Fresno City College

Volume CXXII, Edition 1

IS SUMMER
In another email to staff on Jan. 20, the chancellor had noted that her office was additionally recommending to the board of trustees to cancel the remaining summer sessions for 2012. Since then, the chancellor has reconhardships this would create for students, I directed Ed Eng [vice chancellor for finance] to rework the mid-year reduction plan to include options for including at least some scaled-back summer sessions after June 30. She stated The chancellors proposal to entirely eliminate all summer offerings before June 30 and reduce the number of courses offered after July 1 does not sit well with Student trustee Christopher Coronado or Lacey Barnes, president

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February 1, 2012

ByAlex TAvliAn Rampage Reporter

SCHOOL DOOMED?
The district messed things up and is now putting it on the backs of the students. Chris Coronado Student Trustee
sidered. In an email to staff last Friday, Blue wrote, After hearing from the campuses about the severe that while the mid-year reduction plan proposal will include some form of summer session, it will be greatly reduced. of the State Center Federation of Teachers. Coronado said that the proposal to eliminate summer school

Students in the State Center Community College District may be facing a drastic change to their annual schedule if the Board of Trustees has its way and eliminates an overwhelming majority of this years summer school course offerings during its Feb. 7 meeting. Canceling the summer classes at all of its campuses will save the district $500,000 Chancellor Deborah G. Blue wrote in an email to staff on Jan. 27. We are showing savings from canceling summer session courses through the end of the fiscal year, the chancellor had explained in another email. Blue explained that the district is recommending the cancellation of summer school in order to avoid salary cuts and layoffs of staff.

was like turning on a dime rather than planning ahead for future cutbacks. How successful will students be? Coronado asked. He added that the move to eliminate a part of summer school shortchanged students, giving students roughly four weeks to complete classes designed for six weeks of instruction. The district messed things up and is now putting it on the backs of students, Coronado said. Shortening the session wasnt the optimal learning environment for students or teachers, Barnes said. The best we can hope for is a cursory introduction to the information that you need to be learning, she said. Are we really talking about whats best for the students?

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Quilts Artwork

See Summer School on page 3

Rampage Editorial

Basketball Update

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February 1, 2012

News

FCC Celebrates Black History Month

OPENING CEREMONY MATTIE B. MEYERS TRIBUTE TRAILBLAZERS AWARDS BANQUET WINTER BALL CSU, BLACK STUDENTS UNITED BILL COSBY FCCS OAB AUDITORIUM HENRY MADDEN LIBRARY AT CSUF HOLIDAY INN DOWNTOWN FRESNO HOLIDAY INN DOWNTOWN FRESNO FEBRUARY 1 FEBRUARY 3 FEBRUARY 4 FEBRUARY 11 11-12:30PM 2PM 5-10PM 7PM-12AM

Online Stories
Benefits of Veterans serVices
By: Frank Lopez
Check out this article for details about on campus services and accommodations for veteran students.

SEX AND CHOCOLATE EVENT RITES OF PASSAGETRANSITIONING AFRIKAN TENT DAYS ALONZO KING LINES BALLET: SCHEHERAZADE GOSPEL MUSIC WORKSHOP OF AMERICA WALL OF HONOR CELEBRATION ROSA PARKS AWARDS KEEPING IT REAL WITH DR. JEAN KENNEDY
Fresno City College

WILLIAM SAROYAN CONVENTION CENTER FCC STUDENT LOUNGE FCC STUDENT LOUNGE FCC FREE SPEECH AREA WILLIAM SAROYAN CONVENTION CENTER FCCS OAB AUDITORIUM

FEBRUARY 12 FEBRUARY 14 FEBRUARY 15 FEBRUARY 2223 FEBRUARY 24 FEBRUARY 26

5PM 12-2:00PM 10-12:30PM 9-5PM 7:30PM 3-4:30PM 6-8PM 5:15-730PM 8-10PM

textBook changes
By: Troy pope
How much does an older textbook version differ from the next edition? For information about how to be a smart consumer when purchasing college textbooks check out this article.

how to start a small Business

By: ChanTreLL aLLen
Interested in starting your own business? This article is a must read for those trying to make a little extra cash.

AFRICAN AMERICAN FEBRUARY 28 HISTORICAL & CULTURAL MUSEUM SMITTCAMP FEBRUARY 29 ALUMNI HOUSE CSU FRESNO KFCF 88.1 FM RADIO FEBRUARY 7 & 21

fcc Parking issues By: aLex TavLian

Semester after semester on campus parking seems to an ongoing issue for many students. Check out this article for insider details regarding FCCs parking problem.

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Will SCCCD Cut Summer School?

Barnes also explained that the chancellors explanation that not cutting summer school would mean layoffs or reduction in staff pay is not valid. Barnes explained that layoffs and salary reductions can only be implemented through the collective bargaining process. Despite the bleak outlook for students, the college district still has an overwhelmingly large budget reserve which it could tap into to ensure that students at its largest campus can attend summer school. According to Coronado, at the beginning of the fall semester, the district was maintaining approximately $40 million in reserve as part of a rainy day fund. Coronado said he didnt understand why in the midst of deep cuts, the district wouldnt shell out the $500,000 to cover the cost of summer school, given its vast reserves. And while the district faces belt tightening at its Feb. 7 board of trustees meeting, the district is also facing another spur-of-the-moment problem: under-enrollment.

