GILROY
– In order to make up about half of its $300,000 budget deficit,
Gavilan College is looking at reorganizing its administrative
positions for at least the next few years.
By Lori Stuenkel
GILROY – In order to make up about half of its $300,000 budget deficit, Gavilan College is looking at reorganizing its administrative positions for at least the next few years.
The college may reduce its number of vice president positions from three to two after Vice President of Student Services John Baker retires next June. The change could take place at the end of the current school year.
“It’s very much a draft proposal, just a plan to reduce administrative costs,” Gavilan President Steve Kinsella said.
The plan is still open to change and likely will not go to the board of trustees for approval until April, he said.
By eliminating Baker’s position, as well as his administrative assistant’s position now filled by a temporary employee, the college would save about $115,000.
Gavilan currently has three vice president positions. Baker, in charge of student services, oversees student counseling, heath services and activities; athletics; and admissions and enrollment. Marty Johnson, vice president of instructional services, supervises most educational services and Joe Keeler, vice president of administrative services, manages business and human resources.
The college’s three vice presidents make up a third of its top administrative positions.
“We only have nine of these (administrative) positions, so when we eliminate one, it is a big deal,” Kinsella said.
Everything currently under Baker’s umbrella would be redistributed to other administrators or would be overseen by Kinsella himself.
“We will have to shift reporting responsibilities … and I’ll take my share of the workload,” Kinsella said.
The current dean of enrollment management, Margery Regalado-Rodriguez, who works directly under Baker, would likely become dean of student affairs and oversee most student services.
The college will still offer as many student support services as it can, Kinsella said.
Gavilan must eliminate a $300,000 budget deficit, that is the result of state budget cuts, before July, when the current fiscal year ends. An administrative reshuffling won’t be easy, Kinsella said, but will take care of nearly 40 percent of that shortfall.
“It’s not the ideal, but it is a way to save money,” he said. “Other folks have tried this, and it hasn’t been very successful. We’re small enough that we can probably make it work for a couple of years.”
Until the economy fully rebounds, Gavilan will consider filling Baker’s vacancy and shifting things back, Kinsella said, which is keeping with the college’s treatment of other vacancies during budget shortfalls.
The college already made $1.2 million in cuts last year.
“It looks like the state situation is not going to clear up any time soon,” said Jan Bernstein Chargin, public information officer. “What we’re doing is we’re planning for the long range by making the expense reductions we can right now to help us weather the continuing budget storm in Sacramento.”
With $1 million in reserves, Gavilan is on solid ground financially, she said.
“We’re one of the healthiest colleges, if not the healthiest college, fiscally in the state,” Chargin said.
Various groups on campus will be examining the drafted plan and giving feedback before a final version is presented to the board. Kinsella said everyone on campus has been invited to sound off on the plan, including instructors and the student body, and he is willing to hear any other suggestions.
