By Lantz Simpson President SMC Faculty Association
Once again, the Santa Monica College administration is trying to exaggerate its so-called budget problems (SMDP, Feb. 15, page 1). Meanwhile, the misleading headline in the SMDP — “SMC’s funding may fall this year” — does not help clarify matters. In reality, under SB 361, the college will receive more money in equalization than ever before. Funding is not cut if the college does not receive $4 million in additional equalization dollars. Instead, it only means that the college will not receive as much new equalization money this year as it had hoped for. Funding will not fall this year, as the governor is proposing an increase in funding that would bring the college $5.5 million in new funds. However, it’s not a coincidence that the administration is reviving the college budget hysteria. The faculty’s last contract expired in August 2004 and salary negotiations for a new contract have bogged down. The faculty have not received a raise since 2002. Meanwhile, in the last two years the college has received $15.6 million in new funds from COLA and equalization.
If the college budget is really in such crisis, why did the administration give itself a raise last summer?
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on February 21, 2006. Read the original PDF.