Troubled Software Adopted

Mission College faculty and students blame the software for a decline in enrollment. "I'm very concerned for the district as a whole," said Angela Echeverri, Mission Faculty Senate president and science instructor at the 8,000-student college. "What I think they're going to have to do is use the old system as a backup, and run the two systems side by side, otherwise it's going to be a disaster."

Protocol, which is made by Protocol National Inc., based in Tustin, USA, cost the district $326,793, which includes the software license, modifications and training, Clerx said. The program also comes with a $78,732 annual maintenance fee.