Students' fees may soar Students' fees may soar (March 26, 2004)

Foothill-DeAnza could see 44 percent increase if state budget passed

By Julie O'Shea

Although the proposed state budget isn't as devastating to community college districts as it was last year, Foothill-De Anza students will still be hit with a 44-percent tuition increase if the current plan is ratified this summer.

Last week, some 8,000 students from around the state - and nearly 500 from Foothill-De Anza - converged on Sacramento to protest the fee hike that could potential drive away prospective community college pupils.

As it stands now, this fall students would have to fork over $17 a unit, up from $12. And those who are reentering the district with a higher education degree already intact, would pay $33 to $55 per unit. But regardless of how things pan out for next year, Foothill-De Anza, which serves roughly 45,000 students and has an operating budget of $200 million, will be facing a $12 million shortfall for next year, officials say.

The January proposal does add a 3 percent increase for enrollment growth, but education officials say that's not enough to cover the increased demand on community colleges.

"It's a great starting point for us," said Foothill-De Anza Chancellor Martha Kanter, "but we need to have more funding to educate students who need us."

Scott Lay, the budget director for the Community College League of California, agreed. "We have a heck of a lot of people who want to be enrolled in higher education, and we can't afford," to fund them.

Students say they hope to see something different on the table when Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger unveils a revised budget in May.

"We need to consider the students we are locking out," said Rodolfo Vazquez, president of the Associated Students of Foothill College.

In addition to the fee increase, the governor has proposed that 10 percent - approximately 7,000 -- of the entering freshman class of University of California and California State University campuses be redirected to community colleges.

This would help cushion the blow of state budget cuts to the UC and CSU systems, however administrators feel the move will push out students who would otherwise start off at community colleges. Last year, about 175,000 community college students were turned away because of lack of space. This year, officials estimate that number will be around 40,000 statewide.

Former Gov. Gray Davis' proposal was drastic, said Adam Welch, a De Anza student. But, he added, Schwarzenegger's plan is not much better.

"It won't bring those (175,000) people back," Welch said, referring to those who were turned away last year.

"He needs to raise taxes on the wealthiest and bring in more revenue," Welch said of the governor. "There is no reason why the state shouldn't make this investment."

Lay said, it will be the state which suffers in the long run.

"People have windows s to when they can start higher education. If we close the door on them, California is going to be hurting," Lay said.

It's all about priorities, Welch added, saying that while he enjoyed getting a vehicle license fee rebate check in the mail, he would rather have a lower college tuition bill instead.

When the governor repealed the state's car tax, which sent millions of dollars back into the pockets of taxpayers, it left many local governments with gaping budget holes. The city of Mountain View, like many other local governments, used money from the state car tax to fund its police and fire departments.

By repealing this tax, it shows that "his priorities are in the wrong place," Welch said.

E-mail Julie O'Shea at joshea@mv-voice.com

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