Apr 28, 2011 (42.9)

Page 1

Repurposed

Silence speaks out PG. 5 Day of silence brings awareness to LGBT harassment

April 28 - May 11, 2011

Students apps PG. 11

PG. 6

Artist Angela White exhibit utilizes found objects

Useful phone applications for students

spokanefalls.edu/communicator

Volume 42 | Issue 9

Tuition set to increase Fall 2011 Employee positions

According to Stevens, the easy cuts have been made. Now CCS is left with difficult decisions: those that impact people directly. The released budgets loosely agree on a 3 percent cut in compensation (employee salaries). According to Stevens, CCS has already begun laying off classified employees, faculty, and administrative personnel. The number of employees to be cut or redistributed through the district is unknown. According to CCS’ response to the September 2010 SBCTC Budget Reduction Survey, in a plan for a potential 10 percent cut in the 2012 fiscal year, approximately 17 staff positions would be laid off. An additional $500,000 in further personnel-related reductions were “to be determined.” “We are trying to be as empathetic and sympathetic as we can,” Stevens said. “By starting early, we’ve been able to find other spots in the district for every employee, with the exception of one [employee].”

Tuition and fee increase Nicole Denman | The Communicator

Chancellor Christine Johnson spoke to faculty and staff at the April 19 strategic budget and planning forum.

State budgets propose an approximate 15 percent cut for CCS’ 2012 academic year Lindsey Treffry

The Communicator Beginning in 2012, tuition will cost CCS students at least $315 more per year. Given the 14.6 to 16.4 percent reduction in state funding, CCS administrators have already taken measures to balance the district’s cost of operation. These include employee reductions and a plan to raise student fees.

In her recent budget, Gov. Christine Gregoire proposed a reduction of the state’s portion of higher education spending. The state senate and house budgets echoed these cuts. The tuition hike will save the state $344.7 million, according to the Senate budget released April 12. According to Greg Stevens, CCS Chief Administration Officer and acting Chief Financial Officer, CCS has already taken a 23 percent cut in its state operating budget since 2007, not including the additional cuts outlined in the new budget proposals. These previous cuts resulted in reductions to travel, training, goods, and supplies. “All our budget fat is gone,” Stevens said.

Advocates take steps toward safe campus

The 10 to 12 percent increase in tuition will amount to $315 to $375 a year, respectively, for a 15-credit student. Not all tuition is going to pay for teacher salaries and electricity, though. Three percent of this increase will fund a statewide enterprise resource planning (ERP) implementation—essentially an updated IT computer system. Additionally, excess tuition will likely be captured to fund state needs grants given to students. According to accounting and economics instructor, and SFCC Association for Higher Education Vice President, Don Brunner, students’ tuition is going up to fund the grants that students receive. Tuition only pays for about one-third of a student’s college education, according to Brunner. “[The students] think the college has more [money],” TUITION | Page 2

State-of-the art science building opens to students The Communicator

Jackson Colby

SFCC is the home of a new science building that is full of cutting-edge technology and was designed with teachers, students, the community and the environment in mind. The new building had a construction budget of $23,900,000 and opened on the first day of spring 2011 quarter. It includes a cadaver lab, a planetarium, four chemistry labs—including an Organic Chemistry lab—two physics labs, one geology lab, two

The Communicator “I’m attracted to the Safe Campus Advocates because I have a history of being an advocate for others,” bookstore staff member, and SFCC alumna, Derry said. According to Derry, if enough students demand change, it will happen. Derry has training in self-empowerment and the empowerment of others, and said she is thrilled that LGBT students are working side-by-side with veterans suffering from PTSD. She is just one of 22 advocates who are working towards making the campus a safer place ADVOCATES | Page 2

Cody Walker | The Communicator

Aerial view from the top of the science building.

BYTES

INDEX

FOCUS

NEWS................................2

PG. 9 PERSPECTIVES...................3 SIDELINES.......................... 8

The Communicator

Funding

Jayne Paulus

Workshops provide outlet for those affected by bigotry and violence

PG. 10 Eco-friendly buildings

Sell your stuff for cash PG. 5 PG. 4 Tattoo trends in Spokane

509.533.3602

SCIENCE | Page 2

$24 million

total construction budget

$200 thousand was raised by student government for the new planetarium

Source: Jim Brady, John Whitmer

SIDELINES

PG. 8 Full moon cycling

PG. 11

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