Community colleges fall upon hard times

Tuesday, February 23, 1999

Community colleges fall upon hard times

FUNDING: Overspending, poor management leave L.A. system near
crisis

By Maria Paul

Daily Bruin Contributor

In the last year alone, the average cost of tuition and fees for
a four-year college has jumped 4 percent, rising at more than twice
the cost of inflation. This has caused students to explore other,
less expensive options for higher education, such as the community
college system, which has managed to retain low fees and
tuition.

The average year at community college is $400, compared to
UCLA’s total of around $12,000.

The cost of attending a four-year college has more than doubled
since 1980, even after factoring in inflation, according to the
consumer price index.

But in some cases, community college expenses have actually been
reduced. Fees and tuition at L.A. City College, for example, are
down to $384, compared with last year’s $407.

"The community colleges are California residents’ only access to
affordable higher education," said Ronald Waterstone, a Santa
Monica city college professor.

At $12 per unit (with differing additional fees at various
campuses), the community colleges in California currently enroll
over one million students in higher education statewide.

Although community colleges may provide a welcomed financial
break for these undergraduates, many colleges are facing financial
difficulties themselves.

According to the recent audit of the Los Angeles Community
College District, overspending, poor management and a lack of
long-range planning threaten the system.

Once considered a national model, the Los Angeles District,
which operates Los Angeles City, Pierce and Valley Colleges among
others, has been on the verge of a financial crisis for many
years.

Some college administrators blame the state for under-funding
community colleges, which receive a significantly smaller share of
money per student than four-year universities or K-12 schools.

But according to the audit report, poor management and costly
policies have led to depleted reserves.

"The district has exercised poor budgetary control at all
levels," the audit stated.

Some college administrators said they feel that the blame cannot
lie entirely with bad financial planning.

Los Angeles college district leaders look to increased costs of
management in recent years. In an urban district, funds must cover
everything from graffiti clean up to the repair of old
buildings.

"The idea that it costs the same to educate people in a small
rural area as it does in Los Angeles is ridiculous. The cost of
living is different," said Bonnie James, the Los Angeles district’s
vice chancellor of operations, in an interview with the Times.

Others cite situational problems that have likely contributed to
the financial crisis.

"In all fairness, community colleges have had some major
financial problems to deal with recently," said Lizelda Ramirez, an
admissions worker at Pierce College.

She cites the problem of underpaid campus deans, many of whom
are threatening to return to teaching jobs that pay more for less
work.

"Their situation is embarrassing," said Ramirez. "Their claims
are valid, and they need a good raise."

The questions surrounding teacher pay and budget issues raise
fears in some UCLA students.

"I would hate to see the quality of teaching decrease or see
fees raised." said Justin Romano, a second-year undeclared student
who took summer school classes at Oxnard Community College.

"The community college system is a very valuable resource
because UCLA is very expensive to a lot of people," he said.

He points out that not all students receive scholarships,
qualify for student loans, or are able to pay the almost $50,000
for UCLA’s four-year program.

Many UCLA students value the community college system as an
affordable way to complete their first two years of general
education classes. Approximately 35 percent of the graduates from
the UC system spent their first two years at community college.

Last year, almost 60,000 community college students enrolled at
a UC or CSU, with over 2,000 entering UCLA this fall alone.

"I didn’t work at all in high school," said Jessica Hill, a UCLA
junior transfer student. "I needed these first two years to catch
up with my financial situation."

Other UCLA students value the nearby community college for
different reasons.

"You’ve got to be crazy to take certain classes at UCLA," said
third-year English student Richard Weiss, citing the English 10
series and Management 1A and B as UCLA classes to avoid.

"They’re unnecessarily hard. Take them at SMC; it’s so much
easier," he said.

Some feel, however, that this quest for easy classes hurts the
student in the long run.

Although English professor Judith Rosen said she understands the
pressure on students at UCLA, she said , "In college, one is making
a lifetime investment in intellectual development."

"If you don’t challenge yourself now, you’re cheating yourself
later in life," she said.

"The payoff is more than worth it," Rosen added.

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