Shoreline Community College has notified union representatives that all faculty jobs at the school could be at risk.

Known as a Reduction in Force (RIF) notice, the college has never before put every faculty member on notice.

“We’ve faced cuts before, but we’ve never faced anything like what appears to be coming,” said Vice President for Academic Affairs John Backes, referring to pending state budget cuts. The notice was by Backes to college and faculty union officials on Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2009.

By contract, the college is obligated to send such notices as soon as possible, said Stephen P. Smith, Vice President for Human Resources and Legal Affairs. Smith said classified union members and other employee groups have not been noticed because of differences in contract language. “We’ve spoken with the other groups,” Smith said. “They’re aware.”

In previous years, faculty for programs that drop below designated enrollment targets could’ve received RIF notices. However, economic conditions have forced many people back to school and Shoreline, like all other community and technical colleges in the state, are seeing explosive enrollment growth. In his message to union reps, deans and other administrators, Backes wrote:

“After review of all programs for low enrollment, I have concluded that no current programs are under-enrolled using the criteria we used last year.  That does not mean, however, that all programs are at capacity.  Given the anticipated budget reductions for the 2009-2011 biennium … and the (State Board of Community and Technical College) Declaration of Financial Emergency … adopted on June 11, 2009, … I must put all RIF units on notice for a Reduction In Force for the 2009-2011 biennium regardless of their enrollment.”

“This is an extremely serious situation,” Backes said on Friday, Nov. 20. “This is going to hurt us in ways we can’t even imagine. We’re going to chop into healthy programs”

On Thursday, the state announced the projected budget shortfall had grown to $2.6 billion. Potential cuts for community and technical colleges had been predicted in the 6-12 percent range. Backes said the Thursday announcement makes 12 percent seem more likely. “A 12 percent cut will be catastrophic for most institutions of higher education in this state,” he said.

Amy Kinsel, 1st Vice President of the SCC Federation of Teachers Local 1950, Faculty, agreed with Backes’ assessment.

“If layoffs happen, it will cut into our ability to serve the same number of students,” she said. “The (union) opposes any additional faculty layoffs. The state budget situation is dire. We’re looking to the Legislature to be innovative in finding a solution.”

SCC/Jim Hills

Chart from SBCTC staff reviews issues related the state budget deficit.

As anticipated, the projected hole in the state budget got deeper when officials announced Thursday that the expected deficit is now $2.6 billion.

“As Gov. Gregoire said a week ago, ‘This is dire,’” Shoreline Community College President Lee Lambert said Thursday afternoon, Nov. 19, 2009. “The previous forecast put the problem at $1.8 billion, but most people thought it would slide to at least $2 billion, maybe a little more. This is worse than we expected.”

Lambert said the new revenue forecast makes SCC’s planning efforts now underway all the more urgent.

“The subgroup formed from the Budget and Strategic Planning committees is meeting this month,” Lambert said. “They’ll make recommendations and assist college administrators as we look for ways to deal with the budget cuts that are undoubtedly coming our way.”

Previously, officials from the State Board of Community and Technical Colleges said, as a best-case scenario, colleges could expect to be asked to cut an additional 6 percent from their budgets. A worst-case scenario would be double that, 12 percent. For Shoreline Community College, those percentages would translate to $1.2 million to $2.4 million.

Just how potential impacts would be felt aren’t well known at this time. While the state budget is definitely in trouble, strings attached to the acceptance of federal stimulus package money may tie lawmakers’ hands.

“Through our conversations with OFM (the Office of Financial Management), House and Senate staff, we continue to believe that the maintenance-of-effort requirements that are attached to federal stimulus dollars, places some protection around education (including higher education),” said Chris Reykdal, of the SBCTC staff. “As we’ve mentioned before, the current estimate is that higher education institutions can’t be cut by more than $80 million in total for (fiscal year) 2011.”

 However, Reykdal cautioned that there are variables such as the federal restrictions don’t cover financial aid, the restrictions are based on interpretations of U.S. Department of Education rules and it isn’t clear how the Legislature might choose to spread any anticipated higher-education cuts.

