Short Weeks, Leaves OKd for Colleges

To ease budget problems, community college officials will let employees and managers shorten their work hours and take unpaid leaves of absence.

Ventura County Community College District trustees approved a policy Tuesday night that would allow full-time workers to reduce their hours by up to 25%. They also could take leaves of up to three months under the policy.

The cost-cutting policy is similar to one that the district invoked in 1987 during tough economic times. The policy runs until June 30, 1992.

Trustee Gregory Cole voted against it because it provides for all medical, vision and dental insurance premiums to be paid during the employees’ absence.

The policy comes as the district grapples with an expected $4.6-million budget deficit for the coming fiscal year. The trustees viewed a budget reduction plan Tuesday night that points out possible cuts to offset the anticipated shortfall in state funds.

The plan calls for substantially reducing class offerings at the district’s three colleges, not filling vacant positions and asking administrators to expand their duties to include teaching. There would be no layoffs of full-time employees under the plan.

Under the policy approved Tuesday, about 475 non-teaching employees and managers would be eligible to shorten their hours or take leaves, said Jerry Pauley, associate vice chancellor for personnel. Employees would need management approval first, he said.

Faculty members are excluded because their classes still would have to be taught by someone, and they already have summers off, he said.

A recent survey of employees and managers at Oxnard College showed that leaves and reduced hours would net the college about $43,000. The savings probably would be greater at the other two colleges, he said.

About 40 employees took advantage of the policy in 1987, he said, many of them parents who shortened their workday to spend more time with children.