The Domino Effect

The Foothill-De Anza Community College District is preparing to make cuts to several departments due to a projected 2010-2011 budget deficit of $10.6 million.

The administration at De Anza College has the "right to assignment," allowing them complete control over which positions would be eliminated.

Phase one of the reductions would occur by June 30, and includes large cuts to the grounds keeping staff, which will be reduced to a staff of four next year, as well as other programs that would be completely eliminated such as the Readiness Lab.

According to De Anza President Brian Murphy, courses will be reduced across the board, as well as course sections that have had low enrollment numbers.

Murphy said 12 full-time employees were notified of layoffs for this June and 14 other positions will move to Escrow II accounts, allowing those employees to maintain their positions until a layoff in June 2011. Twelve additional full-time positions, known as Escrow I, were identified last year for layoff this year. The loss of certain jobs, such as the Administration and Records assistants, would result in "total devastation," said Blanche Monary, the program coordinator at the Occupational Training Institute and the union president for many of the affected workers.

"There will only be three people at the Administration and Records front desk to help students," said Monary, adding that this would be coupled with the elimination of the Veterans Program coordinator, which would result in a high volume of students seeking service from the Administration and Records office.

The journalism department would lose the learning lab/student publications assistant, which is now filled by Walter Alvarado. The lab tech position at La Voz Weekly will move to an Escrow II account to be eliminated in June 2011. "La Voz is going to be shut down if they take Walter next year," said Monary.

"There is a lack of communication between the faculty and the administration," said Monary. "[They] would be appalled if they knew the effects that these lay offs were going to have."

Following the time period allotted by Escrow II accounts, those positions will not likely be filled due to stipulations in labor union contracts. In some instances, this may lead to demise of a particular program altogether.

"I can't imagine one of the largest community colleges in the country without a student newspaper," said Beth Grobman, faculty adviser to La Voz. "Without the lab tech, we can't legally put out the paper. With no paper, the district will lose De Anza's historical record and take away the students' primary vehicle for First Amendment expression. The domino effect these layoffs will have is serious, a travesty."

This stipulation is in addition to the 32 part-time hourly employees who will lose their jobs.

Foothill President Judy Miner reported that De Anza's sister college plans to cut a total of 28 positions during 2010-2011. The district is trying to compensate for the shortfalls in the budget by shifting some positions from General Funds to funds provided by the Measure C bond, according to Andy Dunn, vice chancellor of Business Services.

"Once the funds from the Measure C bonds run out, then it's a different story," said Monary, noting that shifting the funds would only provide a temporary solution.

The Board of Trustees expressed their regret regarding the situation, and their appreciation toward those who must deal with the task at hand. "This is incredibly painful," said Board President Bruce Swenson.