They also get paid for way too many days off. Real colleges aren't closed for weeks at a time. At larger universities, college professors and staff can be found the week of a holiday, yet it seems their employees get a week off for Thanksgiving, Spring Break, 2+ weeks off for Christmas and then say they work extra during the week to have a 4 day week in the summer! All of course paid! I'm sick of hearing about budgets cuts when they never make any. The joke is on us, they will always "talk" about it but when it comes down to it all they do is hike up taxes and tuition while they continue with their silly events, conferences, and large amount of paid time off. The lyceums are also a joke. Some may be informative and educational, but most of the students that attend do so for extra credit for their classes during that scheduled time. Otherwise even the students would not attend. Get rid of the hype and extra perks for the staff, along with their paid time off, conferences and events for the "staff" instead of the students. Real colleges, ie educational institutions, don't do that; they don't have to.

Once again, why do we have to pay for their employees conferences? Each and every single year their employees travel across the country to attend conferences, yet taxes could go up and tuition increases as well. Start with the extras within faculty and staff, I highly doubt their "conferences" are so important that they warrant the rest of the community to have to pay for them in the long run. How often do these employees travel across the country on a flight, stay in a hotel for 2-4 nights not to mention the cost of the conference and meals. Its ridiculous and I along with others have about had it with the expenditures of VC. Every time they make the news for coming up with a new idea, its an idea they have stolen from the Austin or San Antonio college systems anyway.. Give me a break! They are looking in the wrong direction for budget cuts. Nothing new there!

I see the names of two well heeled individuals on the VC board maybe they should make up the shortfall and let the less fortunate off the hook.

Other than the elected, is a seat saved for the Taxpayer on the Board? You know, the person paying for the increase. Oh nevermind.

NO TO TAX INCREASES!

This applies to any and all levels of government activiity. The people you are taking the money from just do not have any more to give you. It is that simple.

Who are these 'board members' and how did they get the power to take what belong to others? If the service you provide can not sustain itself, it should cease to exist.

Go figure, they need more money.

Maybe, just maybe, they should cut their expenses instead of hiking tuition & taxes. Public schools are getting hit with budget cuts & IMO they are far more important than a community college.....can the taxpayers say no to a tax increase on their property when it comes to these institutions of higher learning or are they forever victims?