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Vol. XLIV No. 9
#ocmonitor
Fremont, California
November 29, 2012
Pinterest Party jump-starts holidays
Gari Browning
Board approves Browning contract By MANIKA CASTERLINE Senior editor
The Ohlone College board of trustees secured President Gari Browning until 2016 by approving a two-year contract extension on Nov. 21. Browning’s contract was set to expire in 2014. She will continue to receive an annual salary of $226,390, which is up from the $207,000 she was paid before a 14 percent raise in January 2011. At the time, Browning’s raise was a subject of debate. Gender pay equality and the passage of the bond initiative, Measure G, were given as the rationale to why Browning deserved a raise. During the Jan. 12 2011 board meeting, trustee Garrett Yee said that if Browning were a man, gender would not be a factor in the board’s argumentive discussion. Browning’s local community college contemporary, Chabot College President Susan Sperling, makes $206,162 annually. However Sperling’s contract stipulates that a raise of 3.3 percent can be allocated every year based on job performance. There are numerous fiscal differences between both presidents’ contracts. Browning has a professional allowance of $500 per month for in-district expenses and is reimbursed on a cost basis for out-of-district expenses. A housing allowance shells out $2,458.86 per month. Sperling is allowed $1,245 per month for in-district expenses and is required to have an operable vehicle at her disposal at all times to perform her duties as president. Since Browning moved from Palm Desert when she accepted the position as Ohlone College president, the board gave her one-time moving expenses, unlike Sperling.
MARRA MARIE MAGSAKAY / MONITOR
Students participate in Ohlone College’s second ever Pinterest Party on Nov. 28. Students got in the holiday spirit and create their own scented bath salts. By MARRA MARIE MAGSAKAY Features editor
Once the rain settled and the sun peaked from the clouds, the Associated Students of Ohlone College and Campus Activities hosted their second Pinterest Party on Nov. 28 at noon in the cafeteria. Students made homemade bath scrubs with a choice of either vanilla and brown sugar or lemon scents. ASOC and campus activities provided all natural materials needed to make the scrub. The materials needed for the vanilla and brown sugar bath scrub is brown sugar,
granulated sugar, sunflower oil and pure vanilla extract to be dumped in a Ziploc bag. Students gathered at one end of the cafeteria to shake, mold and mix the homemade recipe together. “It [bath scrub] could be given as gifts,” said ASOC Newark Representative Sonia Patel. “One Ziploc bag makes two jars.” Many ladies enjoy making their own bath scrubs. Another plus is that making the scrubs was free. “It’s fun because it’s more hands on and it makes really good gifts for someone,” said student Melodie Robinson. She also said she would try
to make it at home. “It’s messy but pretty MARRA MARIE MAGSAKAY / MONITOR fun,” said student Jennifer Hsu. “It and his friend were also asked takes my mind off of school.” to join the activity. The event was not only open “It was fun,” said Dhillon. to women. Male students made “It’s easier to make with two their own bath scrubs. people.” Student Auburn Wilson Student Rebecca Soltau has and his friend said they “were a Pinterest account but said, chilling over there and one of “I used it a lot before school the ladies [ASOC representa- started.” tive] asked us to join.” Accompanied by her boyConveniently for Wilson, friend, Chris Clifton, he made Wednesday was his mom’s another jar for her. birthday. He made a jar of Students enjoyed being homemade bath scrub as a hands on and getting together gift for his mom. to make homemade gifts for Student Harjant Dhillon the holidays.
Prop 30 passes; Spring classes are on board 2013, said Ron Little, Ohlone College vice-president of administrative services, during With the passage of Propo- the budget forums held on sition 30, Ohlone will restore Nov. 19 and 26. 155 course sections to Spring Little previously had projected that if the proposition failed on Election Day, Ohlone would have to eliminate at least 210 course sections over the next year and summer school. Classes were removed from WebAdvisor until after the vote. Graphic depicts As many which counties in as 60 to 65 California voted f u l l-time ‘yes’ or ‘no’ on sections Prop 30. must be restored into By MANIKA CASTERLINE Senior editor
the system, said Little and Ohlone College President Gari Browning. “We can all breath a huge sigh of relief going forward,” Browning said. “It stopped the bleeding, but it didn’t make us whole again,” said Browning. Proposition 30 created the Education Protection Account, which will help to fund K-12 and higher education programs. The question that will plague the state Legislature over the next six weeks is how the money will be restricted within the language of the proposition. The Ohlone College board of trustees will certify how the money gained from Proposition 30 will be used in the coming months. “We are spending our reserves over the next three years in order to meet our budget obligations,” said Browning. Both Browning and Little addressed alternative ways
in which Ohlone college can gain any revenue in the coming years. “We need to look at other ways that we can generate money and not be reliant on this up and down budget in the state,” Browning said. While the idea of either selling or leasing the frontage property that the college owns has been discussed for years, a deal has never been reached between all the developers, campus officials and the community. Ohlone College has put out a request for proposals to developers that are interested in the land that borders Mission Boulevard. These proposals will need to be done by January. College administration will give a recommendation to the board to vote upon in late 2013. “I think the earliest we would see some revenues generated from the frontage property would be 20152016,“ Little said.