Reykdal called the coming choices for lawmakers, “gut-wrenching.”

“There will be tremendous pressure to spread the pain more evenly across all of the major functions of state government,” Reykdal said. “Message: higher education will have a target on its back, and the $80 million fence … is not a guaranteed protection.”

SCC's Mike Nelson holds up a Silicon Energy solar module showing Speaker of the House Frank Chopp how light passes through as state Rep. Maralyn Chase looks on. (More photos)

Frank Chopp, Speaker of the House in the Washington Legislature, and state Rep. Maralyn Chase got an up-close look at several key Workforce Education programs at Shoreline Community College.

Chopp and Chase met with SCC President Lee Lambert, Vice President of Academic Affairs John Backes and others before embarking on a walking tour Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2009.

The first stop was at the Clean Energy Technology Center. The expanding program under Director Mike Nelson was recently rebadged from Zero Energy Technology. In the Zero Energy Technology House, Nelson showed examples of solar wafers, modules and system pieces that are all built in Washington. Nelson told the Speaker that classes in his program are geared toward skills that can help put students to work.

While at the house, Nicole Starnes Taylor, an architect with Make Designs Studio, LLC, shared conceptual designs for both a solar-powered carport and a Clean Energy Technology project building. The carport concept is a crossroads project of both the Clean Energy and Automotive technology centers. The idea is that current solar-electric technology can be used to create a solar-powered plug-in station for electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles. Rep. Chase has been working on getting state start-up funds for the idea.

The concept behind the project building is to create an envelope, much like a large greenhouse, inside which normally outdoor projects, offices and other program functions can take place, out of the weather. In this case, much of the glass would actually be solar modules, potentially allowing the entire project to have net-zero use.

Chopp showed considerable interest in Nelson’s program, adding that beyond the jobs and energy benefits, he has a personal interest. “I’m designing what I hope will be our next house,” Chopp said, adding that he wants a solar component to the building.

Chopp said he understands the difficulty in getting capital projects funded, but added that he may have a solution coming in the 2010 Legislature. “We looking at introducing the JOBS Act of 2010,” Chopp said. “That’s, ‘Jobs and Opportunities for Better Schools.’”

The idea is that the state would sell bonds, with the revenue going to energy retrofit of existing buildings as well as some new construction. While the concept was generally intended for K-12 schools, Chopp said that there’s no reason the law couldn’t include community colleges. Chopp said the measure would likely pass the House, but because it would sell bonds, have to go to a statewide vote for approval. “Stayed tuned on that one,” he said.

Chopp asked a pointed question of Nelson and his program: “Why here, why Shoreline?”

Nelson’s reply came quickly: “Because they wanted us, they support us.”

That answer resonated with Chopp. “I’m not all bureaucratic,” he said. “I understand activism and that where there’s energy and desire, that’s where things grow and that’s where you support them.”

The tour then moved on to the Automotive Technology Center where Director Don Schultz talked about the program, its partners and the new building expansion.

“This program is all about jobs,” Schultz said. “Every student in the program has a job in a dealership. We have 100 percent placement.”

Schultz listed the manufacturers represented in the program, including: Toyota, Honda, GM, Chrysler, Volvo, Kia/Hyundai and Subaru plus Snap-on Tools, Hunter Industries and Chicago Pneumatic. Schultz then introduced Jim Hammond, Executive Director of the Puget Sound Auto Dealers.

“The partnership between Shoreline Community College, our dealers and the manufacturers is what makes this program unique,” Hammond told Chopp.

During the tour, Schultz pointed out how the millions of dollars contributed by industry partners allow the program to educate and train students that get jobs and pay taxes. “The top technician at Roy Robinson Chevrolet in Marysville, one of our students, made $148,000 last year,” Schultz said.

In addition, the partnerships mean that thousands of incumbent workers come to Shoreline Community College for additional training. “That’s education that the state doesn’t have to pay for,” Schultz said.

The partnerships also allow the program to reach into the K-12 system. “Last summer, dealer donations allowed us to bring in high school teachers from across the state for additional training,” he said. Schultz said he’s looking to the state to partner with industry to expand the K-12 component.

