Daily Business Report — Sept. 15, 2011
USD to Increase Ranks of Female Professors
Grant provided by the National Science Foundation
The University of San Diego has been awarded a $600,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to increase the ranks of female professors, particularly those of color, in science and technology.
“We’re excited about the opportunity to become a model for undergraduate institutions that want to increase their diversity and provide a supportive environment for female faculty,” said Mary Boyd, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. The five-year grant will support the project, Advancement of Female Faculty: Institutional climate, Recruitment and Mentoring (AFFIRM) to boost efforts to recruit women, especially those of color, in science, technology, engineering and mathematics as well as the social and behavioral sciences.
Boyd said that while women earn more than 40 percent of the doctorates in those disciplines, male faculty continue to outnumber female faculty by more than two to one nationwide. The percentage of doctorates earned by historically underrepresented groups has increased substantially over the past few years, yet fewer than 10 percent of faculty — male or female — at four-year institutions are African American, Hispanic or Native American. USD has made some progress in these areas, “but there is much more we can do,” Boyd said.
Home Sales Are Rising
Up from July and Year Ago
San Diego County home sales are rising. A total of 3,249 homes were sold in the region during August, a 4.4 percent increase from the 3,113 sales in August of last year and an increase from the 3,041 homes that were sold in August. The figures were reported Wednesday by San Diego-based DataQuick, a real estate information service.
The median home price in the county during August was reported at $320,000 during August, compared to $325,000 in July and $337,000 in August of last year.
Southern California Totals:
Home sales rose last month above the July and year-earlier level, the result of seasonal forces, a relatively high number of business days this August and continued robust bottom-feeding. Prices appeared to be trending sideways to downward, with the region’s overall median sale price dipping below a year earlier for the sixth consecutive month, a real estate information service reported.
A total of 19,654 new and resale houses and condos sold in San Diego, Los Angeles, Riverside, Ventura, San Bernardino and Orange counties in August. That was up 8.6 percent from 18,090 in July and up 6.0 percent from 18,541 in August 2010, according to DataQuick. August is typically one of the stronger sales months of the year, largely because many families want to move before school starts in late summer.
The median price paid for all new and resale Southland houses and condos purchased last month was $279,000. That was down 1.4 percent from $283,000 in July and down 3.1 percent from $288,000 in August 2010. Last month’s median was the lowest since February, when it was $275,000.
Financially Strapped East County Colleges Slash Classes
2,300 students to be turned away
The Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District governing board approved a $179 million budget for 2011-2012 that will result in the elimination of 600 class sections at the two colleges because of a $6.3 million reduction in state funding. The class section cuts – part of a state-mandated “workload reduction” — mean that about 2,300 students will be turned away this year at the colleges. The district has already cut 1,000 class sections over the past two years because of reductions in state funding. “I’m deeply, deeply troubled that we have been forced to turn away so many students in need of our services,” said Cindy Miles, district chancellor. “Now is the time that the state should be investing in higher education and workforce training. To return this state to its past luster, to improve a flagging economy, it is absolutely critical for community colleges to once again fulfill their mission of providing open access to affordable, quality education.”
California’s community colleges face an additional $30 million cut in December if state revenues are more than $1 billion below estimates, and up to $102 million in budget cuts if revenues are more than $2 billion below estimates. Grossmont-Cuyamaca officials said the district could lose up to $6.3 million in state funding if California doesn’t get enough revenue. The approved budget reflects the worst-case revenue projections.
Fees for California community college students increased from $26 per unit to $36 this year, meaning full-time students now pay $1,080 in fees annually. Students faced the possibility of an additional increase to $46 per unit for the spring 2012 semester if state coffers fell short of projected revenues, but that has been delayed until next summer. Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges currently enroll about 26,000 students, a number that has been slowly declining in the past three years that the campuses have been forced to slash offerings and staff.
