Local News in Brief : Budget of $44 Million Approved for College

The Glendale Community College Board of Trustees has approved a $44-million budget for 1988-89 that includes a record $11.5 million for capital improvement projects.

The budget represents a 23% increase over the present $35.7-million budget, said Sam Black, college director of accounting and budgets.

In addition to the capital improvement funds, the budget provides $22.5 million in salaries and benefits for the college’s 375 full-time and 600 part-time employees and includes a $2-million reserve fund for further teacher salary raises upon completion of negotiations between the district and unions representing the employees.

The budget passed by the board includes a 5% pay increase for teachers. The teachers’ union, the Glendale College Guild, has asked for a 15% raise over the next three years as well as annual cost-of-living adjustments.

The capital improvement budget allocates $2.8 million for completion of a 3-story classroom and office building on campus. It also allots $874,000 for construction of a child development training center on campus and $1.9 million to purchase an adult education training facility on Garden Street in Glendale.

The board has set aside funds to improve and expand the college auditorium and funds for routine maintenance and asbestos removal.

The budget also earmarks $60,000 to set up and staff an apprenticeship program for licensing nurses and $66,000 to finance civics and English classes for aliens who have applied for U.S. citizenship under the recent amnesty program.

The board approved the spending plan 4 to 1. Trustee Rae Berry voted against the budget because, she said, she had not been adequately informed of its goals.

“I’m going to cast my traditional ‘no’ vote,” she said. “It’s obvious that the staff had goals and priorities but they haven’t been communicated to the board.”