More funding is only fair

Kenneth D. Yglesias

As chancellor at a community college district that receives less per

student in state funding than most colleges in the state, I was

thrilled that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger included $40 million for

equalization in his May revise budget.

That $40 million is an important second step in a multi-year plan

to equalize funding per student at every community college in the

state, including several community colleges in Orange County that are

“underfunded” compared with colleges in other parts of the state.

For example, an Orange County family could have children attending

three different community colleges -- one playing football at Los

Angeles Harbor College in San Pedro, another going through the

Criminal Justice Training Center at Golden West College in Huntington

Beach, and another attending classes at Fullerton College.

All three may be enrolled in 15 units in a given semester. The

state of California reimburses Harbor $4,037 for that student’s

attendance, $3,850 to Golden West College for its student, and $3,806

to Fullerton College for the student taking 15 units there.

Looking at this hypothetical situation from a macroeconomic

perspective, if each college had 10,000 full-time students attending

in a semester, it is easy to see how this disparity in funding

becomes an issue. Los Angeles Harbor College would be receiving

$40.37 million, Golden West would receive $38.5 million and Fullerton

College would get $38.06 million to provide the same level of

services to the same amount of students.

It is obvious that students at lower-funded districts are being

shortchanged.

The problem of inequitable funding goes back decades, and means

that students at our colleges receive a lower, unequal investment in

their education than do students in other areas of the state.

While our colleges are masterful at “doing more with less,” this

disparity in funding does affect the number of course offerings and

the level of services we can provide our students.

I believe Orange County’s students deserve the same level of

support as students in other parts of the state, and will continue to

fight to stop Orange County’ s students from being shortchanged in

this way by fighting for funding equalization.

The 2004-05 state budget included the first $80 million to begin

equalizing these disparities. That first installment for equalization

brought $3 million in new, ongoing funding to the Coast Community

College District. This funding is now available to our three colleges

-- Orange Coast College, Golden West College and Coastline Community

College -- allowing each to offer more classes and provide important

services to students, such as counseling and tutoring.

The $40 million in the governor’s May revised budget brings total

support for equalization to $120 million over two years, or about

half of the total cost to achieve this goal.

Here at the Coast district, that $40 million will increase our

state funding by another $1.5 million each year, for a total ongoing

augmentation of $4.5 million. When the complete equalization plan is

implemented, this will double to $9 million annually that our

colleges can invest in programs and services for students.

I am grateful to the governor for understanding the importance of

equalization and including funding for it in next year’s budget. I am

also thankful for the support for equalization from Orange County

legislators.

Finally I continue to urge the governor and the Legislature to

support equal access for Orange County’s students to classes,

workforce training, counseling, tutoring and other essential

educational programs and services by supporting full funding for

equalization sooner rather than later.

* KENNETH D. YGLESIAS is the chancellor of the Coast Community

College District.