Sunday, September 27, 2015

Vancouver Community College's programs on the brink due to budget cuts - VANCITY BUZZ

It is not the way an organization typically celebrates a 50th anniversary, but Vancouver Community College (VCC) laid off 52 employees this past summer due to deep budget cuts. In response, students, ‘staff and concerned community groups have launched a coalition, dubbed ‘Save Our VCC, to rally public support to save the institution’s programs. The latest cuts add to last fall’s loss of 70 per cent of VCC’s ESL program, with over 70 layoffs, the new round of layoffs brings the total to over 120 within a year. Critics of the layoffs say new tuition fees imposed by the province are contributing to a 30 per cent enrolment drop in adult upgrading, the largest department at VCC. It now costs $408 to take a basic literacy course at the college. http://www.vancitybuzz.com/2015/09/vancouver-community-college-budget-cuts/