The Durham College
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THE DURHAM COLLEGE <o(ume XXlll, Issue 8 November 21, 1995 D oz e n s o f D C sta ff fa c e l ayo ffs BY LISA LISLE Chronicle staff_____________________ Dozens of Durham College staff members are facing unemployment because of Ontario government cuts to colleges. According to Durham College president Gary Polonsky, the college will have to cut dozens of full-time and part-time positions to keep up with the cuts expected from the Ontario government at the end of November. Polonsky said the cuts from the Harris gov- ernment will be much greater than earlier anticipated and most of them will occur this year, * He had originally anticipated that DC would lose about $4 million over two years. However, he said, accord- FUNDING CUTS ing to the Big 8 Globe and KIDS IN THE HAUL Mail, this is Classic now a beat- ...PG. S case scenario. CUTS TO DAY CARE In a recent ...PG. 3 memo to ataff OIUT. LIBRARY CUTS Polonsky said ...PG. 3 the cuts will NO DC. PARADE be $5 milh'on PIOAT to $6 million for 1996/97 ...P6. 6 and would be repeated the _ following year. This would bring the total cuts to $10 million to $12 million. Durham College's total operat- ing budget for 1995 was $62.1 million. "I don't think that it occurred to any Lords host Ontarian that this would happen," Polonslty said. "It was never written or stated any- basketball where." Polonsky's memo to the staff also said that, although the Durham College board of gover- tournament nors would like to provide as much employ- ment stability as possible, early retirement and layoffs will be necessary. page 19 "We would like to keep people employed," said Don Sinclair, DC vice-president of staff and student services, "but layoffs are unavoid- able." Until now, the college has had an employ- menfc security policy which guaranteed that no I Campus one would be laid off. At this month's board meeting, the governors rescinded that policy. Student Polonsky will discuss alternatives to layoffs Association with OPSEU (Ontario Public Service N VP profiles Employees Union) and other staff representa- ...pg. 6 tives this month. He will also ask'DC teachers for their suggestions on how each program can S Entertainment be run at reduced costs, Much Music Alternatives to the layoffs include leaves of VJ profile absence, reducing full-time positions to part- " ...pg. 12 time, and early retirement. I Peter McKeracher, president of OPSEU Local 354, would like to see the number of Sports part-time employees decrease before full-time D Scoreboard positions are cut down to part-time. "1 (wt agree with more ...pg. 22 x part-time," McKeracher said. "I'd prefer to keep full-time E positions." See Tories page 2 2 The Chronicle, November 21, 1996 .UP FRONT. FUNDING CUTS Kids in the Hall protest cuts BYJIMMACDONALD Chronicle staff The day before the protest, Were you hurdling over chil- Black sent memos to the faculty dren on your way to class on and staff explaining what would Nov. 15? be happening. However, not all Were you distracted by the DC staff members were co-oper- adorable three-year-old in your ative. computer class? Prentice said a development Did your teacher have to raise and psychology teacher in the his voice so he could be heard in nursing program told her she the lecture theatre? had to leave because her son Was If you experienced these situ- too distracting. ations, then the Ontario "I understand her position Community College Student because a three-year-old is a dis- Parliamentary Association made traction," Prentice said. "But at its point. the same time, I'm one of the Durham College, along with people that are going to be affect- other colleges and universities in ed if this thing goes through." the province, took part in the The teacher was not available for Kids In The Hall protest, in comment. which students who are parents The DC student handbook were encouraged to bring their clearly outlines that children are not children to school. This was to allowed in classrooms while send a message to the Mike class is in session, except when Harris government about how involved in a registered program they will be affected by day care activity. cuts. Marc Battle, curriculum con- "Community sultant for the ECE connection college students at have been hit multiple times Photo by Jim Rosslor DC, says a lot of jobs will be by on the line the the provincial government so Durham College students and their children enjoy entertainment during their one-day if cuts go through. far," said OCCSPA protest last Wednesday. Prices for child care will president and centres Chad Peters. "What the provin- increase, will close cial government because parents will not be able is not realizing the cuts are affecting." that day care subsidy may be got back into it, and the last to afford is that people who have their the costs. OCCSPA is an organization cut," she said. "My son's been in month of the pregnancy was Battle feels the from children in the day care are for all Ontario support colleges, and the same day care for over a year wonderful. Two days after I had students for this protest is there because they have to go takes their concerns to the gov- and since he likes it, I would like the school." baby he said he need some encouraging, and there is a ernment. to keep him in it." time. A week later he said 'I'm chance The protest was a result of the the Harris government David Black, president of the Prentice examined all the not coming home'." will get the cuts to day care that Mike Durham message. College Student potential options before deciding OSAP and mother's allowance "I'm an early childhood educa- Harris has made, or will make, Association, agrees with Peters which day-care centre would be checks are in Ontario. helping her survive tor," Battle said, "and in the and wonders how people are best for her son before deciding the financial costs of school. But past, the only Peters said the biggest cut going to be able to afford people that have their on the one she currently uses. with cuts to Bubaidizod day caro, boon concornod with thin woro should he in January, even education it subsided day caro Getting to collogo was not an aHo will not bo ulilo to continuu nitrly cl^tlcl ouro ucluuHLorH. It.*** liku Llio tliouglv the service is already fac- cutB continue. ousy taalc. for Prcmtlco. coining to DC. (froul Lilut uumuonu ML«I- . ing a 20-per cent cut. "We've heard from students at She was a street-kid between' -te'.Prentice is. confused.. about dent association, who have ^no OCCSPA feels the govern- Durham College with children the ages of 16 and 18 and it was why her classmates who are par- affiliation with the ECE, feels so ment is not taking a step for- who are trying to go to school," love that got her off the streets ents didn't take part in the strong about child care that ward in reducing the deficit, but said Black. "If funding towards . after she met her future hus- protest, especially the ones who they're doing something pro- is taking steps back and should day care is cut, it sure will make band. She took a high school have children in day-care cen- active like this." re-examine where cuts should be it tough for them." equivalence test and passed. tres. Like Black and Peters, Battle made. One of the students at But she got pregnant when she . "I was very disappointed with questions the thinking of the "A lot of the parents go to col- Durham who joined the protest was 21 and had to quit both her them," she said, "I think I was Harris government on how the lege because they're trying to get was Ramona Prentice, a mother job and school because of risk of the only one in the Simcoe build- economy will benefit from the off the system so they won't have and part-time student studying losing the child. Within a week ing to show up with a kid. What cuts. to rely on provincial funding for human services. She is 24 and a of their child's birth, the father I can't figure out is the girls with 'The only way students (who day care and welfare," Peters single mother who needs the walked out on them. kids who didn't bring them in are parents) are going to con- said. "These are people who are subsidized day care service to "(During the pregnancy) He don't realize that if their subsi- tribute to this economy and bettering themselves, and we're continue her studies. became very withdrawn in the dies are cut, they're not going to going to school is by having qual- showing the government who "I found out two months ago relationship," she said. "Then he be able to go to school." ity child care," he said. Tones force layoffs at Durham Continued from page 1 For most employees, the most of the time I like the results However, he finds the pres- size, he hopes to keep the stu- penalty for early retirement (up I get." sures on himself and the stu- dent-teacher ratio at a reason- Originally Polonsky had to 30 per cent of an employee's The early retirement package dents frustrating and fears these able level.