News briefs

Union members vote on contract with UC

Members of the American Federation of State, County and
Municipal Employees voted on Monday to accept a new union contract
with the University of California. Eighty-seven percent of the
members voted in favor of accepting the contract.

AFSCME represents service workers across the UC.

This new contract will include wage increases and job training
opportunities. It will be in effect through January 31, 2008.

Contract negotiations between the UC and AFSCME started in July
2004, and a one-day strike occurred on April 14. A tentative
agreement between the two parties was reached soon thereafter.

State budget cuts were cited as a reason why all of the
union’s demands could not be met.

Budget cuts shut down college newspaper

VENTURA “”mdash; Eighty years of chronicling life at Ventura
College ended with Monday’s final edition of the student-run
campus newspaper, a victim of budget cuts.

“They hit us with no warning,” Ventura College Press
Editor-in-Chief Nathan Murillo said. “We tried everything we
could to keep it open, but they never gave it a chance.”

Community college officials in March cut programs and personnel
to close a $7.5 million budget gap. The Ventura College Press, the
Oxnard College Campus Observer and the journalism departments at
the colleges were all cut. Administrators cited low enrollment in
journalism classes at both schools.

In response to protests, administrators crafted a plan to
publish a single, district-wide newspaper based at Moorpark College
next semester. It will carry stories from all three campuses, and
students at Ventura and Oxnard will be offered some journalism
courses.

“You couldn’t pick any more politically charged
program to cut,” Chancellor James Meznek said. “I am
probably just about as passionate about a free press as these
students are. But I’m also as passionate as the chief
executive officer for the district about my obligation to maintain
and strengthen all programs.”

Compiled from Bruin wire services and Bruin staff.

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