COLLEGE BOARD CUTS JOBS, WARNS OF LAYOFFS.

Byline: Rachel Uranga Staff Writer

Faced with millions of dollars in likely budget cuts, the Ventura County Community College District's board of trustees voted Friday to eliminate or cut hours of 40 staff positions and warn hundreds of professors of possible layoffs.

The district does not envision massive layoffs, but notification letters that go out March 15 will officially alert teachers and other employees of the fiscal crisis facing the colleges, explained Vice Chancellor William Studt.

The district will have until May 15 to find cost-cutting measures to avert layoffs, he said during a sometimes-emotional daylong meeting that attracted dozens of union members, teachers and students.

Even with cost-cutting, both interim Chancellor David Walker and union representative Gregory Cross predicted that a wave of layoffs could come later this year as the state attempts to bridge its nearly $35 billion shortfall.

Under the governor's budget proposal, the district could face a $4 million deficit this fiscal year and double that next year.

And with 91 percent of its budget allocated to benefits and salary, it appears some layoffs are inevitable.

The district has already undertaken $3 million in belt-tightening, including the elimination of one summer session at Moorpark, Ventura and Oxnard community colleges. The district also might have to dip into its reserve funds, said Deputy Chancellor Michael Gregoryk.

If those funds, which stand near 3 percent of the total budget, drop too low, the district could face bankruptcy, he said.

Nevertheless, trustee Robert Gonzales, who represents Ojai and Santa Paula on the board, cast the lone vote against the employee cuts, calling them ``premature.''

The move was applauded by David Donaldson, a computer analyst at the district, whose position was eliminated.

``I'm scared,'' he said. ``The economy is down.''

In explaining the cuts, Oxnard College President Lydia Ledesma-Reese was close to tears.

``It pains me terribly to have to be laying anybody off,'' she said.

Union officials say they are bracing for layoffs at the district, which employs 1,200 and serves 35,000 students.

While Gregoryk refused to estimate how many jobs could be lost, he said a 1 percent pay reduction across the board could save $885,000 annually.