Effects of Proposition Failures Coming Into Focus

Hours after voters defeated Propositions 1A through E May 19, officials at Valley College and the Los Angeles Community College District began planning how to absorb the huge estimated funding deficiencies from the state.

Valley administrators forecast an additional 20 percent budget deficit starting in the fall, and the LACCD Budget Committee discussed possibly canceling the summer term across the district as a result of the Props' failure.

"There's a lot of schizophrenic stuff happening right now," said Valley's Vice President of Academic Affairs Sandra Mayo. "Any cuts we do now will impact the students … This makes as much sense as eating a worm on television for a prize."

She added that if 20 percent of the existing fall schedule were canceled, it would not equal the overall budget reduction, if estimates are correct. Mayo also said the school must meet state standards for full-time instructors, so the courses that could be cut mostly involve adjunct, or part-time, "freeway flyer" faculty.

Additionally, she summarized that smaller programs, such as theater, may not be able to endure further cuts and slashing larger programs, like mathematics and English, could hurt students' ability to transfer.

Valley President Sue Carleo said that more reductions could be made in the support services around campus, including tutoring programs and administrative services to ease the financial burden.

"We're spreading people as thin as we can," said Carleo. "There's nothing I would love more than to have the budget we need … but we're given what we're given."

She also acknowledged the District Budget Committee discussed eliminating all summer classes.

"This would be a district decision," she said. "This would have a direct impact on students filling in courses before they can transfer. Valley College is not inclined to do it ourselves but if we were directed by the board, we would have to do it."

Carleo also responded to the Los Angeles Times report that the CalGrant program could be cut by 77,000 awards per year and to a proposed fee hike to $60 per unit.

"That would be a double whammy for students," she said. "That means students that already have difficulty with the $20 fee or also get CalGrants will really be in a bad place."

Carleo and Mayo both believe that the impending budget gutting will affect everyone.

"It's no longer about cutting fat," said Mayo. "What we're [going to do] will be like ordering the best steak on the menu, cutting it in half, and instead of sharing it with the person next to us, we throw it in the trash."