing well, according to
the Public Information Office,
which also pointed out that
Sam Donelson was “not nam­
ed after the ABC News
Washington, D.C. correspon­
dent.”
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Clackamas Community Cqllege