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Foothill-De Anza Community College District Principles and Strategies for Budget Reductions

I. Focus on the primary educational mission, purpose and goals
In reducing the budget, the District must keep in the forefront the District Philosophy, Mission and Priorities adopted by the Foothill-De Anza Board of Trustees and the overarching goals of the Educational Master Plan and Accreditation in serving the District’s diverse student body. In this context, the intent is to preserve instructional programs and services to students to the extent possible. To accomplish this, the District wants to preserve faculty, staff and administrative positions to the extent possible, by taking advantage of every opportunity to restructure and/or consolidate programs and services to maximize student access, retention and success.

II. Care about Foothill-De Anza students, faculty and staff
Foothill-De Anza is an organization of people and purpose; therefore, treating students, faculty and staff with openness, honesty, trust, respect and sensitivity is essential

III. Be consistent, objective, creative and caring in applying the District’s principles and strategies to reduce the budget

EDUCATIONAL PRINCIPLES
To succeed in this dire budgetary time that the state has imposed, the District must utilize the following principles to the extent possible in meeting its FTES and productivity goals to maximize revenues:

1. Maintain a balanced program mix that affirms the primary mission of transfer, vocational, and basic skills.
2. Offer classes that are last in a sequence.
3. Offer classes that are feeder courses for sequences.
4. Offer instruction and student services most critical to preserving student access, retention and success.
5. Make educational decisions with a long-term view.

BEHAVIORAL STRATEGIES

1. Address the added value of the functions of programs, services and positions.
2. Maintain professionalism and respect of others.
3. Avoid/minimize painful actions.
4. Consider the impact of external influences and community business relationships.

1. Give priority to meet FTES goals, productivity targets and compliance with state mandates to the extent possible.
2. Review all categorical programs to see if there are any offsetting reductions necessary in the general fund.
3. Take advantage of existing personnel opportunities (e.g., vacant positions, retirements, resignations, etc.).
4. Utilize reorganization, consolidation, and reclassification opportunities.
5. Suspend rather than eliminate where possible.
6. Respect existing workloads and the impact of position reductions.
7. Protect critical relationships internally and externally in order to position the District for a quick recovery from this economic downturn.
8. Retain the essential components of the infrastructure to the extent possible (e.g., college services, grounds, technology network, etc.).
9. Minimize expenditures not directly related to instruction or services to students where possible (e.g., suspend travel, conference, banquets, etc.).
10. Identify and eliminate any unnecessary redundancies.
11. Develop a strategy for increased operating costs of new buildings (e.g. custodial and utilities).
12. Position the District for enrollment growth as quickly as possible once new buildings are operational and secondary effect projects are completed.
13. Mitigate construction disruptions (and possible negative enrollment effects) for the next 36 months.
14. Review funding plans for furniture and equipment for new buildings starting to open in 2003-04.
15. Proceed judiciously on any new initiatives because resources are limited.

IV. Demonstrate thoughtfulness in implementing budget recommendations by first completing an in-depth assessment of the pros and cons (cost/benefit analyses)

QUESTIONS TO ASK

1. Why should this be done? Is it essential to student learning (e.g., access, retention and success)?
2. What are the consequences of not doing it?
3. What are the alternatives?
4. Can it be done another way?
5. Can it be done more efficiently with the same level of effectiveness?
6. Should it be suspended or eliminated?
7. What can be done with the budget available?

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