Trustees still battle budget

With California’s and Yuba College’s budget crises of last semester still being felt, the Board of Trustees kept business rolling over the summer, planning as far as 2007 in the district’s future. During meetings over the summer, the Board tackled many new decisions facing the district, including the approval of three new full-time faculty positions at the Marysville campus, construction of a new science building facility at Woodland, and the filling of various classified and categorically-funded job openings. As one of the major decisions of last summer, the Board approved a revised district smoking policy in July that authorized individual campuses to adopt policies that are more restrictive. The Woodland campus then sought and gained approval of Smoke-Free/ Tobacco-Free Administrative Procedures which prohibit Woodland campus students, faculty, staff and administrators from smoking or using tobacco on the premises, even in the parking lots. At the September 11, 2003, Board meeting, one of the classified positions approved was the Yuba College Chief of Police, Christopher Wilkinson. Wilkinson said that he is eager to make a difference and help Yuba College as much as possible. Also approved were the hiring and re-hiring of various classified employees. The September meeting, which was held on the Woodland campus, touched on many issue relating to the growing Woodland campus and surrounding area. Based on data retrieved on August 29, Don Tingley, Interim Dean of the Woodland campus, pointed out that although the number of class sections being offered was reduced from 254 in Fall of 2002 to 189 in Fall 2003, the number of full time equivalent students served increased slightly to 2,090 with 47 percent of existing classes offered being full. A significant presentation to the board was that of the Woodland area expansion based on the Springlake Development project. This project will add over 4,000 new homes for 10,000 residents to the 1,097 acre land area located at East Gibson Road and Highway 113. By 2015, it is projected that Woodland will see a 22 percent overall growth, with high school graduation numbers increasing 34 percent from the three closest feeder high schools near the college campus. Two new positions were later approved for the Marysville campus, sparking some discontent from two members of the board. Trustee Xavier Tafoya felt that there was inequality in the funding between the campuses, stating that if the money was available to put into Marysville athletics, “then we very well have money to put here (Woodland).” He argued that it is critical to place some athletics in Woodland to draw attention from feeder high schools and keep from losing potential enrollees to other community colleges that have athletics programs. Vice President of Instruction Alan Lowe stated, “When we move to a multi-college district, then it would be possible, but we don’t really want different teams.” To this, Trustee Alan Flory argued, “There is too much funding going into Marysville and not enough going to Woodland.” Trustee George Nicholau interrupted and made everyone aware of the fact that “at this point and time it would be unreasonable to support programs and facilities at Woodland because when the time comes, they will very well be able to succeed, and maybe even pass Marysville.” Nicholau suggested that the matter be set aside until it was a serious pressing issue. The matter was dropped with one more comment from Flory, “You (Marysville) take the football program; then we (Woodland) will get the baseball program.” President/Superintendent Nicki Harrington noted the need for a new webmaster position, saying that to become a digitally integrated school, the college’s website needed work. Last year there had been a webmaster, but the position was cut and the employee in charge of maintaining the site had been laid off, due to the budget crisis. Harrington pointed to the definite need of obtaining a webmaster as soon as possible. Harrington also gave a presentation on what the Yuba Community College District’s long term tentative plans were through the year 2007, with events such as the Western Association of Schools and Colleges accreditation process coming in 2005, making the Woodland campus a college in 2007 and other reviews and assessment plans emerging along the way. Also in her review, Harrington outlined the changes made to the District Purposes and Policies manual. Not in attendance at the September Board meeting were Trustee Mark Bredt and Student Trustee Kim Howitt. Howitt said that her absence was due to a class schedule conflict.