Press Statement -- Lt. Governor John Garamendi's Statement on Potential Community College Fee Hikes and the Impact on Job Retraining

[R Milburn]

Keep getting signatures and getting those letters out folks!  They are starting to take notice!  Having trouble making ends meet now – wait until you are paying $10 more per unit….

 

 

Reid E. Milburn
Executive Secretary, State Senator, Region V,
Student Senate for California Community Colleges
Cell: 209) 409 - 4209
Reid.M...@gmail.com
www.StudentSenateCCC.org
www.GoColumbia.edu
http://groups.google.com/group/RegionVSSCCC

 

 

From: Willon, Beth
Sent: Thursday, November 13, 2008 3:27 PM
Subject: Press Statement -- Lt. Governor John Garamendi's Statement on Potential Community College Fee Hikes and the Impact on Job Retraining

 

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                            Contact:       Beth Willon 9168389674

November 13, 2008                                                                                                                                    Jessica Fauchier 9167047109

                                                                                                                                                               

Lt. Governor John Garamendi's Statement on Potential

Community College Fee Hikes and the Impact on Job Retraining

 

SACRAMENTO - Lieutenant Governor John Garamendi, who serves as a University of California regent and a California State University trustee, issued the following statement on potential state budget cuts and fee hikes at California's community colleges and the impact on job retraining.

 

"Our community colleges throughout the state give students the best opportunity to get an affordable education, workforce preparation and job retraining during hard economic times.Now the system is being turned on its head. The state Legislative Analyst's office is proposing raising community college tuition by 50 percent by fall 2009. Fees would go from $20 a unit to $26 a unit on January 1 then jump to $30 a unit on July 1. That's in addition to cutting the community college budget by 10 percent. This is simply unacceptable. Thousands of four -year college students can no longer afford the UC and CSU schools and have switched to two-year community colleges. Californians laid off their jobs have partnered with labor and business groups and are retraining at community colleges in areas like solar. Where will they go now? The cuts and tuition hikes will make it impossible for Californians to stay economically competitive," Lieutenant John Garamendi said.  "The Student Senate for California Community Colleges has initiated a letter writing campaign to stop the fee hikes and cuts. I commend them for taking action."

 

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Letter template:

 

 

November X, 2008

 

(Legislator)

(Legislator Street Address)

(City, CA zip)

 

Dear (Legislator),

 

I am a community college student, and I oppose any action that further reduces funding of higher education or raises student fees. As the largest system of postsecondary education in the world, the California Community Colleges provide students with basic skills education and career technical education to meet California’s workforce development needs. These programs give the California business community a specialized, highly skilled labor force capable of adapting to a changing workplace. In addition, 30 percent of the students who graduate from the University of California and almost two-thirds of those who graduate from the California State University begin their higher education at a community college.  Thus, community college students are California’s future.

 

As a California community college student, I urge you to oppose the Governor’s proposed midyear cuts to education in the interests of economic vitality.  As unemployment in California has reached an astounding 7.7%, enrollment at community colleges is also experiencing astounding growth—more than 10% in full-time equivalent students. Clearly, our unemployed workers are searching to gain new skills at the California Community Colleges.

 

Unfortunately, that 10% enrollment growth is not financially supported in the state’s current budget, leaving the education of 100,000 full-time equivalent students unfunded. Furthermore, with the Governor’s proposed midyear cuts, another 64,000 full-time equivalent students would be left behind.

 

A $332 million cut would devastate our community colleges, which are the very economic engines our state needs to rebuild its economy. As students, we are preparing to help turn California’s economy around, but we will be stopped in our tracks if budget cuts cause classes and services to be reduced or fee increases put college out of our reach.

 

I believe that education is an investment. For every dollar you spend on education, three are returned in the form of increased economic activity and increased tax revenues that result from higher earnings. California can’t afford to turn away a population eager to advance in training and education—a population that potentially would pay back the state for its educational investment threefold.

 

As my representative, you have an important decision to make. The repercussions of your decision as a body, whether to continue the investment in education or to cripple it, will last for generations. I am counting on you to prevent budget cuts or fee increases from derailing my community college education.  Thank you for your support of the California Community Colleges system and its 2.7 million students!

 

Sincerely,

 

 

(Student), (College Name)

(Street Address)

(City, CA zip)