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| A Message from our Chancellor
I hope everyone had a wonderful winter break and a great new year.
This year has already raised many questions for educational systems throughout the state of California. I know there is a lot of uncertainty in our District about how the Governor’s budget proposal will impact us. The Governor’s proposed budget includes the following:
- No COLA. The Governor utilized the statutory COLA of 4.94 percent to increase workload and then immediately rescinded the COLA as part of budget reductions. In addition, the Governor is proposing to alter the K-14 COLA factor from the State and Local Implicit Price Deflator to the Consumer Price Index for Wage Earners and Clerical Workers. This technical terminology means that there will be no COLA to local college and school districts coming from the state of California.
- 1.05 percent growth which equates to $60.1 million (system-wide).
- ALL Categorical programs are proposed to receive 7.33 percent less than the amount appropriated in the 2007-08 Budget Act.
- The Governor projects property taxes will increase 6.8 percent from 2007-08 to 2008-09.
- Enrollment fees revenues are projected to increase by 1.05 percent - the same percentage provided for growth.
- Per pupil spending is projected to decline from 2007-08 to 2008-09 by $77 dollars per FTES.
While the message below from Scott Lay, President and CEO of the Community College League of California (CCLC), indicates that the four-year colleges have already started reacting, the Governor will not propose a final budget until May and much can change before then. However, we are preparing for budget cuts in the coming fiscal year and working to plan for an increase in students due to the Cal State system’s response to the proposed budget. We are actively participating in the budget process at the state-level with the System Office, the CCLC and with our legislators.
We are fortunate that the District has planned and set aside budget reserves for cases like this and I can assure you that in the current year
- There will be NO mid-year budget cuts
- All classes for the 2008/2009 school year will go on as scheduled
- There is NO impact in any of the facilities projects throughout the District
- District administration is working with the college presidents and categorical program managers to identify ways to cut costs and mitigate cost cuts, where possible.
As always, we will continue to keep everyone posted as the information comes in and please feel free to ask any questions that you may have.
Community Colleges, Now More than Ever
By: Scott Lay, President and CEO, Community College League of California
On January 16, the Sacramento Bee reported that the California State University system will close off applications for admission six months early, and plans to turn away 10,000 new students for the 2008-09 academic year. This decision follows the governor’s proposed budget, which reduces state’s general fund support for CSU and UC systems.
While it’s regrettable that the CSU system has already made this decision during what is expected to be a long budget debate, it means that community colleges must stand up and be prepared to provide those students a chance to go to college. Deciding who gets to go to college based on the yo-yo budget situation of Sacramento is bad for students and bad for our economy.
The state can, and should, fund community colleges for those redirected students. After all, in a time of dwindling state resources, our efficient and effective community college system is a major part of the solution to the state’s budgetary woes.
To enroll the 10,000 students in the CSU system for the first two years would cost the state $81.7 million (growth is funded at a marginal cost of $8,170 at CSU). Meanwhile, enrolling them in California Community Colleges would cost around $49.1 million (growth is funded at a marginal rate of $4,910 at community colleges).
Perhaps the fact that the California State University system is accepting the governor’s budget as the final spending plan is good news for taxpayers and students, and in agreement with the argument community colleges have made for a long time—we can save the state money and serve the students just as well as the four-year universities can during the first two years. After all, we can save $32.6 million and provide quality education to the same number of students.
While shifting students from California State Universities to California’s community colleges may be smart fiscally and in policy, we must fight to ensure that the additional funding is provided to serve these students, so that our traditional students are not displaced.
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Super Game Day Event to Raise Money for Coastline’s ABI Program—
Program Will Receive $20,000
Coastline’s Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) Program—one of the most renowned cognitive retraining programs in Southern California—has been named a first-tier charity for the Super Game Day event. Super Game Day is the largest Super Bowl charity event in the west and is held at Trump National Golf Resort in Rancho Palos Verdes. In addition to several large-screen televisions broadcasting the big game, the event features a sports celebrity charity golf tournament, a classic car show, several live music bands, and a silent auction. Proceeds from this year’s event will benefit five first-tier charities, with each organization receiving $20,000.
Coastline’s ABI Program is designed for adults who have sustained brain injuries. Page Jones, son of famous racecar driver Parnelli Jones, once participated in Coastline’s ABI Program. His father, who has won events in stock cars, sports cars, IndyCars, off-road vehicles and more, recommended the ABI Program as a preferred charity to benefit from the proceeds generated at this year's Super Game Day event. Parnelli Jones will be serving as emcee of the event, which takes place on Super Bowl Sunday (February 3).
“We are honored to have been considered as a recipient in this year’s Super Game Day event,” said Celeste Ryan, department co-chair of the ABI program. “The Jones family has continued to support the Coastline Community College Special Programs and Services Foundation and the ABI program, for which we are deeply grateful,” she continued.
