Issue date: 5/8/09 Section: News

Media Credit: Mark Rojas

Five Southwestern College employees were laid off at the April governing board meeting as part of a structural reorganization announced by Superintendent Dr. Raj K. Chopra. Chopra eliminated positions, reassigned several employees and combined two schools among other changes. SWC's governing board voted 4-1 to approve the plan.

Members of the campus community addressed the board for 45 minutes to speak against the reorganization. Faculty, staff and students defended the jobs of laid off employees and questioned the wisdom of the plan. Issues of shared governance, harassment and retaliation were raised during public oral communication. Faculty and staff members asked who would do the work of the eliminated personnel. And some people questioned the merging of two schools.

Chopra told the board the reorganization cut expenses at the college by $1.5 million, which was necessary in order to balance the 2009-10 budget and prepare the college for a possible cut in state education funding. Chopra refused to speak to reporters from the Sun, but gave a written statement to the San Diego Union-Tribune.

"Difficult decisions need to be made considering the entire college's needs during fiscally challenging times," said the statement. "It is noteworthy that no programs have been cut and no faculty members have been laid off."

Campus takes sides

Faculty representatives questioned the impact of Chopra's cuts. Two weeks after the meeting, the Academic Senate voted No Confidence in Chopra and wrote a resolution accusing him of having "a total lack of regard" for SWC's shared governance guidelines. Some speakers in the Academic Senate said although Chopra had cut non-faculty employees, the elimination of the personnel would put more weight on faculty.

"Chances are we might have to cancel a lot of our performances here on campus because Silvia Lugo, our performing arts coordinator's position, has been eliminated," said SWC Director of Mariachi Activities Dr. Jeff Nevin. "Imagine if we have a swimming team, but they fired the person who takes care of the pool."

The classified employees union and Classified Senate, which represent the service and maintenance workers on campus, were in line to follow in the faculty's footsteps and vote on a No Confidence resolution, but their votes were cancelled at the last minute for unknown reasons. Classified senators and employees had spoken of fear and retaliation when they had originally decided to put the secret ballot vote on the agenda.

Continued...

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