Due to funding cuts from the state, the District decided to cut two staff positions from Evergreen Valley College’s Disabled Students Program at the March 8 District Board meeting.

Phil Campy, a Disabled Students Program student at EVC, made the Board of Trustees aware at the board meeting on April 12 that he has filed two complaints with the U.S. Office of Civil Rights.

The Americans with Disabilities Act recognizes and protects the civil rights of people with disabilities. The ADA covers a wide range of disability, from physical conditions affecting mobility, stamina, sight, hearing, and speech to conditions such as emotional illness and learning disorders, according to the San Jose City College DSP website.

Robin Salak, coordinator of DSP at EVC said the staff cuts to the department would prevent the District from remaining in compliance with ADA.

“We currently serve approximately 1,000 students,” Salak said. “My staff is as dedicated to our DSP students as I am. If we lose two staffers we will not be able to serve our DSP population in a ‘timely manner.’

EVC Interim President Marilyn G. Brock said she is responsible for maintaining compliance of the DSP regardless of district budget cuts and decreased state funding

“In spite of the necessary staff cuts to EVC, DSP we will remain in compliance with ADA,” Brock said. “Some of the current programs will be combined; some of them will be eliminated because they are driven by the budget dollars.”

Brock said the state has relaxed many of its restrictive policies on comingling program funds.

“It used to be until last year the funding was separate for a specific program. The state has now allowed us to merge the funding on some programs. We will also continue to ‘share function’ with other colleges to accommodate each other’s students.”

State funding is the driver, Brock said, which will determine the new DSP.
“The real problem is if you take any program and have 25 percent to 50 percent of its funding disappear, it has to change. What will happen over this funding cycle is all of these programs will be morphed into something different?”

With the reductions made by the state and not the district, Brock said there is going to be some evolving of the model based upon the funding available.

“Out of this (budget crisis) can come some new models, some new collaboration, and better ways to serve students,” Brock said.

Liz Vasquez, Assistive Service Specialist and a 20-year veteran of the district at EVC, is one of the staff members scheduled for termination.

She said she wonders who will take over her duties upon her termination.

Vasquez said her union contract prohibits another worker from performing her duties if her termination is a result of budget cuts. She said it is her job to guarantee the scheduled accommodations for DSP students get implemented, which means wheelchairs, knees and hands fit properly under, around and on tables, and areas remain accessible in spite of shuffling desks by other students.

Stephen Webb, an Honors and DSP student, said, “Without the DSP services I receive from SJCC, I would not be able to compete on a level playing field with my fellow students. Because of the DSP, I plan to enter into the master’s program at San Jose State University.”