Douglas Colleze’s autonomous student newspaper. Thursday, February 16, 1984. THER PRESS ___ Volume 16 Issue 3 Office 1 programs lose 51 seats Office administration stu- dents, say goodbye to your classmates. The-ministry of education has announced plans to cut 51 seats in the program, forcing people to pay higher tuition at private business schools if they want to obtain a diploma. by DAN HILBORN In a move that has _ af- fected Pacific Vocational In- stitute, Vancouver Commun- ity College, Cariboo, Camo- sun, Kwantlen, Capilano, and Douglas College, office administration programs have been reduced by ap- proxiamately 10 per cent. | However, college mana- gers have said they may not comply with the ministry of education directive. Presi- dent Bill Day said specific program decisions such as this one are best made by the people closest to the scene. “It's a deeply significant act, contrary to the notion of productivity,’’ he said. “It might be -an_ initial thrust of the needle to see what reation they get,’’ Day said. The management com- mittee has asked Jim Sator, head of the business depart- ment including office admin, to take no action towards cutting the program until a report is prepared for the next management meeting. Some committee members said the cuts were the result of ‘‘a concerted effort by the trade schools.’’ “Be nice to Marie Tomko,’’ was one comment.: Tomko is part owner of MTC Business College, ac- ross the street from the New Westminster campus. Tom- ko also ran for alderman in the most recent New West civic election. MTC College offers 24 diploma and __ certificate courses, ranging in cost from $4,880 for a 52 week Administrative Secretary course, to $715 fora six week Méini-Clerical cate. This is a 540 per cent increase for students taking the equivalent — secretarial program at Douglas. Gordon Gilgan, dean of applied sciences and aca-. certifi-" -colleges. demic programs contacted the program profile depart- ment of the ministry of education to discuss the implications of the cuts. “It was a decision from cabinet,’’ he said. And the ministry expects to see evi- dence of the cuts. “Nothing can stop the ministry,’’ said Bill Day. “They view themselves as being able to say which programs are cut.”’ Day said he accepts the ministry’s right to allocate the overall budget and make general direction _ policy, however, specific —_ cuts should be made at the col- lege level. “Obviously, | have a vest- ed interest in seeing that the institution makes as many decisions as possible,’’ he said. Day said the acceptance. of the cuts depends strongly on the budget package the college will receive February 24 in-Victoria. Five adminis- trative representatives. will be taking the ferry over to discuss the implications. of the new funding levels. ‘We're not making any assumptions,’’ said Gilgan. “We may not comply with the ministry directive.’’ The cuts may not be a part of the five per cent budget reduction already announced by the ministry, said Gilgan. “1 would like to think it _ was,’’ said bursar Bill Mor- y. At Capliano College, stu- dent society secretary Daisy Locke said five office admin- istration courses have been cut. Business office training, legal secretary, legal assist- ance, medical office assist- ance and word. processing have all been eliminated, she said. At Douglas, the cuts will mean a 10 per cent reduc- tion to the program, said Gilgan. Tomko said it is imposs- ible to compare the courses she offers to those at the “Our students have 30 class hours a week,’’ she said. The cost for taxpayers to send a student to college was $42 a day last year, she said, and that cost has probably risen higher. Faculty negotiations halted | Contract negotiations be- tween the college and the faculty association » have broken off, giving faculty the legal right to strike at Douglas College. The newsletter lists five points that are in dispute: length of contract, the con- tinuation of a conversion committee, a clause allow- ing a shortage of funding as reason to terminate employ- ment, salary negotiations, The college negotiating team tabled the lastest fac- ulty proposal at a January 30 meeting and neither side has set a date to renew talks, the lastest faculty negotiations newsletter said. “Negotiations are still underway, but no meeting has been scheduled,’’ said Gordon Gilgan, a member of the college _ negotiating team. derway, but no meeting has been scheduled,’’ said Gord- on Gilgan, a member of the college negotiating team. and an access-to-scale cla- use. Faculty have reduced the- ir bid for a salary increase from six to four per cent since last November, how- ever, the college insists up- on no increase, the news- letter said. Gilgan said the college’s proposals are determined by the college board and not the ministry and any new negotiations will have to wait until the newly appoint- ed board sits February 16. * Ralph Stanton, association president, told the college board last month that fac- ulty were becoming very concerned with the lack of progress in the negotiations. Faculty have been without a contract since May 1, 1983, he said. Faculty have “voted to make no more concessions to the college, Stanton said, and they are ‘‘clearly un- happy’’ with the situation. The huge increase in reg- istration is shouldered vir- tualtty-bythe faculty, .Stan- ton said, and“ their..ceward has been nine months with- out a contract. Douglas does not need a layoff clause, he said to the board, because ’‘the college is far from shrinking,’’ he said. Len Millis, vice-president of the association, said in a letter to Bill Day, faculty should not be expected to volunteer duties at Open House (March 9) unless a contract is signed. Neither side is willing to make public statements while negotiations are still in progress. Book check ready for September registration Students will not have to worry about losing _ their textbooks next semester be- cause of a bookstore policy requiring them to leave allt books and bags outside of the store during peak hours. After receiving several complaints about — stolen books the student society has decided to run a book check to prevent thieves on campus from picking up the unguarded books. “With the huge line-ups they have in the bookstore it’s impossible to keep your eyes on your parcels outside the door,” said council treasurer Les Pandak. Pandak became interested in setting up the book check after he heard a student, Raymond Hillon, complain- ing a $5.69 manual was stolen. Pandak originally asked council. to reimburse Hillon the cost of the book but some council members felt this would set an nisl cs precedent .