Who will save higher education?

Rescuing colleges from imminent destruction

California community colleges have seen better days. Unfortunately, it seems that things are going to get much worse before they get any better.

Just this year, the California Community Colleges (CCC) system has been hit with multiple budget cuts resulting in a total loss of $502 million. This is 8 percent of the system’s funds.

Due to these cuts, community colleges have had to turn down an estimated 670,000 students statewide, according to the California Community College Chancellor’s Office (CCCCO).

The CCC system is the largest in the nation and with so many invested in the system, fiscal priority should be given to community colleges to establish a foundation for the state’s future.

These cuts have resulted in Pierce dropping 6,000 students from enrollment this semester. That’s about 25 percent of the school’s student population.

Administration has had to freeze the hiring of any new faculty, cut the winter session completely, and limit the summer to core classes.

Departments have had to operate with shrinking funds and even fewer sections with another 200 sections to be cut from the Spring 2013 schedule.

Come this summer, enrollment will increase another $10 per unit and the sad part is that’s not even half of our problems.

New limitations on Federal Pell Grants leave students with little to look forward to, but empty wallets, overcrowded classrooms, and higher fees.

On top of this, Pierce’s administration is preparing for the possibility of another 7 percent budget cut, as will be determined by the Nov. 6 general elections when voters will decide on a state budget plan.

Gov. Jerry Brown’s budget plan focuses on solving the state’s $9.2 billion deficit by implementing a temporary tax increase with the goal of resolving the state’s budget crisis by 2016.

Even if Gov. Brown’s ambitious plan is passed, community college students will have to hope that state revenues pick up and meet the target mark. If state earnings do not hit their target mark by Jan. 1, 2013, then $4.8 billion in cuts will automatically be made to the educational budget.

Unfortunately, there is not much students can do at the moment but educate themselves and inform others about the matter.

This financial nosedive would prove detrimental to Pierce’s daily operations. The English writing lab would no longer be available to students. The Chemistry department would lack chemicals. The print edition of this student publication would no longer exist.

Pierce should also consider having students pay their dues at registration. Too many students are dropping classes for whatever reason. This new procedure would encourage completion of courses and would also fill more seats that would normally end up empty. This means more money for the college.

In these tough times we need to be the change. At the very least we should vote. Voting is our right, responsibility, and duty. In order to make a difference we have to cast our ballots accordingly.

Ballot measure AB 1500 and AB 1501 or the Middle Class Scholarship Act, as it’s better known, would be great if the measure was not held together by “if.”

MCSA plans to cut fees by 2/3 while at the same time eliminating the way multi-state corporation’s file for taxes in California. It would also raise these corporation’s taxes.

Currently some of these corporations take advantage of a “loophole”. This means that these corporations have two possible ways to file taxes in the state of California.

The money that would go to community colleges, if this measure passes, would be $150 million and it would be left up to the school where and how the money would be used.

MCSA mission is to help provide financial aid to students who earn under $150,000 a year. That would mean, according to the MCSA website, a student in a CSU would have their fees cut from $5,472 to $1,970 and a UC student’s fees would be cut from $12,192 to $4,023.

This would be great for any student currently receiving financial aid; not only would our fees be cut, but our CC’s would have $150 million they could spend.

With that extra money the schools could decide to cut even more fees and make our education even more affordable or they could use that money to add more classes. Currently the measure does not clarify how the money, that the CCs revive, would be used; therefore they could use that money to open up or add more courses.

Opening up more courses would be the ideal way to go since, as it is, community college fees in California are low and with the growing number of students and no preset outline on how to spend that proposed money it would wise to open up more courses. The downfall of this measure is in the fact that it would tax out of state corporations more and it would eliminate the two choice tax filing; something we voted for four years ago. If the measure passes there would be the possibility of these corporations closing down their shops and possibly moving to another state since this measure plans increase taxes by $1 billion.

Although that treat remains, MCSA would be beneficial to just about every college student. With the rising fees it would be great to get a break. The economy is on a slow recovery track, living expenses are going up, and textbooks are overpriced. This measure would ease the financial burden on parents and students.

West Valley Occupational Center provides career training to help people succeed in future jobs at low or no cost, but the possible closure of the school will limit choices in education.

West Valley is also one of the 400 California Adult Schools that assist parents, older adults, disabled adults and recent immigrants.

If the school closes its doors, not only are people left with less options of hands on experience before a real job but everyone working there will lose employment.

I recently spoke to one of my coworkers attending West Valley and he worries that the closure would be a setback for those in the process of getting a certificate.

The school is funded until June 30 and after, it’s future will be determined on the May revision of the state budget.

Though this may not sound like a certain decision yet, the $557 million shortfall in budget makes it impossible to believe that a school can surpass that.

According to the West Valley Occupational Center website, only some courses are transferable to other local California community colleges.

The time and money put into those classes will suddenly become a waste for many students, eventually they will have to retake them and spend twice the amount.

It’s bad enough for students to have less amount of classes and increasing prices but now the threat to close a career education school will leave students a step behind.

Yes, adults and students can count on private schools and community colleges for further need but it’s not like the financial status there is any better.

Around 30 other LAUSD schools will also be affected by this decision, according to the occupational center’s assistant principal, Don Kihara.

Many people may argue that adult schools are not necessary, or better yet, helpful because the possibility of adults to obtain jobs are slim.

But these centers provide much more then career training. A student can earn a high school diploma or GED, learn English, apply for internships and most importantly achieve goals and upgrade personal skills.

To someone elderly personal achievements are much more rewarding.

Everyone deserves a chance to improve and succeed at their own pace, whether it may be for a professional job or simply a hobby.

Save West Valley Occupational.