EL CAMINO COLLEGE
Planning & Budgeting Committee
Minutes
Date: May 21, 2009
MEMBERS PRESENT:
Jones, Clarissa – ASO
Jackson, Tom – Academic Affairs
Ott, Jonathan – Campus Police
Reid, Dawn – Student & Community Adv.
Shenefield, Cheryl – Administrative Svcs.
Spor, Arvid – Chair
Taylor, Susan – ECCFT
Turner, Gary – ECCE
Tyler, Harold – Management/Supervisors
Widman, Lance – Academic Senate
OTHERS ATTENDING: Francisco Arce, Thomas Fallo, Jonathan Fornes, Jo Ann Higdon, Ken
Key, Claudia Lee, Barbara Perez, Emily Rader, David Vakil, Carolee Vakil-Jessop
Handouts:
Memo from California Community Colleges Chancellor Jack Scott
The meeting was called to order at 2:30 p.m.
Introduction and welcome to new ASO representative, Jonathan Fornes.
Budget Situation 2008/09 and 2009/10
Governor’s proposed cuts for 2008-09:
1. Additional deferrals of $115 million in apportionments – originally threatened to be taken from
the June apportionment check. The college may not see an apportionment payment until
November-December.
2. State employees are facing 10% cuts; ECC employees are not state employees.
3. Across-the-board cuts of $85 million to categorical programs. Most categorical programs will
receive 90-day dispensation, allowed to carry over unspent balances for 90 days after June 30th.
Categorical programs that were spared cuts: CalWORKs, Student Financial Aid Administration,
and Telecommunications Technology Infrastructure (TTIP). Protected programs increase the
percentage of cuts to other programs.
4. $42.1M property tax short fall will not be backfilled.
Governor’s proposed cuts for 2009-10:
5. 57% cuts proposed to categorical programs. Categorical programs protected last year may not be
spared cuts this year.
6. Opinion throughout state and supported by President Fallo is to consider using bond funds to
make payroll.
7. Differential funding: P.E. and recreational courses may be lowered to non-credit rate
($2745/FTES) instead of credit rate ($4565/FTES). Fear that differential funding issue could
involve other courses. Also, changing credit courses to non-credit will affect students’ credits,
create pre-requisite issues, etc. State may or may not give specific direction. If large number of
courses changed from credit to non-credit, fewer faculty will be hired.
8. Will part-time compensation survive cuts? Provision in bargaining agreement: Salaries will be
adjusted proportionally if the money used to upgrade part-time salaries were eliminated.
9. 1% enrollment growth (2% was originally proposed). Why provide 1% growth and cut base? The
Chancellor’s office and ECC support restoring growth money to the base. Fears are there will be
additional mid-year cuts in 2009-10.
10. Property tax shortfall with no backfill.
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General discussion
11. Foresee state budget problems will last for four years.
12. Changes to proposed budget occurring almost daily.
13. Possibility of some relief from the federal stimulus package, but may be directed away from
unrestricted general fund.
14. Recommendations from Jack Scott:
a. Reduce course sections next year and stay under cap.
b. Don’t replace resignations and retirements.
c. Reduce administrative costs – have fewer administrators with more responsibilities.
15. Collective bargaining agreements must be honored. Work together to avoid staff layoffs.
16. Will the college follow chancellor’s advice help reduce budget problems? a) Reducing course
sections is fiscally prudent. b) Don’t know if college will be relieved of state obligation
requiring a certain number of faculty to teach courses. c) All employees will be doing more as
non-permanent employees are released.
17. May not hire baseball coach/instructor and Financial Aid counselor this year.
18. President Fallo asked the VPs to plan for a $4M cut in categorical programs and $5M cut in
general fund. Trying to protect all permanent full- and part-time employees (classified and
certificated). Want to continue support (as best we can) of DSPS (SRC), EOPS and FYE.
19. Project Success and Puente programs will not be eliminated. VPs are examining effectiveness of
all specially funded programs.
20. Instructional equipment and scheduled maintenance one-to-one and one-to-three matching
requirements will be eliminated.
21. Furloughs have not been considered at this time.
22. Is there a plan to spend down reserves over the next four years? Reserves will be used for midyear cuts over the next four years. May change how funds from Compton partnership are used.
23. ECC will not receive projected $23.6M from property taxes.
24. Is ECC stilled considered a single campus larger than 20,000 FTES? ECC went above 20,000
FTES and therefore should receive another $1M increase in base funding.
25. Have there been discussions about developing a Program Discontinuance policy? Faculty
(Academic Senate) needs to work on policy with the district.
26. An all-campus meeting may be scheduled the week of June 2nd.
27. President Fallo hopes to have ‘off-the-table’ discussions soon about golden handshakes and
potential salary reductions.
28. Proposed budget will be announced at the next ECCE meeting.
29. PERS clarified there will be a slight increase this upcoming year (.3% or .4%). However, even if
PERS board accepts new blended rate, PERS percentage will increase to 15%. For 2010-11, the
PERS employer rate will be 12.5% (contribution for retirement, not medical). STRS rate may
remain the same.
30. No proposal to increase student fees at this time.
The next meeting is scheduled on June 4, 2009.
The meeting ended at 3:40 p.m.
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