The brunt of the ongoing cuts to higher education has been evident in the last four to five years, and the college has tried different measures to cope with reduced funding.

Mary Mirch, vice president of instructional services, attended the Associated Students of Glendale Community College (ASGCC) meeting Tuesday and talked about what the college is doing given the budget crisis.

If neither of the tax initiatives supporting higher education is passed, either the one proposed by Gov. Jerry Brown and the one supported by the California Federation of Teachers, the college could reduce course offerings in the fall 2012 and spring 2013 by 5.56 percent each.

“We don’t arbitrarily cut classes because we feel like it,” she said. “It’s hurting us all. But this is the world we’re living in now.”

Mirch encouraged students to make their voices heard by voting in elections.

“If all the students in higher education across the country decided to vote, and to vote in a block, you couldn’t be beat,” she said.

Other items discussed in the meeting included the Voices Organizing Immigrant Communities for Educational Success (VOICES) burrito sale, along with Irish dancers performing on Thursday.

Vice President of Campus Relations and Environmental Affairs committee member Rashon Washington talked about a new on-campus garden in progress and possibly purchasing energy monitors worth about $4,000 that would show energy usage at GCC. Washington said the monitors would help the college determine how it could save money.

A campus cleanup will be held next Tuesday during activity hour from 12:20 to 1:30 p.m.

The next ASGCC meeting will be held 7 a.m. next Tuesday at the Student Center.