The college is catching a break in 2012-13 after massive reductions this year.

The decision to reduce workloads and eliminate classified staff positions, topped with operational budget cuts and section reductions in 2011-12, gave Contra Costa College a break from laying off more employees next year.

Senior Administrative Assistant Shondra West said in order to avoid layoffs the college also took out about $7 million from its reserves to make up for this year’s budget reduction.

Interim President Dan Henry said, “It’s a very positive outcome for this year.

“It is good for the college to have a reprieve, but use of college reserves is a one-time strategy,” Henry said. “The college will have to go back to making tough decisions next year.”

West said although the college was able to escape layoffs next year, there is still a possibility reductions will take place in the 2013-14 year.

CCC eliminated 12 staff positions and reduced the hours of seven on June 30, 2011. The year before that, the college cut three positions and reduced eight.

Academic Senate President Wayne Organ said the college was proactive last year in setting itself up for a diminished budget so it would not have to eliminate or reduce any staff positions.

“It is not just a position. It’s an actual person with an actual job that brings in money,” Organ said.

He said the result of tax initiatives, such as Gov. Jerry Brown’s and civil rights attorney Molly Munger’s, that aim to generate state revenue for education in the November 2012 election will greatly affect the likelihood of layoffs occurring in 2013-14.

“The difference between the outcomes of the tax measures passing and not passing is so radical,” Organ said.

Henry said once the outcome of the tax initiatives are known, the district Governing Board will then decide if it will be necessary to take out more than 10 percent of the district’s general reserve to avoid severe cuts to the college.

“The district’s general reserve is for unforeseen circumstances,” he said. “There was an indication (the Governing Board) would be willing to go below the 10 percent threshold (next year).”

Organ said the college has generally avoided cutting positions.

“Our college has built up a safety cushion,” he said. “The reserves are there for that reason.”