State Assemblyman and chair of Higher Education Committee, Das Williams, spoke to the Associated Student Senate asking for opinions about further budget cuts that will soon hit California colleges.
The senate was selected on behalf of Santa Barbara City College to discuss further cuts and changes proposed to the California State Assembly. Williams asked senators about propositions such as limiting how long students may attend the college, how many units can be taken and if students should be allowed to buy their way into crowded courses. Williams represents the Santa Barbara, Ventura, and Oxnard area.
These proposals will open up sections and classes for students who are trying to transfer or get a degree. Williams said putting a cap on how long a student may attend the college would open up slots for other first-year students trying to get through the system.
“I think that all [propositions] have dangerous precedents and all of them violate the ideals of an open access system,” Williams said. “But, last year, half a million students were turned away from community college. What I need help figuring out is which of these propositions is the least bad.”
It is not considered likely that a unit or time cap would pass. However, the idea of letting students buy their way into crowded courses is possible.
“You can see how some students would like that because they have been sitting there maybe for several semesters trying to get one or two classes just so they can transfer,” Williams said.
The two-tiered course cost system was proposed at Santa Monica College in April but resulted in widespread protest from students, involving campus police and pepper spray.
If this were to pass, Santa Barbara City College will offer additional sections at a market cost. The classes sold will likely be for the impacted math, science, and English courses.
To keep from privatizing the college, however, regular classes will also be offered to those who register first as usual.
Allison Curtis, associate dean of educational programs, said, “The cost would be about what foreign students pay for tuition [at the college].”
Fall 2012 tuition enrollment fee is $46 for in-state students. Out-of-state and international students pay $212 per unit.
Williams tied the conversation together by adding that while “all possible reforms are evil, they are not as evil as denying half a million students an education.”
California State Assembly will discuss these proposals through the Higher Education Committee. It is unknown how long it will take to make a final decision.