For information on the event, visit the Super Game Day web site at www.supergameday.org. More information on Coastline’s ABI Program can be obtained by calling (714) 241-6214.
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Emeritus Students Gather for Tea to Celebrate Lifelong Learning
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Trustee Mary Hornbuckle (left) and Coastline President Dr. Ding-Jo Currie (right) present a certificate to one of Coastline’s eldest students, Juanita Woodburn (center), who is 102 years old.
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Coastline Community College hosted a tea party for Emeritus students at its Westminster campus on December 11. Emeritus students are those students that are age 55 and older taking classes at Coastline for physical fitness, personal enrichment, or for pure social enjoyment. Although the average age of students in Coastline’s Emeritus program is 74 years old, there are some extraordinary students that still believe in lifelong learning even into their 100s.
Coastline President Dr. Ding-Jo Currie and Coast District Trustee Mary Hornbuckle awarded Juanita Woodburn, one of Coastline’s oldest students, a certificate of recognition at the event. When asked how old she was, Juanita answered, “In two weeks and one day, I will be 103.”
Accompanied at the podium by her caregiver Eva, Juanita reminisced about all of the classes she had taken at Coastline Community College and credited those classes with keeping her young. Juanita is currently enrolled in an exercise course taught at the Huntington Landmark Senior Living Community in Huntington Beach. “I want to thank the college for having these classes,” she said to President Currie and to the crowd, “and I hope you never give up…as long as I live anyway!”
The annual Emeritus Tea was attended by nearly 100 seniors from various cities within the District. As a special feature, tea was poured by members of the Victorian Tea Society of the Centennial Heritage Museum in Santa Ana, all of whom wore Victorian-era costumes.
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First Annual African-American Male Summit Coming to Coastline
Coastline, in partnership with African-American Male Education Network and Development (A2MEND), will host its first annual Critical Examination of Institutional Barriers in Community Colleges summit for African-American Males on March 19 at Coastline’s Le-Jao Center.
The summit is intended for policy-makers, trustees, administrators, superintendents, faculty and teachers, staff, and current college and high-school students to come together and identify the barriers that African-American men face in community colleges. The group will also discuss best practices and implementation strategies to improve African-American student retention and success.
Four different strands will take place on the same day each covering different topics of interest to those specific groups. The four strands will be a student strand, an administrator strand, a faculty/instructional strand and a student-support-services strand–.
“This will be an excellent opportunity to collaborate and form effective strategies to eliminate unnecessary barriers African-American males are currently facing,” said Dr. Shalamon Duke, Dean of Counseling and Special Programs at Coastline. “Coastline has always worked to promote social equality and partnering up with A2MEND gives us a partner and an ally in our pursuit of changing the community college landscape for the betterment of African-American students,” he continued.
The student registration fee for the summit is $20 and professional registration is $75. A portion of the registration fee will go toward the A2MEND scholarship fund. Event is open to adminstrators, facuty, staff and students.
For more information, contact Dr. Shalamon Duke via email sduke@coastline.edu or by telephone (714) 241-6257. Information can also be found on the web site www.coastline.edu/AAsummit.
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Foundation Wish List Supports Bat Conservation Studies
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The new bat detector for Biology students is the size of a TV remote |
You don’t need a secret phone or sky signal to find this bat protector! Just stop by the Golden West College biology department and meet Deborah Crough, part-time biology faculty and full-time high school science teacher. Crough has dedicated a portion of her college curriculum to teaching students the rough art of field study.
Crough, a member of the Western Bat Workers Group, an organization dedicated to the conservation and management of North American bat species, is introducing her students to the field-study aspects of wildlife conservation programs. To enhance her students’ practical experiences in the field, Crough applied to the Foundation’s Wish List program for two bat detectors. About the size of a television remote control, a bat detector does exactly what its name implies – detects bats in the wild by picking up their sonar output. Each individual species gives off a unique sonar, identified by the detector, allowing the field biologist to classify which species of bat is in that particular geographical location.
The Wish List Committee, a campus-wide group that reviews the Wish List applications, was amazed by Crough’s request. “This is probably the most exciting and interesting Wish List request we have received!” said Margie Bunten, Director of the Golden West College Foundation and Community Relations. “The Foundation Board is proud to support our students by providing such unique and vital academic opportunities.” Wish List grants are possible through funds raised at the Foundation’s annual Gala.
For the GWC Biology students who participate in the study, they will have an opportunity to present their findings to fellow bat researchers at the annual North American Symposia of Bat Research. Crough’s field studies curriculum and the detectors will become a permanent part of the biology department at GWC.
