City College of San Francisco officials on Thursday voted to close three facilities as part of a move to turn around the community college's
finances and save its accreditation.

The college's board voted to close its Castro and Park Presidio educational facilities and an administrative building on Gough Street, according to district spokesman Larry Kramer. The classes and administrators based at those sites will be moved to other locations.

The closures were recommended in a draft report presented to the board Thursday night that outlines the steps needed to save the community college's accreditation and improve its financial standing.

"The overall goal is to take the first steps toward reorienting the school toward being more cost efficient, given that we are in an era of budget cuts," Kramer said.

A report released last week by the state's Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team, tasked with providing financial assistance to California school districts, found that City College was on the brink of insolvency. The report pointed to high salary increases and generous benefits for employees, among other problems.

In addition, City College was placed on "show cause" status in July by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges, which cited problems with the school's governing structure and facilities, among other issues.

The report approved by the board last night contained an action plan outlining how City College will address the problems, which must be
submitted to the commission by Oct. 15. A second report showing significant steps toward implementation is due by March 15, Kramer said.

— Bay City News Service

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