FOCUSED ON PALOMAR
the telescope Monday, Feb. 7, 2011
Vol. 64, No. 13
Palomar College, San Marcos, Calif.
Student gov’t tells Calif. to back off
FUNDING FOR THE FUTURE
Gov’t pres. asks lawmakers to not restrict new funds from fee increases
Palomar Foundation frontman Richard Talmo helped the charitable campus group raise $1.9 million in 2010, and donated much of it to students. (Kristen Campbell/The Telescope)
THROUGH DONATIONS, PALOMAR FOUNDATION HELPED STUDENTS BUY BOOKS AND NURSES ADD EQUIPMENT uts to the Palomar budget have come like clockwork in recent years. But one group on campus has struck back, seeking outside donations to fund scholarships and programs. The Palomar Foundation, a charitable campus group staffed by volunteers who started raising money back in the mid-1950s, wants to fund student and faculty causes that are often overlooked by the administration. The foundation gave money last year to make Palomar’s online system easier to use, put up the cash to buy expensive simulation equipment to train nursing students, and plans to ramp up its efforts this year through social networks. Richard Talmo, the foundation’s leader, enjoys what he does. In fact, he helped the group raise $1.9 million in 2010, a hefty sum he plans to use to make a difference at Palomar. “(Palomar) has a strong history of both fundraising and giving,” Talmo said in an interview last week. “(The foundation) is very
transparent in raising and spending money.” “The biggest job we have here is educating donors about college needs and student needs,” he said. In recent months, many public colleges reached out to their alumni network to net extra funding, and local schools like San Diego State University sought to stave off painful budget cuts through fundraisers, the New York Times reported. But many institutions are finding it increasingly difficult to acquire additional money from alumni because private universities have gotten to them first. Here at Palomar, the foundation is responsible for many of the student scholarships, book rental programs and grants that provide departments with new equipment and resources. Dr. Judy Eckhart, nursing department chair, said the nursing department is able to purchase high-tech simulation manikins thanks to a grant awarded by the foundation. The simulation lab will provide nursing students with a safe and realistic environment to experience potential patient scenarios. “I think this will be a very nice set up,”
Eckhart said. “We have been talking right now to the foundation with local community centers because they may also need some training.” Eckhart added the high-tech lab is essential for students who plan to jump right into a nursing career. She said she the simulation lab will be completed in early May and available for use over the summer. Talmo -- who has 35 years of fundraising experience--said he would rate the foundation in the top ten among state community colleges for productivity, involvement and money raised. The group is not immune to the effects of recent state cuts though, he said. “The foundation is very, very sensitive to the budget cuts we have received,” Talmo said. “We know it’s getting more costly.” But the organization has been successful in capturing the attention of alumni, despite unsuccessful attempts by other universities. The number of alumni members on the founda-
BY THE NUMBERS...
$1.9m raised in 2010
$800,000 is unrestricted
C
mark saunders The Telescope
turn to
DONATE page 10
Prices lower, hours longer for San Marcos Sprinter, bus One-way train fares dropped by $2, Sprinter to visit Escondido two more times Monday through Thursday
The Sprinter at the Palomar station on Jan. 17. (Trever Reyes/The Telescope)
Students who use public transportation will now have an easier time commuting and cheaper fares. The North County Transit District has added two trains departing from Escondido weekly, Monday through Thursday. There will also be late night trains on Friday and Saturday nights, with the last train
departing from Oceanside at 11:33 p.m., according to a NCTD press release. Fares for the Coaster and Breeze will be discounted for one year. Depending on the zone, ticket prices have dropped as much as $2 for oneway riders. Monthly passes are available for
students for $59 without a student activities card and $47 with a current student activities card, according to Lindsey Koch, student activities coordinator. Students with questions can contact Lindsey Koch at 760-744-1150 ext. 7509.
—Melina Fickas, The Telescope
Student gov’t president Channing Shattuck at a Jan. 26 meeting of ASG officers. (Deb Hellman/The Telescope) Joel ramos The Telescope
Palomar’s tuition may increase to $36 a unit next year and the Associated Student Government wants Palomar officials --- not the state --- to control how that money is spent, ASG officials said during a meeting Jan. 26. ASG President Channing Shattuck spoke about the trip he and other students and staff from six local colleges took to Sacramento last month to lobby for Palomar. Reporting on advice given by Sacramento lawmakers, Shattuck said, “It doesn’t matter how much the fee per unit increases, we cannot control that. What we can control is where that money is spent.” With the budget cuts from the state and the proposed $10 fee increase, the ASG is left with the task of getting to the student body and asking the students themselves what they think about it. Sen. Juan Sanchez said during the meeting, “Students expect a fee increase, but it needs to be something they can plan ahead for. A $10 fee increase is too high of a jump.” In the past, the funds generated from fee increases have gone to the state general fund. “What we have the opportunity to do is to make sure that the fee increase, whether it’s $10 or $30, goes toward turn to
ASG page 10