College District Gets Grant for $315,607

The San Diego Community College District has received $315,607 from the controversial foundation established several years ago to help pay educational expenses. The district covers 100,000 students at City, Mesa and Miramar colleges, and at 10 continuing education centers.

The grant brings the total money from the San Diego Community College District Foundation during the past four years to $1.03 million. The foundation, established by a previous Board of Trustees, annually gives the district half the interest earnings from its $7-million endowment. The other half can be used for operating expenses but has been kept in the endowment the last two years to increase interest income in future years.

The foundation is now the subject of a legal battle between the district and disgruntled faculty members who allege that the foundation has illegally used revenue belonging to the district to set up courses that compete with the district’s own courses. The new board and chancellor of the district have said they want to put past battles over the foundation behind them, but concede that legal action may continue indefinitely.