Post by Modesto Anarcho on Mar 19, 2009 19:05:39 GMT -5
Group from MJC joins Capitol march protesting state cuts
By Laurel Rosenhall
The Sacramento Bee
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tool goes here SACRAMENTO -- Students and staff from colleges across the state marched from West Sacramento to the state Capitol Monday, protesting budget cuts and proposed fee increases.
With bullhorns, drums and hand-painted signs, they complained that shrinking state funding is causing the number of courses to be reduced at community colleges and limiting the number of students who can get into universities.
About 200 students and a dozen staff from Modesto Junior College joined the event. Student body President Taylor White spoke at the podium, highlighting the people affected by the state's cuts to education funding.
The Sacramento Bee - Modesto Junior College student Tomas Hunt, right, and Tommy Donnelly hold a banner protesting the proposed fee increases at the state capitol in Sacramento on Monday, March 16, 2009.
"A lot of people thought this was a protest, but it wasn't. The budget could have been worse," White said on the phone when MJC's four buses were heading back to Modesto on Monday afternoon.
"If the economy continues to drop off, legislators are going to have to cut again. We were there today to give a face to community colleges, to show they need to continue to invest in people."
The Legislature's most recent budget deal cuts about $680 million from universities and about $40 million from community colleges. Because of the cuts, California State University campuses will accept 10,000 fewer students next year, while the University of California is cutting freshmen enrollment by 2,300.
The budget also calls for UC and CSU students to pay 10 percent higher fees next school year. University officials will decide on those proposals in May.
The budget does not call for fee increases at community colleges. But with the $8 billion shortfall announced Friday, community college advocates fear their ticket may be up. The legislative analyst's office has suggested that California raise the price of a community college education.
At $20 per unit, California has -- by far -- the lowest community college fees in the country. A full-time student here pays $600 per year. The national average is $2,700 a year, according to the California Postsecondary Education Commission.
By Laurel Rosenhall
The Sacramento Bee
Yahoo! Buzz
Comments (3)
Recommend (0)
Text Size: tool nameclose
tool goes here SACRAMENTO -- Students and staff from colleges across the state marched from West Sacramento to the state Capitol Monday, protesting budget cuts and proposed fee increases.
With bullhorns, drums and hand-painted signs, they complained that shrinking state funding is causing the number of courses to be reduced at community colleges and limiting the number of students who can get into universities.
About 200 students and a dozen staff from Modesto Junior College joined the event. Student body President Taylor White spoke at the podium, highlighting the people affected by the state's cuts to education funding.
The Sacramento Bee - Modesto Junior College student Tomas Hunt, right, and Tommy Donnelly hold a banner protesting the proposed fee increases at the state capitol in Sacramento on Monday, March 16, 2009.
"A lot of people thought this was a protest, but it wasn't. The budget could have been worse," White said on the phone when MJC's four buses were heading back to Modesto on Monday afternoon.
"If the economy continues to drop off, legislators are going to have to cut again. We were there today to give a face to community colleges, to show they need to continue to invest in people."
The Legislature's most recent budget deal cuts about $680 million from universities and about $40 million from community colleges. Because of the cuts, California State University campuses will accept 10,000 fewer students next year, while the University of California is cutting freshmen enrollment by 2,300.
The budget also calls for UC and CSU students to pay 10 percent higher fees next school year. University officials will decide on those proposals in May.
The budget does not call for fee increases at community colleges. But with the $8 billion shortfall announced Friday, community college advocates fear their ticket may be up. The legislative analyst's office has suggested that California raise the price of a community college education.
At $20 per unit, California has -- by far -- the lowest community college fees in the country. A full-time student here pays $600 per year. The national average is $2,700 a year, according to the California Postsecondary Education Commission.