Fresno City College President Cynthia Azari answered a variety of questions posed by the Rampage staff in the Rampage newsroom on Sept. 2, 2009.

Topics included the latest budget cuts, issues with parking, diminishing transfer opportunities for students, and campus safety. The reporters were also curious about the reconstruction of the Old Administration Building (OAB), Azari’s previous experience with community colleges, and her plans for FCC in the future. The group spent a few weeks fielding questions from FCC students and concocting questions for the leader of the campus.

The group started the afternoon off with an introduction of the class, and Sarah Whitman jumpstarted the session with a question on the budget cuts and its implications for FCC students. Azari explained that the government is in complete control of the cuts and that each campus has to deal with the shortfalls in its own way. She added that FCC had a 2.5 percent reduction in its funding and needed to cut or reduce its budget. However, Fresno City College is at 101.2 percent capacity which causes issues when it comes to cut backs.

Azari said that the budget reduction has affected many programs on campus, including the services provided by the tutorial center and the library. Food has also been cut out of a lot of social events. Every program took a hit from the cuts, Azari explained. About how the determination was made, the president said it was easiest for the administration to reduce a bit from each program instead of just dropping a particular program.

Both the tutorial center and the library cut back on hours on Fridays due to the lack of student utilization. Azari also mentioned that if the tutorial center shows a higher demand by students, there is a possibility that more funds can be added to the program. But that means another program will lose some money, Azari said.

Azari also touched on the H1N1 controversy, explaining that faculty and staff have all been taught how to recognize the signs and have been told to tell students showing symptoms to stay away from class. There will be vaccines available in the health center in due time. Notices will be posted on when they will be offered.

On why students should choose FCC out of all their choices, Azari explained that the college’s greatest draw is accessibility and affordability.. Online classes and multiple campuses allow for students to accommodate to their needs without any hesitation. Community colleges let students take advantage of the opportunity to “explore and experiment” with different classes and extracurricular activities. The president’s advice to students include learning as much as possible, keeping up on attendance, studying hard, seeking help the second it is needed, and taking responsibility for their education.

To a reporter’s question about transfer students who, with the recent budget cuts, are finding it harder to be able to get into Fresno State, Azari recommends that students who are ready to transfer should speak to counselors and look at other four-year colleges.

Campus safety is an issue on many campuses and raises concerns at FCC as well. Azari recommends that all students be “aware of their surroundings” at all times, using the buddy system, especially during night classes. She cautions students to watch out for their valuables and to contact campus police, if needed.

On parking, Azari pointed out some incredible stats regarding student enrollment. There are only 3,000 parking spots for over 24,000 students. From 10 am to 11 am, there are nearly 13,000 students on campus at once. Parking is going to continue being a problem, and Azari offered some solutions for the dilemma, including carpooling, public transportation, and park and rides.

Azari said she has a great deal of pride for the FCC campus and its great involvement with the community. She said that the college is well respected in the local area and mostly because of student accomplishments.

FCC is the second largest community college campus in the nation and Azari said she wants the school to receive the national recognition it deserves. And with the college’s centennial on the horizon, there is much to be celebrated at FCC. A New Year’s Eve celebration is already in the works as well as many other events throughout the 2010 year.