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Planting Day in the GWC Native Garden
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Students and faculty were among 50 volunteers who helped out at GWC's Native Garden |
This winter, about 50 volunteers joined Native Garden co-directors Dan Songster and Rod Wallbank for an enjoyable day of planting and watering. The volunteers included students, faculty from the science department, college staff, Orange County members of the California Native Plant Society, and friends of the garden. They planted in several areas of the garden and prepared some areas to sow wildflowers. The planting was complete by mid-day and the group was treated to lunch.
Songster and Wallbank developed the California Native Garden 22 years ago. The garden consists of nine plant communities: mixed evergreen, redwood forest, Channel Island, foothill woodland, south oak woodland, chaparral, north oak woodland, valley grassland, and coastal sage scrub. The two-acre garden includes an open amphitheater that seats up to 50 people. Visitors enjoye lectures, meetings and social events in this peaceful spot.
“The garden should be in full bloom by April,” said Wallbank. The garden is located off Golden West Street, next to the Math and Sciences Building Back to top |
Friends of OCC’s Library Reach 68% Mark in $500,000 Campaign to Expand Book Collection
 In December, the ASOCC Board approved a grant of $250,000 to go to Orange Coast College’s Foundation in its campaign to raise $500,000 to expand the book collection of the new library and to increase student access to technology.
The campaign is also supported by OCC’s Friends of the Library.
With the ASOCC grant, plus a recent donation of $10,000 from the Orange County Teacher’s Federal Credit Union, the campaign has raised $342,000, 68% of its target amount.
Information on the campaign was recently mailed to all employees’ homes. If you did not receive information, or would like more information, please call Doug Bennett at ext. 25126.
Donors who give $100, $250, $500 or $1,000 will be recognized on a bookshelf donor-recognition plaque in the entrance area of the OCC Library. Gifts at higher levels will be recognized by plaques throughout the new library.
The Library will opened its doors on Thursday, Jan. 3. The formal dedication ceremony is set for Tuesday, Feb. 5, at 10 a.m.
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Economics Professor, Michael Olds, Named OCC’s Part-Time Faculty Member of the Year
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Michael Olds |
Orange Coast College economics professor, Michael V. Olds, was voted the Part-Time Faculty Member of the Year for 2007-08 by OCC faculty and staff.
OCC’s Staff Development Office and Academic Senate sponsor the Part-Time Faculty Member of the Year Award.
Olds, 67, an Irvine resident, has been teaching at OCC since 1983. He retired last June, but has remained on as a part-time instructor.
“I’m very honored to be the recipient of this award,” he says. “I was nominated a couple of times for Full-Time Faculty Member of the Year, but didn’t win. Last year I finished behind sociology professor, Terry Timmins, the winner of the full-time award. I nominated Terry for that honor, so I felt very good about it.
Four part-time instructors were nominated by their colleagues for the award. Olds, who was nominated for the honor by OCC student, Chelsea Smith, will be recognized on Thursday, April 3, during a special presentation in OCC’s Student Center Lounge. The program will begin at 3 p.m., and will conclude with a reception.
Born in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, to an American diplomat and his wife, Olds earned an A.B. degree in international relations from Princeton University. He completed an M.A. and M.A.L.D. from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University in Medford, Mass.
He taught political science for two years at Moorpark College, and was the chief of academic planning for the Chapman University World Campus Afloat, from 1972-76. Olds was an instructional designer for telecourses at Coastline Community College for seven years, from 1976-83.
Olds joined OCC’s faculty in 1983 as an economics professor. He also taught history courses, including a class in Chinese history. Olds is teaching two sections this fall of OCC’s macroeconomics course.
“One time in my life I thought about completing my Ph.D. and teaching at a university,” he said. “Well, I’ve taught at a university and, frankly, it’s a little boring. Everyone in your class is between the ages of 17 and 21. I love the community college environment because you get students of all ages. There’s tremendous diversity here.
“I was lecturing in a class many years ago on the subject of the Great Depression, and a student stood up – a 70-year-old woman – and said, ‘Sonny, you don’t know what you’re talking about. I lived through the Great Depression.’ I invited her to come to the front of the class and tell us about it. It was a great teaching moment.”
Other nominees for OCC’s 2006-07 Part-Time Faculty Member of the Year Award included: Denis Jana, history and American studies; Dr. Athena Sawyer, English as a second language; and Rachel Winston, mathematics.
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D-Mail Staff
Editor Martha Parham | Assistant Editor Amy Wheeler | Web Designer Max Vorathavorn
Graphic Designer Michael Likens |Contributing Writers CCC; Michelle Ma GWC; Margie Bunten OCC; Jim Carnett
Questions? Comments? Story ideas? Email us at dmail@cccd.edu.
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