Countywide : District OKs Pared Budget for Colleges

The Ventura County Community College District officials have adopted a $62.5-million tentative budget for the coming fiscal year, representing more than $1.2 million in cuts.

The board of trustees approved the 1992-93 budget early Wednesday, but final adoption is not expected until September when officials know for certain how much actual state funding the district will receive.

Moorpark College will receive about $20.3 million under the tentative budget, about $1.1 million less than the 1991-92 budget provided.

Ventura College is set to receive $22.8 million, about $90,000 less than last year.

And Oxnard College--which traditionally has struggled with funding inequities--will receive $11.6 million, about $355,330 more than last year.

The district office budget will be set at about $4.3 million, representing a $588,000 decrease in funding.

Another $3.5 million has been set aside for districtwide services.

Jeff Marsee, vice chancellor of administrative services, said the majority of the cuts came out of the faculty budget at Moorpark College.

According to college officials, 19 people at the college have either retired or quit since the beginning of this fiscal year, representing a $782,000 reduction in the Moorpark’s instructional budget.

But, Marsee said, there is a chance that nearly $445,000 could be re-allocated to help soften the blow at Moorpark.

Nevertheless, Moorpark officials say they are facing a bleak year.

“It represents quite a loss,” said Al Miller, president of the academic senate at Moorpark College. “It represents a difficult time for us at a time when there is a phenomenal outpouring of students.”