A representative from Public Agency Retirement Services, presented information at the March 2 Board of Trustees meeting indicating that the school would save roughly $1.5 million during the first year of an early retirement incentive program if it is approved by the Cerritos District.

David Young, counselor at Career Services and counseling instructor for 25 years, admits he has thought about the younger, less experienced individuals who will one day teach his classes after he has retired.

“God bless them, you know? I was younger and didn’t know diddly once, either. I thought I did at 30—a kid-caring psychologist.  

“You learn you don’t know everything, and this is a learning environment. Attitude is everything, and most people in higher education appreciate that,” Young said.

The “well-kept, almost 65-year-old” was pleasantly surprised to receive news that Cerritos College is offering an early retirement incentive program for employees, a program known as a Golden Handshake.

“My initial plan had been to go another year and a half, anyway, but then this thing came along, and it was like, ‘Whoa, okay, I’ll go sooner if it meets everybody’s needs.'”

Eric O’Leary, a representative from Public Agency Retirement Services, presented information at the March 2 Board of Trustees meeting indicating that the school would save roughly $1.5 million during the first year if the program is approved by the Cerritos District.

Cerritos College President/Superintendent Dr. Linda Lacy is enthusiastic of the outcome.

“That’s so helpful,” she said.

“Those are just a lot more classes we can offer our students.”

PARS would pay qualified employees 80 percent of their respective salaries in addition to their regular retirement benefits with incentive disbursements commencing on Aug. 1.

Qualified employees must have worked within the District for five years, been employed at Cerritos College as of March 2 and must be eligible to receive benefits from one of two retirement programs— STRS or PERS— as of June 30.

Enrollment packets have already been sent out to employees and the deadline to submit them to the agency is April 18.

If at least 44 employees accept the offer, the District will approve the plan and notify the Board of Trustees by May 6.

Members from all employee groups have been offered the incentive, but faculty is expected to generate the most savings, if a projected 26 members enroll in the program.

An average of five to seven faculty members retire every year, without an incentive program.

Faculty Senate President Debra Moore thinks retired instructors are likely to leave a void at the school for some time.

She predicts “some departments that have a lot of retirements may face some staffing challenges until they are able to hire new full-time faculty.”

Adjunct faculty would fill the spots of retired individuals, at least for the first year after the plan goes into effect.

Jenine Nolan, instructional dean of Health Occupations, who is considering the option, feels the school is ready to take the hit.

“It will be a huge loss to the institution, and, very importantly,” Nolan insists, “I believe that people will rise to the occasion and the institution will thrive.”

Young, who is also the co-adviser of Phi Beta Kappa and hosts his own show on WPMD, estimates that the school will lose 120 years of “institutional memory” with the instructors who retire from his division.

He also believes students won’t mind and or even notice.

“Students are much more concerned with whether or not they’re getting their classes than who’s teaching them.”

He would like to have the opportunity to return to Cerritos to work part-time once the school figures out a plan to make that happen.  

Lacy explains that the possibility exists, but those interested need to follow a process.

“It is up to the divisions as to who they employ as part-time faculty, therefore there are no guarantees.

“[Employees] will need to check with their representatives of the retirement system to determine if they are eligible to return in a part-time capacity.  Each division has a procedure for hiring part-time faculty that would be implemented.”

She would like the school community to focus on the positive aspect of retirement: creating new jobs for eager instructors in a struggling economy.

“You always have that excitement of having a new faculty member who wants to come in and be that retiring person.  [New instructors] want to make their mark and develop their loyal students, too.  

“There are a lot of good folks out there that would be prepared and are needing a full-time job,” Lacy said.