The impacts of California's fiscal calamity are manifold. Our state's traditional support for higher education systems is waning, leaving the state's college-bound students and those currently enrolled in college facing a crisis of affordability and access.
California's community colleges, serving close to three million students, face a potential cut of $1 billion, which translates to fewer class offerings and 400,000 students being turned away from classes at the state's 112 community colleges. These reductions are happening at a time when a community college education is in great demand. Record unemployment has led to workers returning to college to learn new skills, while an influx of returning military veterans and large classes of graduating high school seniors are finding it nearly impossible to gain admission to 4-year institutions due to university budget cuts, capacity constraints, constricted enrollments, and ever-competitive GPA and entrance standards.
Here at MiraCosta College, we are focused on meeting the demand for higher education while we contend with shrinking financial resources. Despite these challenges, we are determined to meet the needs of our students and our local community.
First, the college has increased course offerings this upcoming fall semester in order to keep up with the anticipated demand for college classes. That is not to say that classes won't fill up quickly, they will.
However, students can choose from more transfer and general education classes; more Friday/Saturday classes designed to meet the needs of working students; and more First-Year Experience courses, created to help first-time and reentry college students transition to college. Our goal is to prepare more students to transfer to 4-year institutions and prepare students to enter the workforce through career and technical education programs.
We have also redirected resources to areas where they are needed the most, in the classroom and for student support services that contribute to student success. Because of this, students will see a 10 percent reduction in classes being offered this summer. The decision to trim back summer classes was made in order to serve more students from our local community. Typically, about half of the students attending summer school are from areas outside of North San Diego County, while the fall and spring semesters see a greater percentage of local students.
As our graduates can attest, receiving an associate degree or certificate leads to greater wage earnings and a higher quality of life. Within three years of graduating from a community college like MiraCosta College, a student typically sees an 86 percent increase in wages, and over a lifetime, can expect to make an average of 75 percent more than those who don't graduate. The entire region benefits from the additional economic input, more state and local property tax revenue and the creation of more jobs.
The college is addressing course availability and is simultaneously reducing barriers to earning a college degree by focusing on affordability. Staff members in the Financial Aid Office and Veterans Office are working around the clock processing applications for student financial aid and veterans benefits. Innovative programs, like the Textbook Loan Program, have been created to ensure that students are able to get the textbooks they need, even if they can't afford them. In addition, the MiraCosta College Foundation and Development Office has raised a record amount of private money for student scholarships this year.
Now as never before is a critical time for us to share with you the importance of community colleges. I urge you to join national and world leaders in spreading the word about the transformative power of higher education. Former President Bill Clinton has called community colleges "one of the most successful public entities in the country." Jill Biden, wife of U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, in a recent letter to the San Diego Union-Tribune, acknowledged that, "community colleges play a vital role in restoring our nation's economy. And they are the key to meeting the president's goal of having the best educated, most competitive workforce in the world by 2020."
I invite you to join us in standing up for community colleges like MiraCosta College, and I assure you that we will deliver on our promise to provide the most accessible, most affordable, highest quality education. To share with us how MiraCosta College has or is impacting your life, please join the conversation on our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/miracostacollege. As always, your thoughts are welcome, and let me know personally next time I see you on campus or in the community. Or send me an e-mail at [email protected].
THE FACTS AT A GLANCE
The Issue: Gov. Jerry Brown’s May budget proposal would cut state funding to California's community colleges and increase student fees to $10 per unit, which would bring cuts to $1 billion over the last three years. This at the same time that demand for community college education is increasing due to high unemployment rates, an influx of returning military veterans and large classes of high school graduates who are finding it harder to gain admission to 4-year institutions.
What MiraCosta is doing: To address course availability, the college is adding more classes in the fall, including Friday and Saturday classes for working students and courses for first-year and reentry students. This redirection of resources to the classroom and a shift in student support services, will result in a 10 percent reduction to summer school classes. The college is also raising record private money for scholarships and launching other programs to make education affordable.
