The Strategic Planning and Allocation of Resources Committee (SPARC) met on March 9, 2015. Eloisa Briones, VP Administrative Services, chaired the meeting.
Karen Wong, English Faculty and Institutional Effectiveness Coordinator, presented on the statewide Institutional Effectiveness Partnership Initiative (IEPI). The goal of this initiative from the California Community College Chancellor’s Office (CCCCO) is to advance colleges’ institutional effectiveness to effectively serve students, and to strengthen colleges’ ability to meet accreditation standards. To receive SSSP funds, all colleges are required to adopt the Framework of Indicators, which focuses on four areas: student performance and outcomes, accreditation status, fiscal viability, and programmatic compliance with State and Federal Guidelines, and adopt goals for four of the measures. After deliberations, SPARC unanimously recommended (1) adoption of the Framework of Indicators, and (2) adoption of 70% as the goal for “Successful Course Completion,” “no action/ reaffirmed” for “Accreditation Status,” and the two districts set goals for “Fund Balance,” and “Audit Findings.” These recommendations will go to the College Governance Committee (CGC) for approval.
Executive Vice Chancellor Kathy Blackwood once again joined the SPARC Committee, and along with President Regina Stanback Stroud and Vice President of Administrative Services Eloisa Briones, addressed questions and concerns pertaining to the budget and projected deficit after 2015/16. Kathy presented an updated set of budget assumptions that positively change the District’s budget projections. Updated assumptions included total compensation, shifting expenditures related to capital outlay projects to the bond, reducing the allocation for the Innovation Fund in the allocation model, and accounting for increases in SSSP and Student Equity funding from the state. Thus while projected expenditures still will exceed revenue increases in 2016/ 17 and 2017/18, the potential deficit will not be as large as originally predicted. Regina and Eloisa noted factors specific to the College that have an impact on the general fund with the expiration of Measure G and declining Prop 30 funding that will expire in 2018-19. The District and College will continue to seek additional revenues as well as look for cost savings, such as not replacing all vacated positions. Kathy reminded SPARC that changes to these projections should be expected until the budget is finalized.
SPARC will meet again on April 30, 2015.
Article by Eloisa Briones
