COLLEGE STAFF ASKED TO TAKE UNPAID TIME.

Byline: Sharline Chiang Daily News Staff Writer

Faculty members at Pierce, Mission, Valley and six other Los Angeles community colleges are being urged to volunteer to take five unpaid days off before the end of the school year to help trim a projected $13 million year-end budget deficit.

So far 42 employees have signed up, 83 percent of whom are from the downtown headquarters. District officials expect more to volunteer.

Districtwide, voluntary furloughs could help save about $500,000, Los Angeles Community College District Chancellor James Heinselman noted in a recent report. But his request is getting a mixed response at best.

Carl Friedlander, head of the union representing faculty and part-time instructors at the colleges, said his members will not be taking voluntary days off because it would interrupt courses.

But, he said, ``I'm glad they suggested it, and there may be other people who can take advantage of it.''

Ina Geller, spokeswoman for Pierce and Mission colleges, said many clerical employees are not able to participate.

``They can't afford it,'' she said. ``People have all kinds of payments to make. I don't know anyone who's like, Whoopee

I'm going to take a break.''

Geller also said many departments cannot stand to lose employees even for a day, since cutbacks have already meant reduced staffing.

``There's so much work to do,'' she said. ``We're all under so much stress, there's no time to go out and play.''

Employees had until April 2 to file forms indicating the days they wished to take off. An official in Pierce College's personnel department said there was no response.

``I think we sent out so many forms to many offices, but none came back,'' said Elsa McDonald, a personnel assistant.

But an administrative assistant at Mission College said she'll take three unpaid days off because it's the least she can do to help reduce the deficit. Plus, she could use the time off to spend time with her grandchildren.

``I decided to help the college,'' said Vera Garcia. ``It's somewhat hard, but the way I'm taking it is once every four weeks until June, so that way it's not all in one paycheck. It'll be nice.''

Heinselman's report also showed that the college district has taken several cost-cutting steps in the past month and reduced the projected deficit to about $9 million, leaving $4 million still to cut.

Cuts since the beginning of March include freezing all nonsalary costs; layoffs of temporary employees not represented by unions, including many student workers; and deferring police union raises.

Colleges also are using grant money and other restricted funds to save most student worker jobs, as well as to pay for capital and maintenance projects.