ATHLETICS

* Community activists who want the athletic program reinstated at Mission College plan to speak at the Los Angeles Community College District Board of Trustees meeting today.

Duke Russell, a retired electrician, is heading the effort.

The meeting is at 3:30 p.m. at the district offices at 770 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles.

Mission discontinued its athletic program in July 1997 because of financial constraints. At the time, the school funded baseball, men’s soccer, men’s golf and men’s and women’s cross-country.

The demise of the program seemed indefinite until September, when Tom Oliver, the school’s interim president, said Mission would try to reinstate athletics. Those plans appear to have been delayed.

Oliver was unavailable for comment.

Russell, who lives in Hollywood, campaigned the last few years to reinstate baseball at L.A. City and Pasadena and the four men’s sports programs axed by Cal State Northridge in 1997. All of the programs were reinstated.