Will you vote for another bond measure for Santa Barbara City College when the campus remains effectively closed; our college cannot live within its budget; the Faculty Senate is disgruntled and in an equity attack mode, while other faculty stay in their classrooms.
SBCC District owners recently received our property tax bills to be reminded how much we each pay to support SBCC.
Much has changed after eight college presidents in 12 years, thanks to local voter choice of trustees.
Student headcount has declined 20% in the last decade, while the budget deficit has increased.
Presently, 45% of students and the unvaccinated public are prohibited from entering campus (except for a recent outdoor board retreat). SBCC has not yet offered our community any public educational panel forums with public health and other differing experts. Twice trustees voted to keep the campus open to all but after recall threats from the Faculty Senate, took a third vote to close it to anyone not vaccinated.
The 20% state guideline of revenue setsides for deferred maintenance and essential campus improvements to train students has been raided. Personnel expenses have exceeded 90% of the budget, which includes contracted legal to Griffith & Thornburgh and other outside vendors for programming, such as Crossroads and Just Communities, plus money for skilled contractors, plumbers and electricians.
Here are some district community concerns I see.
1) SBCC should prioritize district students who live here and do not require development of new housing and resources within our geographically limited boundaries.
2) SBCC’s budget deficit and declining enrollment should NOT be remedied by revenues dependent on our community college admitting more international students requiring housing and municipal tax-paid services.
3) SBCC faculty and staff via paid in-service trainings be informed of the mission and legislative intent of our community college; our community’s demographics; the training needs of our business, industry and medical sectors; and the economic realities of South County, which is dependent on focused faculty maintaining high level academic instruction and assisting each student find a path to success.
Email your neighborhood trustee or Interim College President Dr Kindred Murillo: kmurillo4@pipeline.sbcc.edu; or Trustee President Dr Peter Haslund: Pohaslund@pipeline.sbcc.Edu.
Do you know?: Faculty always clamor for more foreign students because it is direct cash to put into the system. I’m told the number of foreign students needing housing will grow. One faculty member said he could solve all SBCC fiscal problems by bringing it closer to 100% international students! Such is the degree of rupture between town and gown among some on campus. Take that issue up with the City Council and Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors.
Denice Spangler Adams
Montecito
