Monitor 2012-11-8

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ohlone college

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Vol. XLIV No. 8

Fremont, California

#ocmonitor

November 8, 2012

Prop 30 revamps the future of education By FRANKIE ADDIEGO Correspondent

In a political cliffhanger, the people of California passed Proposition 30 in a narrow 53.9 percent to 46.1 percent vote. The proposition, which raises taxes temporarily to support public education, trailed in the polls late Tuesday night, but is now being projected as the winner by the California Secretary of State’s vote count.

Proposition 30 Temporary Tax to Fund Education This statewide graphic indicates which regions of California voted for and against Prop 30. Dark grey: regions that voted “Yes” totaling to 4,959,206 (53.9 percent). Light grey: regions that voted “No” totaling to 4,241,246 votes (46.1 percent).

For Ohlone, it means the administration will not cut 155 sections from the spring semester and that it will be able to offer summer school this year. “I know a lot of people had some doubts and some questions. Can you really go to the people and ask them to vote for a tax?’” said Gov. Jerry Brown at a rally last night, “[but] here we are.” Brown, the proposition’s most ardent proponent said, “I think [California is] the only state in the country that says, ‘Let’s raise our taxes for our kids, for our schools, and four our California dream.’” While roughly half of the state’s budget is spent on education, the community college system has been hit hard. Where the state spent over $11 trillion on higher education

JOE NICHOLS / MONITOR

Natsuki Itoh and Amit Patel campaign for Proposition 30 with handmade signs from the ASOC on Mission Boulevard Nov. 5.

in the 2007-08 fiscal year, California spent just $9.4 trillion in the current budget. As a result, Ohlone College had tentatively dropped as many course sections, though it’s expected that the course sections will return to the schedule on WebAdvisor. “There will be a small increase of sections we can offer,” said Ohlone College President Gari Browning. “First understand that if Prop 30 passes, the money will go to paying back monies we already owe.” “We’ve been in a cut cycle for the last four years,” Brown-

ing said last week. “We’ve had a hiring freeze since January 2008.” In fact, Ohlone College had planned to eliminate the summer semester all together, had Proposition 30 not passed. In an email sent to faculty and staff on Wednesday morning, Browning said she “felt 15 pounds lighter” with the passage of the Prop 30. However, she said that while the money will also restore a modest amount for FTES – at Ohlone the number is 61 of the 3,000 cut over the past few years – “ was so much

Bristow has never held an elected office prior to his run for the board seat. He currently works at CSU East Bay as the coordinator for the Renaissance Scholars Program, which offers support services to foster youth. “It gets to be very frustrating when you constantly feel

like you’re raging against the machine, but you’re apart of it so there is nothing you can do to change it,” Bristow said about his decision to run for office. According to Bristow, his top priority is that education remains accessible and that students can get in and out in

a reasonable amount of time. “I’m very much a product of the services that on the chopping block such as EOPS,” he said, The top priorities of incumbents Bonaccorsi and Cox are the accreditation process, which the board will guide

By JOE NICHOLS News editor

margin on Tuesday. Several students from the Ohlone Music Club came out and showed support by playing music and carrying signs. Many passersby on Mission Boulevard showed their support by honking and shouting as they drove by. Students wanted to show support for Proposition 30 and to raise awareness on the differences between Propositions 30 and 38. Proposition 30 includes funding for both public K-12 and public higher education and proposition 38 which was

competing legislation, did not include provisions for public higher education. Income taxes will increase for those who make $250,000 or more a year. The funds will go to public K-12 and higher education, including community colleges and city emergency services such as police, fire and paramedic services. The ASOC officially endorsed Proposition 30 to help stave off the cuts of more than 150 class sections and the summer session at the Ohlone campus.

COURTESY OF / VOTE.SOS.CA.GOV

Continued on Page 6

Votes are in: Ohlone trustee race is settled Bonaccorsi, Bristow and former trustee Bob Brunton –aggressively fought for the three The voters of Alameda available board seats. County re-elected incumbents Cox won the majority of Teresa Cox and Greg Bonac- the votes with 34 percent corsi and added challenger while Bonaccorsi received Kevin to the Ohlone College 25 percent. Bristow also upboard of trustees. set Brunton 25 percent to 14 The four candidates – Cox, percent. By MANIKA CASTERLINE Senior editor

Continued on Page 6

Students take charge at March on Mission

JOE NICHOLS / MONITOR

Renee Wong Gonzales and a co-worker campaign for Prop 30.

Students carrying signs in favor of Proposition 30 joined the first March on Mission on Monday along Mission Boulevard in Fremont in front of Ohlone College’s Fremont campus. The march, sponsored by the Associated Students of Ohlone College (ASOC), included many staff and students who attended to show support for the education funding measure that voters approved with a 53 percent


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