It is no secret that this school year has been met with two major issues. These issues include a pandemic, and both students and staff having to transition into remote learning. An issue that coincides with the pandemic is the lack of state budget available to the school. This means that Las Positas College and Chabot College are left with no other choice than to freeze the permanent hiring of staff.
This may sound to some as if the students of LPC are getting short changed, in regards to there being a lack of staff members able to accommodate the student body of LPC
Although the hiring freeze was announced, this doesn’t mean there won’t be new faces when it comes to staff of LPC. Hiring will be continued as “based on the critical needs of the college, and as identified by the college presidents,” stated Guiselle Nunez, the district director of public relations.
Nunez said, “Filling of permanent positions are on a hiring pause as an outcome of the state budget — with some exceptions, meaning some hires are continued as planned, based on the critical needs of the college, and as identified by the college presidents.”
Nunez said that the needs of the students will be taken care of regardless of the decision to freeze hirings at this time.
Nunez has only encouraging words to say about the overall impact this decision will have on LPC.
“There has been no interruption to academic or support services to students,” stated Nunez, “Student Services operations continue as configured, though online, during the extended shelter-in-place, with various teams supporting the various services available to students.”
This should be reassuring to students who could’ve been fearing a possible lack of resources in terms of staff.
Nunez was also positive about the impact of the hiring freeze. The district is strategically addressing both reduced state funding and creative solutions to best serve students as possible,” she said.
Many believe that regardless of the current hardships LPC and the district are facing, the staff is working hard to find the best way to serve the students and their future academic goals.
Kiano Deperalta is a staff writer for The Express. Follow him @kkdeperalta.
