San Diego

The foundation set up by the San Diego Community College District should limit payments made to guests who speak to students and district personnel, and should set annual limits on the amount paid to any elected official, the San Diego County Grand Jury recommended in a report released Friday.

The grand jury also recommended that the foundation should write specific guidelines that will assure the public there is no favoritism toward politicians selected for honoraria.

The district and its foundation came under fire earlier this year for paying almost $33,800 last year--and $87,000 since 1985--to state legislators to speak at various classes and forums. The foundation is a separate entity set up in 1976 to create an endowment for the college district.

As part of its government watchdog function, the grand jury was asked by faculty members to look into the foundation payments and into other controversial actions by the foundation to contract with private companies for educational instruction that could be in competition with the district’s own class offerings. The grand jury recommended that the district make clearer the distinctions between it and the foundation, and take steps to protect the existing community college functions.