Image provided by: Clackamas Community College; Oregon City, OR
About The Clackamas print. (Oregon City, Oregon) 1989-2019 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 13, 1991)
Tough budget decisions result in program cuts fs this the end of the line? by Angela Wilson Editor-in-Chief The budget reductions pro posed by the Presidents Council last week will have a drastic im pact on students and staff work ing in the Vocational/Technical Department. According to Assistant Dean of the Industrial Programs Kit Youngren, the decision to cut six occupational programs, eight full- time instructors and some part- time instructors from the Voca- tional/Technical Department budget was based on economics, student head count and employment “We had to make an economic decision based on the amount of money verses the amount of stu dents and the employment oppor tunities,” Youngren said. According to Youngren, the six programs that have been sug Photo by Notan Kidwell There has been an increase in enrollment at Clackamas this school year. Some students had to wait in line for appointment cards for an hour or more last term. This term, seating was provided for students waiting In line for appointment cards. Student services suffer in budget crunch by Jennifer Soper News Editor The student activities budget will be reduced by $62,000 next year if the college board approves the proposal at the March 13 meeting, according to Acting Dean of Students Dian Connett. The cuts in the department indude the elimination of onefull time staff position and the reor ganization of the remaining three full-time positions. Eliminating the position of events co-ordinator, which is pres ently held by Paul Kyllo, is among the proposed budget reduction measures. “At this point everyone in student activities has been talked to and understands the implica tions,” said Connett Included in the proposal is the re-classification of the stu dent activities director to a “spe cialized professional” This cut also means a reduction in pay for the position, which is currently held by Debbie Baker. “The cut for our area is cer tainly logical,” said Baker. “We may be in the middle of fall term before we realize the entire im pact” "This is not evaluation. This is budget crisis." -Dian Connett Dean of Student Services Associated Student Govern ment President Tony Franklin explained the proposed cuts in student activities are not as sig nificant as cuts in other programs. “If the position we lost will allow for a full-time instructor, so be it,” said Frankiln. “I’d rather keep a full- time faculty member, We are here to learn.” Other members of ASG are not as accepting as Franklin. “I think it is deplorable, but it’s what the voters said they wanted,” said Senator Gayle Kirkpatrick. “I’m very sorry to see all the programs being cut,” Kirkpatrick continued. “There are a lot of people who will be left out in the cold with half an education.” * Vice President Andreas Luhring said it is too soon to speculate about changes in next year’s student activities. “Certainly no one likes it. No one is happy about it,” said Luhring. “The fact is we will have less money.” Connett said the board will be given the proposal at tonight’s meeting. “None of these are decisions I would have chosen to make,” Connett said. “This is not evalu ation. This is budget crisis.” Group forms to help relieve war worries by Brenda Hodgen Sports Editor Several students on campus, whose family and/or friends are serving in the Gulf War, are expe riencing feelings of grief and fear in response to the war. Clackamas Counselor Ellen Burbridge and several faculty members are attempting to offer a bit of support for those who are struggling. Today, and every Wednesday from l:30-2:30p.m.,a counselor, as well as a staff facili tator, will be available for a drop in support group for students and staff members who wish to discuss their thoughts and emotions or who are seeking help and encour agement from their peers. The group will meet each week in the Barlow conference room. The staff members involved will be able to clarify the different stages of emotional trauma and resis tance during the time in which families wait for their loved ones to return. The members will also provide suggestions for coping skills, as well as offering an ear for those who just need someone to listen. “I think what we want to fo cus on is simply being a support for those who need and want to talk,” explained Burbridge during a preliminaiy meeting, “as opposed to getting into a debate over whether the war is right or wrong.” The meetings are open to anyone on campus. For further information contact Lynn Maloney at ext. 526. Youngren said. With the budget cuts being made state wide there has been some concern over which schools will cut what programs and who will absorb the difference. “There have been no formal discussions with other community colleges, so far, as to what is being cut,” Youngren said. “We’re not all on the same time line. “There have been general discussions and hopefully we won’t all cut the same programs. “Clackamas is ahead of most community colleges, but we want to give the students and staff enough notice to plan ahead. We didn’t want to wait,” Youngren said. “Some of the staff members will have the opportunity to take early retirement and some will have to find new jobs,” Youngren con "Ttiis was the only option other than to take a straight- across-the-board cut which would severely handicap everybody” -Kit Youngren. Assistant Dean of Industrial Programs gested to be cut from the Voca tional/Technical Department are electronics, fire science, fluid power, graphic arts, heating, ven tilation, air condi tioning (HVAC) and welding. The number of students en rolled in these programs fall term was 238 according to Youngren. The programs that will continue are automotive, manufacturing, parts and merchandising and Ap- prenticeships. “The manufacturing and auto motive both have a wide spectrum of jobs available,” Youngren said. “Parts and merchandising is a sup port service to automotive and manufacturing and the appren ticeship program deals with all of the trades.” Along with the cut in pro grams eight full-time instructors and some part-time instructors will also be cut from the Vocational/ Technical Department. Accord ing to Youngren, the eight full- time instructors are: from elec tronics, Bob Lehman and Gary Wallace; from fluid power, Dave Miller, from graphic arts, John Bohan; from HVAC, Tom Dun can; from welding, Clarence Lasley, Phil Leplante and Steve Sailor. Sailor is a full-time instructor working at the college through a contract with Precision Cast Parts and according to Youngren the terms of his contract still haven’t been determined. All the instruc tors from the fire science program are part-time. “None of this is final,” Youn gren said. “These are our projec tions and suggestions for reduc tions. “All staff members are being asked to take a look and see what adjustments they would make,” tinued. “We want to be as helpful as we can.” “Overall I’m impressed with the professional attitude of the staff. No one likes to see their program discontinued,” Youngren said. “Once we know all of the cuts we will assist students in finding other opportunities,” Youngren said. “We will make all attempts to adjust to the students needs.” The college will have to cut $3.8 million from the budget over two years and according to Youn gren there “are not a lot of op tions.” “I don’t see another good way we could have done it (made cuts). This was the only option other than to take a straight- across- the-board cut which would severely handicap everybody,” Youngren continued. “This way we elimi nate some to benefit those that remain. “Tax payers are forcing us to make tough decisions,” Youngren said. “With Measure 5 we no longer have the option of offering a high variety of programs.” “I truly believe that the tax payer didn’t understand the im plications of Measure 5,” Youn gren said. “They were frustrated. “I’m convinced that the loss of services and educational pro gramswill besuch thatwhatwe’ve seen as a down turn will cause the voter to support revenue costs,” Youngren said. “I hope we will have the opportunity to rebuild,” Youn gren said. “I hope five years from now the department will be as strong as it is today. We may not have the same programs, but the programs we have will be strong.”
