Mission Viejo : College Budget Plan Would Save Programs

Saddleback College officials have forged a budget agreement that would save key funding for such popular programs as cosmetology and the school newspaper, art gallery and summer stock theater.

While such programs would still face some cuts, they would receive the funding necessary to continue operating, interim college President Calvin Nelson said.

As part of an effort to deal with an estimated $2.8-million shortfall in the college’s projected $37.4-million budget for the upcoming fiscal year, Nelson had proposed eliminating the pay professors receive for working as coaches and advisers to student programs.

Instead of being paid to be advisers, officials said, the professors would have been required to teach a full load of classes, allowing the college to serve more students, which means more funding from the state.

But in an accord worked out in recent days, officials have agreed to continue paying the professors who serve as advisers to the forensics team, the honors program and the award-winning campus newspaper, the Lariat.

In addition, the summer stock musical theater program would not lose more than the $50,000 previously proposed, a class would be added to help run the campus art gallery and the college cosmetology program would receive $30,000, down from $75,000 last year.

Under the proposal, faculty members would also receive compensation for taking on leadership roles, such as Academic Senate president, curriculum committee adviser and staff diversity officer.

The budget proposal, however, still calls for eliminating the compensation professors receive for working as department chairs. The college deans would assume the duties of the department chairs.