To the editor:

I was a bit disappointed to hear of all OCCC’s budget woes in the latest edition of the Pioneer. It seems there are several places we could save money that have not been addressed.

First off, how many times have you visited a classroom or office on campus that was extremely cold? The vents in my office routinely blow at anywhere from 64 to 70 degrees.

When I was a student here, I always brought a jacket (even in the summer) because classrooms were so cold. I understand that air circulation is an issue, but does the air have to be so cold?

Also, to our faculty: turn off the lights and turn off the computer when your class is over.

We should also be speaking to the IT department regarding whether or not they recommend computers and equipment being unplugged at the end of each day. If this could be done, energy costs could be drastically reduced. What about printing? Is it really necessary to print out e-mails and syllabi? If faculty would agree to it, syllabi could be posted solely online and stricter printing policies would save the college money on paper and ink. I guess all I’m proposing is that we start thinking outside the box in terms of saving money around here.

—Laurie Thorton
Social Sciences Division Assistant