COLLEGE OF THE CANYONS : Administrators’ Raises Criticized

Leaders of College of the Canyons’ classified employees, who are still negotiating for a 6.5% cost of living raise, have criticized the 19.5% and 17.4% pay increases given two top administrators.

“It’s just that the timing was really bad,” classified employee Dorothy Kell said.

The Santa Clarita Community College District used $30,206 in reserve funds to cover the cost of the salary increases granted last month to Supt.-President Dianne Van Hook and Assistant Supt.-Vice President James Walker.

Van Hook, who got a 19.5% raise, now earns $105,000 a year.

Walker earns just under $90,000.

The raises were granted at the same time college employees were updated on funding problems brought about by increased growth.

In a letter to the Newhall Signal, Kell said, “If the president had not just two months ago met with the staff at COC to tell us of the dire financial situation, the classified staff at COC would probably have not been as angry as we are at the raises. . . .”

Mary Drew, president of the campus chapter of the California School Employees Assn., also commented on the timing of the pay raise. “Coming as it did at the foot of negotiations caused a lot of reaction,” she said.

The 68 classified employees work in grounds-keeping, custodial and clerical jobs.

“We feel the support services we give are just as important as anything else,” Kell said. “People want a fair and equitable share.”

Financial shortages forced the college to cut 37 spring classes and consider eliminating summer school for 1991.

The reasons for granting such significant increases to the two top administrators were to create salaries competitive with other single-campus districts and to compensate them for superb job performances, said Michele Jenkins, president of the district Board of Trustees.

“With all the financial concerns, we also want to maintain a quality leadership,” she said. “Our district is well managed.”

Van Hook’s salary is $1,000 below the amount earned by her counterpart at Pasadena City College.

Top administrators at Antelope Valley College and Glendale College make $92,064 and $99,000, respectively.

“I have been told by classified staff members that their frustration is over their inability to settle” with the administration, Van Hook said.

She added that she does not believe her raise will have a negative effect on ongoing negotiations.