What does it mean to be “Riffed”?

Riffing (or Reduction in Force) is a situation when employees do not voluntarily leave a company or organization; but are laid off or forced into early retirement.

Downsizing is never pretty, but particularly ugly at Modesto Junior College in Spring 2011, when the Northern California community of Modesto fought for certain programs which were being blindly eliminated in an effort to fill an expected deficit handed down from the State of California.


This is the first episode of our documentary series in which The Riffed reflect on their final impressions of MJC, some ending two decades of service for the school, with a particular emphasis on the way the entire budget shortfall had been handled and what could have been different given better leadership.

The community was given little voice in the matter and what was voiced was ignored and not publicly considered. This documentary series is a reminder of the fallen people and programs and a wake up call to a community muted by their leaders unilateral decisions, the effects of which will be felt for decades to come.

Please check out additional episodes which focus on individual programs, instructors and students who were collateral damage in these decisions.