OC students take stand against budget cuts

Vociferous cheering could be heard during the Nov. 17, "We Love Oxnard College forum" while Trustee Arturo Hernandez was giving his introductory speech. This was the beginning of what would turn out to be a great night for Oxnard College students, teachers and the community at large.

Our district is facing a major short fall of $11 million for the next fiscal year 2012-2013.

Oxnard College's portion of the cut is $2.3 million, results in a list of 8 programs for possible discontinuance and some transferring to other campuses, with the majority being in the career technical field.

OC Associated Student Government bolstered this forum with a myriad of panelists ranging from district and campus leadership to various state and local government officials. 

Many students and faculty have come to question the President of OC Dr. Duran, on why and how he choose those areas to cut. The ensuing answer was all too familiar to what he has been saying all semester long.

Many students and teachers have taken it upon themselves to challenge the list that was created by the administration, of which they used no real insight from teachers and students in those classes.

OC ASG President Carlos Gonzalez, a 32-year-old student and Chicano Studies/Psychology Major was at the event.

" I believe that all 3 campus president's are not advocating effectively, to protect our programs  and keep them from being discontinued. It is not in the best interest of the college and the student's it serves to number one exclude the teachers from the dialogue and number two not informing the student's who ultimately, keep this campus in existence," said Gonzalez.

Trustee Hernandez was quite vocal while addressing the crowd. His word reverberated while stating that the cuts are "disproportionate" and "disrespectful" to OC.

The communities were also invited to the event of which various local politicians managed to show their support.

The ensuing cascade of questions that students, faculty and the community brought forward sent some of the panelists into a quagmire.

The over use of "zero sum game" by a panelist member throughout the semester has become cemented into copious amount of peoples minds. But this has had little in discouraging students and teachers from pushing back, as OC Academic Senate President Robert Cabral stated that teachers will not recommend any classes to be eliminated while facing Dr. Duran.

This provided a stark contrast look into what happens when teachers are pitted with teachers.

What will be the next move for the administration and the teachers?

One thing is for certain; that teachers and students have begun to lose their confidence in how OC campus is being run.