California's community colleges, serving close to three million students, face a potential cut of $1 billion, which translates to fewer class offerings and 400,000 students being turned away from classes at the state's 112 community colleges. These reductions are happening at a time when a community college education is in great demand. Record unemployment has led to workers returning to college to learn new skills, while an influx of returning military veterans and large classes of graduating high school seniors are finding it nearly impossible to gain admission to 4-year institutions due to university budget cuts, capacity constraints, constricted enrollments, and ever-competitive GPA and entrance standards.
Here at MiraCosta College, we are focused on meeting the demand for higher education while we contend with shrinking financial resources. Despite these challenges, we are determined to meet the needs of our students and our local community.
First, the college has increased course offerings this upcoming fall semester in order to keep up with the anticipated demand for college classes. That is not to say that classes won't fill up quickly, they will.
However, students can choose from more transfer and general education classes; more Friday/Saturday classes designed to meet the needs of working students; and more First-Year Experience courses, created to help first-time and reentry college students transition to college. Our goal is to prepare more students to transfer to 4-year institutions and prepare students to enter the workforce through career and technical education programs.
We have also redirected resources to areas where they are needed the most, in the classroom and for student support services that contribute to student success. Because of this, students will see a 10 percent reduction in classes being offered this summer. The decision to trim back summer classes was made in order to serve more students from our local community. Typically, about half of the students attending summer school are from areas outside of North San Diego County, while the fall and spring semesters see a greater percentage of local students.
As our graduates can attest, receiving an associate degree or certificate leads to greater wage earnings and a higher quality of life. Within three years of graduating from a community college like MiraCosta College, a student typically sees an 86 percent increase in wages, and over a lifetime, can expect to make an average of 75 percent more than those who don't graduate. The entire region benefits from the additional economic input, more state and local property tax revenue and the creation of more jobs.
The college is addressing course availability and is simultaneously reducing barriers to earning a college degree by focusing on affordability. Staff members in the Financial Aid Office and Veterans Office are working around the clock processing applications for student financial aid and veterans benefits. Innovative programs, like the Textbook Loan Program, have been created to ensure that students are able to get the textbooks they need, even if they can't afford them. In addition, the MiraCosta College Foundation and Development Office has raised a record amount of private money for student scholarships this year.
Now as never before is a critical time for us to share with you the importance of community colleges. I urge you to join national and world leaders in spreading the word about the transformative power of higher education. Former President Bill Clinton has called community colleges "one of the most successful public entities in the country." Jill Biden, wife of U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, in a recent letter to the San Diego Union-Tribune, acknowledged that, "community colleges play a vital role in restoring our nation's economy. And they are the key to meeting the president's goal of having the best educated, most competitive workforce in the world by 2020."
I invite you to join us in standing up for community colleges like MiraCosta College, and I assure you that we will deliver on our promise to provide the most accessible, most affordable, highest quality education. To share with us how MiraCosta College has or is impacting your life, please join the conversation on our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/miracostacollege. As always, your thoughts are welcome, and let me know personally next time I see you on campus or in the community. Or send me an e-mail at [email protected].
THE FACTS AT A GLANCE
The Issue: Gov. Jerry Brown’s May budget proposal would cut state funding to California's community colleges and increase student fees to $10 per unit, which would bring cuts to $1 billion over the last three years. This at the same time that demand for community college education is increasing due to high unemployment rates, an influx of returning military veterans and large classes of high school graduates who are finding it harder to gain admission to 4-year institutions.
What MiraCosta is doing: To address course availability, the college is adding more classes in the fall, including Friday and Saturday classes for working students and courses for first-year and reentry students. This redirection of resources to the classroom and a shift in student support services, will result in a 10 percent reduction to summer school classes. The college is also raising record private money for scholarships and launching other programs to make education affordable.