Situation at Orange Coast not as dire as editorial states
Jim Carnett
I appreciate this opportunity to clarify a couple of
mischaracterizations that appeared in Sunday’s editorial (“OCC should
not fail students by class cuts”).
The editorial states, “It is expected that the college will be
able to offer about 20% fewer sections (next spring).” Not true. If
that were indeed correct, Orange Coast College’s students would have
every reason to be alarmed. Fortunately, your 20% figure is off by a
wide margin.
According to our best estimates, our class cuts for the spring of
2003 will be less than 5%. We’ll be cutting about 20% of the course
sections that are taught by our adjunct (part-time) faculty members.
Since OCC’s adjunct faculty accounts for about 20% of the college’s
total course sections, a 20% cut of 20% of the classes equates to
less than 5% of the total schedule.
We expect to have a classroom seat available next spring for every
student who wants one.
Additionally, you also allude to OCC’s “mismanagement” of its
budget. Orange Coast College has made every effort in recent years to
accommodate a growing student population. We’re up in student
enrollment this fall by a dramatic 7.4%. We expect our final fall
enrollment figure to top 29,000 students. We’re one of the largest
community colleges in the state.
The state of California, however, is not going to fund
three-quarters of that 7.4% fall growth. Because of growth and
funding curbs, OCC can no longer afford the luxury of offering small
classes. This year, Orange Coast College faces $1.5 million in
additional expenses due to changes in the state retirement system and
in health benefits for employees. That $1.5-million expenditure must
come out of the college’s existing budget; the state is not providing
additional funding resources to support those imperatives.
I wish to assure the community that, just as it’s been doing for
the past 55 years, Orange Coast College continues to manage its
budget wisely and with accountability. We take seriously our academic
and fiduciary responsibilities.
* JIM CARNETT is the OCC director of community relations.
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