UCSB Extension Halves Programs

UCSB Extension gave termination notices to 18 of its staff and faculty on January 30, in an attempt to balance its budget after having lost an average of $1 million annually over the past five years for a cumulative deficit of $5 million. The continuing education program is supposed to be self-sustaining, said UCSB spokesperson Paul Desruisseaux, adding that a market-driven restructuring is underway. He said that approximately half the extension’s programs have been eliminated. The terminated employees were given notice that they would be laid off indefinitely effective March 31. These include instructors with full-year contracts through the end of June. Others had ten-week term-to-term contracts even though they may have been working at the school for years. UCSB psychology professor Loy Lytle, who has served the Extension’s dean for just over five years, was not immediately available for comment, but Desruisseaux said that Lytle and his administrative team have been working with the vice-chancellor’s office and a budget task force since last summer to restructure UCSB Extension. The programs that will remain include paralegal training, business management, and digital programming.