water

Not-for-pro t group in danger of closing its doors

Jessica Boyer A&E Editor

The future of the nonprofit organization of Pierce College is uncertain due to a lack of funds, which will result in an emergency meeting on Wednesday April 16 to create a plan of action.

The Foundation for Pierce College is a nonprofit organization that uses donations and grants to fund the college and to award scholarships to students. All nine of the schools in the Los Angeles Community College District have foundations.

“The purpose of the Foundation is that it allows people to donate to the college,” said Mike Cornner, a previous board member for the Foundation. “You can deduct what you donate to the college from your income tax as a charitable donation.”

The Foundation’s office had a sign on the door Monday morning stating, “Foundation is closed until further notice. If you have questions, please contact the office of Rolf Schleicher.” The note was later changed to “The Foundation for Pierce College will be closed on Fridays.”

Schleicher is the vice president of Administrative Services for the Pierce College campus. Linda Solar, Schleicher’s assistant, said “they have no information on the Foundation at this time.”

“It’s not closed. I don’t know why they’re closed today,” said Kathleen Burke, president of Pierce College. “The Foundation is not closed, the Foundation is running out of money and so they’re having trouble paying for their employees, but whether or not they have employees and whether or not the Foundation is being closed are two separate things.”

The Foundation’s income has been rocky over the last few years since Dennis Washburn left in 2010. He was the last full-time director of the Board of Directors for the Foundation.

The position “went away because the school would not fund it anymore,” said Kathy Zanghi, account manager of the Foundation for Pierce College.

[See