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About The Mill City enterprise. (Mill City, Or.) 1949-1998 | View Entire Issue (March 5, 1970)
PAGE FIVE Budget Queries Answered The following questions are those most-often asked about the proposed budget for Chemeketa Community College. They are answered by Paul F. Wilmeth, president of the college. Reprints of the questions and answers may be obtained through the college office, 4389 Satter Dr. N.E., Salem, Phone 585-6166, Ext. 341. WHEN WILL THE ELECTION BE HELD? The election will be between 8 a.m, and 8 p.m, March 16, 1970. Applications for ab sentee ballots may be made through the Community College Office, until March 4, 1970. AMOUNT? $2,855,477 to be raised from property in the dis trict which has a total true cash value of $1,506,744,397. WHAT K THE TOTAL BUDGET? $3,688,885. WHAT DOES THE BUDGET IN CLUDE? Capital outlay and op eration of the college during 1970-71. The capital outlay ex penditures total $1,176,778 and include the purchase of the pre sent 23-acre site and facility from Salem School District 24J, acquisition of an additional 146 acres of land for future campus development, and purchase of instructional equipment. WHAT WILL THE BUDGET COST ME, THE TAXPAYER? The budget will cost the district tax payers $1.81 per $1,000 true cash value or $18.10 for each $10,000 worth of property you own. WHAT PORTION OF THE $1.81 TAX LEVY WILL GO FOR CAP- rrAL OUTLAY? Capital outlay will represent 74 cents of the tax levy and the operating budget will represent $1.07. WHAT K THE LENGTH OF THE LEVY? This is a one-year levy. DOES THE COMMUNITY COL LEGE DEPEND ON A LOCAL TAX BEING VOTED EACH YEAR? £ certainly does. The college has no tax base. There fore, the Board of Directors cannot raise even one dollar of tax money without a vote of approval by the people. WHY NOT SPREAD LAND AND BUILDING ACQUISITION COSTS OVER THREE TO FIVE YEARS? For several reasons. Area fi nancial experts agree that it will be most economical and bene ficial to the taxpayers of the district to purchase them now. ft will save the district taxpayers 35-40 per cent in interest and finance charges to purchase land now rather than spread it over a period of time. Secondly, the college cannot qualify for any State or Federal building money until land is purchased. Once land is obtained, the college qualifies for support and is able to pro- Mel Circle - One of the First The grandaddy of the instruct ors at Chemeketa Commimity College remembers when—the college campus was an abandon ed and condemned elementary school buildinr in West Salem, there were only three grograms offered at the school, and 50 students were enrolled in the community college. Mel Circle, electronics de partment chairman, came to the community coUege in 1957, then Salem Technical Vocational Comminity College. He was the third instructor hired on the college staff and has been at the college longer than any other present instructor. "We have gone a long way, but there is still a good way to go if we are to adequately’ serve the people of our expanded area,” Circle said. Prior to his teaching days at the college, Circle spent 28years in sales and service in industrial and home electronics. This back ground gave him his certification from the State of Oregon toteach vocational subjects. "But I only had a year of formal college education,” Circle said. "So, I began at tending Oregon State University night school and graduated with a BJS. in Trade and Industrial Education in 1967.” Now he’s working on his masters degree. Circle began his work as an instructor because he saw a need in industry for skilled and trained technicians. "I enjoy working in vocational programs tremendously,” he said. "I like helping people and seeing the success of students after graduation from the pro grams.” Circle is a native of Silver- ton and his wife, Cleo, is a native of Stayton. In his spare time he enjoys his family including two teenagers, photography and de velopment of electronic research work. ceed with development plans. Thirdly, future development of facilities in permanent buildings will need to be financed on a long- range basis. Purchase of land and present building now will avoid duplication in long-range pro jects later, WILL THE COMMUNITY COL LEGE BE A COST TO THE TAXPAYERS? No. The com munity college is the best in vestment opportunity the people of this area ever had. The college will provide everyone low-cost educational opportunities. Each graduate of the program takes his place in the community, earn ing money, buying property and adding to the support of the college for future generations. The college will build a pool of trained workers to attract in dustry to the area, HOW' DOES THE BUDGET COM PARE WITH THE BUDGET UNDER THE SALEM SCHOOL DISTRICT? The proposed bud get cannot realistically be com pared to the 1969-70 budget under Salem School District. In Sept ember, 1969, district voters ap proved the new Mid-W illamette Area Education District for the college adding 142,000 people to’ the area that will be served by’ the college. The formation of the entirely new district and govern ing body makes it impossible to compare the proposed budget with previous budgets under Salem School District, Programs must be expanded in order to ad equately serve the expanded district. Certain fixed costs were not included as college costs in the 24J budget, but must be re flected in the new Chemeketa budget. The experiences of Chemeketa Community College during its first year of operation are similar to other community colleges in Oregon in the first year of