The San Diego Foundation Announces Promotions
The San Diego Foundation has named Trudy Armstrong as associate vice president of regional outreach, John Jacinto Duca as director of regional outreach for North County and Anne Kilpatrick as director of human resources.
Armstrong joined the foundation as manager of regional outreach in 2008. Since then, she has aided the development of the Escondido, Rancho Bernardo, 4S Ranch/Del Sur, Ramona and La Jolla affiliates. Armstrong will oversee the opening of additional affiliates throughout the region.
Duca began at the foundation in 2006 as manager of regional outreach, holding responsibility of the Oceanside, Carlsbad and Chula Vista affiliates.
Kilpatrick joined the foundation in 2006 as human resources manager. She has more than 20 years of experience in nonprofit management. Her responsibilities span recruitment, employee engagement and relations, performance management, staff development, best practice and policy development and providing staff support to the Compensation and Benefits Committee. She holds a bachelor’s degree from the Universtiy of St. Thomas.
Alliance Healthcare Foundation Appoints Executive Director
Alliance Healthcare Foundation has hired Nancy Sasaki, former executive vice president of Planned Parenthood of San Diego and Riverside Counties, as its new executive director. Sasaki has 29 years of experience in nonprofit health care organizations. Sasaki’s career at Planned Parenthood began as a health educator in Austin, Texas. She also worked as the CEO in Los Angeles and the interim CEO in Hawaii. Sasaki also worked as the executive director of the ACLU of San Diego and Imperial Counties.
Small Business Workshops
SCORE San Diego continues its series of small business workshops. For more information, call (619) 557-7272 or visit score-sandiego.org.
• Sept. 16 Women’s Networking Breakfast and Exhibits 8 to 11 a.m. at Morgan Run Resort & Club in Rancho Santa Fe (5690 Cancha de Golf, Rancho Santa Fe 92091; Attendees: $30 pre-paid registration by Sep. 13, $40 thereafter; Exhibitors: $80 pre-paid registration by Sep. 13, $90 thereafter).
• Sept. 16 Managing Grants and Contracts for Nonprofits 9 to 11:30 a.m. at The San Diego Foundation in Point Loma (2508 Historic Decatur Rd., #200, San Diego 92106; pre-paid registration $39, $49 at the door).
• Sept. 19 Business Basics 101 9 a.m. to noon at National University in Carlsbad (705 Palomar Airport Road, Carlsbad 92011; no charge please pre-register).
• Sept. 20 California Sales and Use Tax Basics 1 to 3 p.m. at National University in Kearny Mesa (9388 Lightwave Avenue, San Diego 92123; pre-paid registration $29, $39 at the door).
• Sept. 21 Business Plan 201: How to Write a Winning Business Plan 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at National University in Kearny Mesa (9388 Lightwave Avenue, San Diego 92123; pre-paid registration $99, $109 at the door).
• Sept. 22 How to Start a Nonprofit 9 to 11:30 a.m. at The San Diego Foundation in Point Loma (2508 Historic Decatur Rd., #200, San Diego 92106; pre-paid registration $39, $49 at the door).
• Sept. 23 Professional Selling: Increase Your Business Sales Now! 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at National University in Kearny Mesa (9388 Lightwave Avenue, San Diego 92123; pre-paid registration $69, $79 at the door).
• Sept. 27 Marketing and Contracting with State and Local Governments 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at National University in Kearny Mesa (9388 Lightwave Avenue, San Diego 92123; pre-paid registration $69, $79 at the door).
• Sept. 29 Tax Considerations for Small Business 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. at SCORE Entrepreneur Center (550 West C St., #550, San Diego 92101; pre-paid registration $29, $39 at the door).
• Sept. 30 Business Basics 101 9 a.m. to noon at National University in Kearny Mesa (9388 Lightwave Avenue, San Diego 92123; no charge please pre-register).
The Daily Business Report is produced by REP Publishing Inc., publisher of SD METRO, the North Park News and the West Coast Craftsman. Contact: Manny Cruz (619) 287-1865.
