Ways L.A. Colleges Could Increase Their Revenues

The Los Angeles Community College District Board is at it again--crying wolf, that is. When expenses exceed revenue, cuts must be made. Under these conditions some advance planning should be done. There should be action instead of reaction. Some of the actions that could be started are as follows. These are not necessarily in order of importance.

1--Plan an effective curriculum that will attract the community. This means some faculty will be let go to make way for “state of the art” instructors.

2--Consolidate classes on certain campuses to avoid duplication of staff, equipment and provide a better overall environment.

3--Keep campuses clean and appealing. Unsavory facilities send students elsewhere.

4--Review district and state regulations regarding employment of staff working in bookstores and cafeterias. These activities are businesses and require different personnel regulations than other non-certificated positions.

5--Recruit, fill and review management positions in business operations. Bookstores and cafeterias need not be subsidized by the district. Poor management should be removed.

6--Enforce present regulations. Instructor sale of classroom materials is not in conformance with district policy. These sales reduce both bookstore and campus income. The district also becomes liable for uncollected sales taxes.

7--Improve marketing of the colleges.

8--Tighten controls on attendance sales at athletic events to make them at least break-even events.

9--Initiate the regulations allowing for active foundations that can raise otherwise hard-to-get funds.

10--Sell sites for unneeded campuses.

11--Eliminate Mission College.

12--Support community service activities. These can be profitable and they introduce the public to a campus atmosphere.

HOWARD FINK

Van Nuys

Fink is a retired college fiscal administrator at Los Angeles Valley College.