SANTA ANA : College District to Cut Classes, Staff

As many as 120 weekend classes will be eliminated in the Rancho Santiago College District, part of $1.6 million in budget cuts approved by the district board to offset a shortfall caused by the state financial crisis.

“Even as we have to cut back for this spring, our students will pay more,” lamented board President Brian E. Conley before the unanimous vote at Monday’s regular meeting.

In balancing the $66.7-million spending plan, the board also approved reductions in clerical and counseling staff and increased the student health fee $2.50 to $10 a semester.

Beginning in the spring, weekend classes will be eliminated and the college will shut down at noon each Friday.

Pay for part-time instructors who do not have contracts with the district, and faculty who earn extra money teaching weekend classes will be eliminated, said John Nixon, executive dean of instruction.

The district also slashed $75,000 by postponing the hiring of a Santa Ana campus chancellor and secretary; $114,000 by maintaining a hiring freeze on unfilled faculty positions; and $250,000 by postponing the purchase of computer software.

In addition to Rancho Santiago College, the district has a training center at Centennial Regional Park in Santa Ana and a fast-growing second campus in Orange.

Criticizing what he termed “Gov. Pete Wilson’s massive attack on public education,” Trustee Charles W. (Pete) Maddox said that the latest round of cuts brings to $7.2 million the total slashed from the district’s $66.7-million budget.

“That’s more than 10% of our budget we’ve cut, and we’re educating more students,” he said.

However, Trustee Michael Ortell praised district officials for finding cuts that did not require pay reductions or layoffs for full-time faculty or staff. Ortell said he regretted having to cut part-time staff, but noted that about 80% of the district’s budget goes to pay salaries.