operation. HOW WILL INSTRUCTION COM PARE TO THAT UNDER SALEM DISTRICT? The professional staff will be increased by 28.5 full time people to adequately serve the new district. Of these professional, certificated people 22.5 will be directly involved in instruction. WHAT ARETHE PRESENT COL LEGE FACILITIES? The college facilities presently will accom modate only 250 full time equi valent students and enrollment far exceeds that. In addition to permanent facilities the college leases four mobile units which will accommodate another 200 students, bringing the total cap acity to 450. Enrollment at this time is 1,115 full time equivalent students, HOW MANY STUDENTS DOES THE COLLEGE SERVE? It is estimated that the college will serve 7,800 different people dur ing the next year. Many of these are part time. WHAT GROWTH K PREDICTED? By 1980 it is estimated that the college will serve between 20,000 and 25,000 different people in the district. It also is reasonable to assume that in 1980 the college will have at least two satellite campuses, one to the last and one to the W est of the central Salem campus. The growth rate figures indicate that in 1975 Chemeketa will serve approxi mately 18,000 people. WHO MAY ATTEND THE COM MUNITY COLLEGE? Chemeketa Community College has an open door policy providing up to two years of college to all individuals over 16. Any high school graduate may attend. By special arrange ments some students who are still in high school may attend. In many programs people with out high school diplomas are encouraged to attend. DO UNEMPLOYED OR WEL FARE PEOPLE PARTICIPATE IN COMMUNITY COLLEGE PROGRAMS? Yes Chemeketa has 260 from a variety of agen cies learning new skills to enable Paul F. Wilmeth, President them to take their place in the Beyond High School.” The report recommended that an Area Ed community. WHAT ABOUT THE ADULT ED ucation District be formed in UCATION PROGRAM? During Marion - Polk - Yamhill - Linn the 1970-71 school year, a major Counties at the earliest possible emphasis will be placed on adult date, and that the existing Salem education on a district wide basis, Technical Vocational Community making every effort to offer College serve as the institutional courses and classes within the base for the expanded community communities in which people live. college program. In 1968 a com In this way, any time 12 people mittee of local business and pro in a community indicate interest fess ional men was appointed by in a particular course, every the Salem School Board and came effort will be made to find an up with the same recommenda instructor to teach the class in tion. Then, in September, 1969, that community, It is estimated the voters of the district approved that 774 classes will be offered in the formation of the independent community centers throughout district and the break from Salem Schools. the district during 1970-71. WHAT PROGRAMS WILL BE WHAT K THE HKTORY OF EMPHASIZED AT THE COL CHEMEKETA COMMUNITY The college was LEGE? Career education pro COLLEGE? grams will continue to be em established as Salem Technical phasized. Programs will be pro Vocational Community College vided by the college according to in 1955 as a post high school the needs of industry and wishes institution to meet the increas ing technical and vocational needs of the residents, WHAT K THE EARNING POWER of the area. The first campus OF COMMUNITY COLLEGE was a 50 year old abandoned GRADUATES? Statistics indi elementary school in W est Salem. cated that two-year college grad In the Fall of 1963 the college uates of technical programs earn was moved to its present lo on the average as much as four- cation on a 23 acre site with an year graduates during the first enrollment of 388 full time equi valent students and a capacity year of employment. WHAT ABOUT TRANSFER? The of 135. Through legislative and application of Chemeketa Com school board action, the name munity College for accreditation was changed in 1965 to Salem has been accepted by the North Technical Vocational Community west Association of Secondary College. The formation of the new and Higher Schools. Completion district followed in 1969. of the accreditation process WHO ARE THE DIRECTORS OF should be accomplished during THE MID-W ILLA METT A AREA the 1972 -73 school year. Begin EDUCATION DISTRICT? J. Itarl Cook,Chairman Salem, ning the Fall of 1971 the college Oregon will initiate the first year of George G. Strozut Salem, the transfer program and the Oregon second year will follow in the Henry F. Tiano Salem, Fall of 1972. Oregon WILL THE COLLEGE BECOME John (Art) Hebert Sheridan, A FOUR YEAR INSTITUTION? Oregon State law prohibits any com Frank T. Crow Jr. Stayton, munity college from becoming a Oregon four year institution. Raymond (Ray) E. Welch Wood WHAT AREA DOES THE MID burn, Oregon WILLAMETTE AREA EDUCAT Anne Bell Rickreall, ION DISTRICT INCLUDE? The Oregon district includes all of Marian and Polk Count! •«, Southern WHO ARE THE BUDGET COM Yamhill County and Northern MITTEE MEMBERS OF THE Linn County. The area includes DKTRICT? Robert Lorence, Chairman In 2,600 square miles, serves dependence, Oregon 242,000 people and 28 high John Hobson Salem, Oregon schools. Richard F. Hague Salem, HOW MANY COMMUNITY COL Oregon LEGE AGED (18-29) PEOPLE Albert J. Apperson Salem, RESIDE IN THE DISTRICT? Oregon 42,000. Clifford Elliott McMinnville, WHAT S THE HKTORY OF THE Oregon COLLEGE DISTRICT? In 1966 Fred Graham Stayton, a post high school study com Oregon mittee appointed by the Educat Grant B. Fagg Hubbard, ional Coordinating Council com Oregon. piled a report, “Education