During the tour, which also stopped the CNC Machining program, Chopp acknowledged the difficult budgetary situation for the state, but also said he and other lawmakers are looking for solutions. He urged college officials to work closely with Chase.

“I’ve been looking for someone in the (Democratic) caucus to take the lead on these things and Maralyn is the one,” Chopp said. “She gets it.”

SCC/Jim Hills

Although we all know we need to be mindful about putting our personal items in a safe place at work, sometimes we are reminded to do so by those who take advantage of us.  On Monday of this week, two employees returned to their desks after having been gone only a short time and only across the hallway, to find their wallet and cell phones gone. Two other similar incidents occurred earlier this fall in employee offices in the 2800 and 2900 buildings. 

Safety and Security Director, Robin Heslop says we all have to watch out for one another.  "Sometimes there is nothing you can do to prevent being victimized, but there are definitely things we can do -- starting with being aware and watching out for one another."

Heslop suggests the following:

1.  Be aware of your surroundings.
2.  Watch out for each other.
3.  If you see anyone acting suspiciously (loitering, someone in an area they shouldn't be in, etc.), look them directly in the eye and ask them if you can help them - then call Safety and Security at x4633.  If you can't reach anyone there, call 206-235-5860.
4.  Lock up your personal items in a desk, file cabinet or locker.  (Thieves know that most people put purses in bottom drawers - so be sure to lock it.  Never put your purse or valuables on the floor or beneath your desk.)
5.  Lock your office door when you leave (even for only a short period of time).
6.  Do not leave your cell phone sitting in plain sight.  Thieves have taken them.

Heslop says that before coming you work you might consider:

1.  Making photo copies of the front and back of your credit cards (so you have a list of credit card numbers and who to call) in case they are stolen.
2.  Eliminate the things in your wallet or purse that you don’t need. The fewer items you have, the fewer items that can be taken.

"And lastly, if you have a door chime, please turn it on, or consider putting a bell on the door, something that alerts you that someone has entered the building," Heslop said.

Community and technical colleges continue to be part of the solution to Washington’s economic recovery with people turning to two-year colleges in record numbers. The latest numbers from fall quarter 2009 show that enrollments are up 16 percent above the state-funded level. At the same time, that state-funded level is down 11 percent.

At Shoreline Community College, enrollment this fall is up 9 percent over the fall 2008 number, which was itself a significant increase over fall 2007. Enrollment for summer quarter 2009 showed a 16.4 percent over the previous year.

“Those are huge increases, but they could’ve been even more staggering considering that we turned away hundreds of students due to lack of financial support,” said Tonya Drake, Vice President of Student Success at Shoreline. “We could’ve served so many more, but the money just ran out.”

While the enrollment numbers at Shoreline and around the state are big, the financial aid numbers are eye-popping.

“Requests for federal student loans are up 52 percent,” Drake said. “The amount of federal aid granted and available to students for fall quarter was up 65 percent, more than $1 million.”

According to officials at the State Board of Community and Technical Colleges, this surge of students is stretching the system to the breaking point. While community and technical colleges have a long history of meeting their students’ and communities’ needs, it is increasingly difficult to serve everyone who walks through the door.

State officials say colleges have tried to shield instructional expenses from cuts while slicing deeply in other areas. Faculty members are taking more students into classes and foregoing professional development plans. Many colleges used one-time federal stimulus package money, hoping to bridge a gap that continues to grow. Those efforts, officials say, have allowed the system to serve an additional 31,000 people across the state who otherwise would’ve been turned away.

Officials say that all those efforts have used up any “give” in the system. Currently, colleges have exhausted all cost-cutting efforts, classes are as crammed as they can get, waitlists are growing larger, and financial aid is largely tapped out, they say.

Still, things may not get better anytime soon.

At Shoreline’s recent all-campus meeting, Vice President for Administrative Service Daryl Campbell said more cuts should be expected to come out of the pending legislative session. “We’ve been told, the best-case scenario will likely be a 6 percent reduction, about $1.2 million for SCC,” Campbell said. “The worst case-scenario could be as much as 12 percent.”

SCC/Jim Hills