How does a $15 per unit tuition fee sound? Considering the steady rise in tuition since 2000, it likely sounds like a pipe dream. Yet with something so simple as signing an upcoming initiative, students may be able to turn this pipe dream into a reality. The main portion of the the Community College Initiative locks California community college tuition rates at $15 per unit, as well as making it difficult for legislature to increase fees. To accomplish this, it also changes the way community colleges receive funding. Currently, under Proposition 98, community colleges receive 11 percent of the funds given to K-12 schools. Hence, if K-12 enrollment decreased while community college enrollment increases, community colleges still receive reduced funding. The proposed initiative separates community college funding, basing it instead on the same |
formula used for K-12 schools. The increase in funding would surpass the fund loss from lower tuition, while leaving taxes unchanged. "If funding continues to be based on K-12, our funding will shrink dramatically," said Dean Murakami, president of the Los Rios College Federation of Teachers. K-12 enrollment is projected to decline over the next several years, while community college enrollment has steadily increased at a rate of 2 to 3 percent. With decreased funding, colleges may be forced to increase tuition. The federation estimates that enrollment decreases by 0.7 percent for every 1 percent increase in fees. In order to be placed on the 2008 ballot, 600,000 qualified signatures must be gathered by Jan. 22, 2007. Thus far, roughly 632,000 signatures have been gathered, but |
many of these may not be qualified - for a safe margin, supporters hope to gather 1,000,000 signatures. As for local signature gathering efforts, Murakami admits that, "things aren't going as well as we hoped." Campus efforts focused on paid signature gatherers and student clubs, but with little advertising, volunteer efforts were limited in effectiveness. Although there are less than two months to gather almost 400,000 signatures, Murakami remains confident. "We will do whatever we can," he said. "We're too close not to." Representatives of K-12 schools have remained silent regarding the issue, and there is no formal opposition, so if the initiative makes it to the ballot it is expected to pass. Registered voters interested in lending their signatures should contact either the ARC Peace and Justice Club or Dean Murakami in room Davies 307. |
|
|
|