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February 1, 2012

Continued from page 1

One explanation of the cause is that due to the increased pressure to keep class sizes at the cap set by the district, Fresno City College and Reedley College are underenrolled for the spring semester. Another explanation is that the district was erroneously using an old formulas to calculate the full-time equivalent student (FTES) creating a shortfall, Coronado said. This shortfall, according to email communication to faulty, would lad to a revenue shortfall for the district. If we dont make the target, we wont get the funds from the state we are budgeting for, one of the deans had written to faculty. As of Tuesday afternoon, Fresno City Colleges enrollment, as determined by head count change was down 6.6% this semester, and the schools unduplicated head count, or the number of students counted once each fiscal year, was down to 19,600 students compared to 20,998 in the spring of 2011. To boost enrollment, faculty were urged to add more students and disregard the earlier rules to

turn students away. Additionally, FCC will add a number of 12week courses to start on Feb. 21, with each unit being $10 less than comparable summer courses. Coronado said that the newly

suggested 12-week session isnt to speak out against this and save a remedy to the summer school summer school. elimination proposal. Were calling on students to voice their concerns to the board, The reporter can be reached at he said. Its incumbent upon them ATavlian@therampageonline.com

studeNts will Not be able to use the library iN juNe if the district decides to cut summer school.

An Interim SCCCD
By TomAs KAssAhun Rampage Reporter As the State Center Community College District finds itself in the midst of a daunting budget crisis, several key positions remain vacant or on interim basis. Currently at Fresno City College, crucial positions of the admission and records manager remains vacant while the post of the president and the vice president of instruction are on interim basis. Additionally, other prominent members such as John Cummings, vice president of admissions and records, Michael Guerra, VP of administrative services, as well as James Tucker, dean of library and student learning support services have departed, leaving their seats unfilled. One can only speculate as to why so many faculty and administrators have resigned in such a short amount of time, said English instructor, Lynn Campbell. It is troubling though that so many key positions are either designated interim or left unfilled. Campbell said that currently, only the position of president of Fresno City College is advertised. Although the current economy adds to the challenge of filling the vacant positions, Campbell says that should not be an excuse. Fresno City College has a legacy of 100 plus years and has much to offer. I would like to see an aggressive effort at recruiting high quality individuals for these vacant positions, she said. Campbell said that in her 13 years as an instructor at Fresno City College, she has not seen so many unfilled positions. Even when highly qualified individuals are in interim positions, they are still in interim positions, said Campbell. This does negatively influence continuity of planning, efficiency, and thus effectiveness across the district. Everyone is affected-- staff, faculty, students. Womens studies and Psychology instructor Linda De Kruif, former president of the Academic Senate, has been with the district since 1994. She said she cannot recall seeing these many changes in a short amount of time. Every year we have some changes, but the extent to which we have had administrative changes, I havent seen, said Campbell. In a time when the district is facing changes in the budget and classroom availability, De Kruif says the learning curve is really steep for those taking up new positions. The time period to learn is very small so that presents challenges, said De Kruif. She added that the changes affect many different aspect of the campus, and while some changes may not be bad, they create a set of challenges. I dont necessarily equate changes in administrative leave with negative things, so its not that they have to adjust to negative things, said De Kruif. Its just that they have to adjust to changes. And we all have to adjust to changes. All aspects of the campus do. Interim President Tony Cantu remains optimistic despite all the changes. The interims are familiar with the district. They have a sense of how things work, said Cantu. Among the interim are Kelly Fowler who is currently vice president of instruction and Janell Mendoza who is vice president of administrative services. They have a lot of experience which allows them to do a good job, Cantu said. Mendoza began her employment with the State Center Community College District in 1988 while Fowler Previously served as the dean of instruction and technology at Willow International Center. Cantu is also familiar with his position as he has also held administrative positions at Reedley College and served as the interim president at Reedley College from 2003-2004. In the coming months, more changes are expected as the search for a new president continues. The selection of the president will then affect the VP of Instruction. Other interim positions could also bring more changes as they are filled on permanent bases. As for the current interims, De Kruif says some of them are working fine and others can work better than what they currently are. Still De Kruif said that administration, faculty and students must work together to overcome the challenges caused by the transition period.
The reporter can be reached at TKassahun@therampageonline.com

LIST OF INTERIMS/VACANCIES SCCCD

ASSOC. VICE CHANCELLOR FOR WORKFORCE DEV. & ED. SERVICES VICE CHANCELLOR OF FINANCE AND ADMIN. ASSOC. VICE CHANCELLOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES REEDLEY COLLEGE PRESIDENT PRESIDENT OF FCC VICE PRESIDENT OF INSTRUCTION DEAN OF HUMANITIES DEAN OF LIBRARY ACCOUNTING SUPERVISOR ADMISSIONS & RECORDS MANAGER VICE PRESIDENT OF ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES

INTERIM NEW (FALL 2011) LEAVING NEW (FALL 2011) INTERIM INTERIM NEW (FALL 2011) VACANT VACANT VACANT INTERIM

FCC

photo by

abel cortez