Plan to Cut 400 Classes Is Shelved : Colleges: Trustees want presidents at Moorpark, Oxnard and Ventura campuses to slash other areas in their budgets.

Responding to student protests, Ventura County Community College officials have shelved a plan to eliminate 400 classes at Moorpark, Oxnard and Ventura colleges beginning this summer.

Administrators at the three campuses were poised to slash summer school classes in the next few weeks, and then drop even more classes during the next school year to meet expected losses in state funding.

But the community college board of trustees instructed college presidents to re-examine their priorities and come up with $800,000 in cuts in other areas before eliminating classes.

“Without classes, what purpose does a college have?” said Jason Henderson, a student representative on the board who helped organize a raucous protest at Tuesday night’s meeting. “It’s the absolute last thing that should be cut.”

About 100 students, most of them wearing green ribbons to support education, criticized school officials for considering cutting classes without consulting students.

Some students told the board they would have to delay their plans to complete their education at a four-year university if they cannot get the prerequisite classes at the community colleges. Others complained that it was unfair that students had no voice in deciding budget priorities.

The controversy over dropping classes is the latest in the painful decisions facing administrators coping with dramatic shortages in state dollars.

At Tuesday’s meeting, the board approved its planned layoff notices of all managers for the next fiscal year, which begins July 1. Board members emphasized that it does not mean layoffs are imminent. It does, however, give administrators flexibility to shuffle job assignments or reduce salaries if needed during the next fiscal year.

Until the meeting, college administrators said they were preparing to save money by cutting 40% of summer classes at Ventura College, 16% at Oxnard College and 15% at Moorpark College.

But board members admonished the college presidents for initiating the cuts in classes without consulting them and directed administrators to slash other areas in their budgets--such as supply, travel and maintenance--within a few weeks.

“They know they’re operating under the gun,” board Chairman Gregory P. Cole said. “All accounts and all areas of the budget are eligible for cuts. Nothing is sacred.”

Cole suggested reducing supplies, maintenance, trustee travel expenses and management salaries and positions. He said he may propose an across-the-board reduction in salaries next fiscal year for all faculty members, administrators and staff members.

Meanwhile, college administrators on Wednesday said they have begun scrambling to find savings and warned that layoffs are more likely. The community college district employs about 40 managers, 450 staff members, 400 faculty members and about 675 part-time faculty members.

Last year, the board cut about $2 million from its $62.5-million budget, but avoided cutting staff or classes.

Ruth Hemming, vice president of administrative services at Ventura College, said the colleges have little left to trim. “It’s going to be very difficult to get any extensive level of cuts without looking at personnel.”

Ray DiGuilio, acting vice president of administrative services at Moorpark College, said he doesn’t believe the board’s wishes can be implemented. “It can’t be done. We will be unable to balance our budget,” he said.

Cole, who anticipated such a reaction, said, “If they can’t make it, I’ll examine their budgets and make the cuts for them.”

He wants to see results in a few weeks, and said it is very likely the board will hold a special meeting to approve the cuts.