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Public transit is lacking
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SPORTS
ASOC discusses $10,000 bill for march bus
OPINION
NEWS
FEATURES
Students get makeovers in cafeteria
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Fremont, California
Vol. XLI No. 7
March 18, 2010
New plan to close big budget gap
Dancing for St. Patrick
By Kathryn Dixon Staff writer
Photo by Amy Kent
Ohlone students celebrated St. Patrick’s Day Wednesday with games and dancing in the Cafeteria. Instead of mugs of green beer, students hunted for pots of gold chocolate coins, which were traded in for gift cards, etc. Student Activites Coordinator Renee Gonzales said it was a good opportunity for ‘people on campus to celebrate.’ See story on Page 3.
Ohlone disputes $1 million cut in Deaf Center funding By KATHRYN DIXON Staff writer Ann Burdett, director of Disabled Students Programs and Services (DSPS), has applied for reapportionment of state funds to recoup a $1 million shortfall in the Deaf/Hard of Hearing (DHH) program. She and Ron Travenick,VP of Student Services, are aggressively pursuing the lost funding because of great disparities in the state’s
allocations. Ohlone is the top provider of DHH services in the state, serving 156 students last year and about 178 this year and was allocated $218.942. Sixteen other colleges, who all serve fewer students, were awarded the same amount. For example, Santa Monica College, the alma mater of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, has only 24 hearing impaired students,
Renegades lose first playoff game
applied for funding of $402,956 and about half of its program was funded in the amount of $218,942. Palomar Collge has 40 hearing impaired, Glendale College has 50, San Joaquin College has 55 and Diablo Valley College has 65 and they all received the same funding Ohlone did. Ohlone was allocated $218,942 for its deaf/hard of hearing (DHH) program in 2009-’10 even though Continued on Page 6
Ohlone’s Deans, Directors and Administrative Staff group has agreed to fulfill their portion of anticipated salary and wage reductions in order reduce the college’s $2.5 million budget deficit. Last year, the DDAS used furlough days to reduce their portion. However, at Tuesday’s meeting, they didn’t decide whether to use direct salary cuts, furloughs or other methods. They are waiting to hear how much their portion is. President Dr. Gari Browning said that she will stick to her principle of trying to overcome the budget deficit of about $2.5 million without layoffs. She said she has three components to her plan. Soon she will announce the first component – an application process for all employees to have an option to resign from their positions voluntarily and receive severance pay. The amount or type of severance has not yet been determined, but for example, it could consist of perhaps $1,000 per year of service to the college.
The college will reserve the right to refuse to let some employees resign with a severance if their positions are considered irreplaceable. The second option the college will utilize is that it will reduce the number of adjunct counselors. These full-time equivalent employees, paid hourly, will simply not receive another assignment at the end of this semester. The counselors are not the same persons as those to whom Browning attempted to give a layoff notice on March 15. According to Browning, the first two components will close the budget deficit by about $1.1 million. The remaining deficit of about $1.4 million will be reduced by negotiations to reduce pay with the three unions, the UFO, CSEA, and SEIU, and with the deans, directors and administrative staff. The portion of the deficit which each group will be asked to make up has not yet been determined. It is expected that furloughs or deferrals may be utilized. Shairon Zingsheim, associate VP, Human Resources and Training will conduct the negotiations on behalf of the college.
Come get ‘Craft Happy’ By MANIKA CASTERLINE News editor Shelby Foster, executive assistant in the President’s office is crafty. She and friend Andrew Cavette, former Monitor editor, are planning a big crafts show in downtown Niles on March 20. Continued on Page 6
Ohlone students plan to march in Sacramento By Noah Levin Staff writer This coming Monday, March 22, the state’s capitol is expected to be flooded by demonstrators protesting California’s budget cuts to education. Symptomatic of the nation’s faltering economy, the state has been perpetually strapped for cash, and many residents fear the California education system is due to take another budgetary hit. Social action clubs at community colleges and state universities have been
organizing en mass in conjunction with public schools and concerned parents, with demonstrations popping up across the state. Though education cuts may mean a more balanced budget at present, many believe the cuts will be detrimental to current and future students, and ultimately the well-being of the state. Monday’s protest to further cuts is to be a culmination to a month of steady demonstration by various student/ parent/teacher groups. The aptly named “March in March” is take place in Sacramento, with Ohlone’s
own Civic Engagement Club leading a delegation of Ohlone students to the demonstration. Though the state capitol may be faced with protests and turmoil, the past two weeks have seen a settling in the Inter Club Council (ICC). In the weeks following the successful casino-themed Club Days this semester, the ICC awarded $50 to both the Asian Pacific American Student Association (APASA) and the Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) for serving the most hours during the event. The money awarded was part of a friendly competition among
the clubs to encourage participation in this semester’s Club Days, the prize being $100 awarded to the most zealous club. Both APASA and GSA had members volunteering for a total of three hours, tying the two clubs, and effectively splitting the $100 prize. The ICC meeting on March 9 saw the announcement of a taskforce of ICC representatives to review and revise the ICC constitution. The taskforce will be composed of Audrey Harris of Latinos in Science and Technology at Ohlone (LiSTO), Ain Mobeen of the Muslim Student
Association (MSA), James Renteria of the Business and Economy Club and Dennis Smith of the American Sign Language Club; all were members of the Attendance Committee. The committee members are joined on this new taskforce by Megan Armstrong from the Psychology Club and Justin Lau of APASA. Initially formed to examine the flagging attendance of ICC representatives to council meetings, the Attendance Committee found sections of the ICC Continued on Page 6