CSUN University News Clippings

Opinion: Community colleges remain a vital link in education

(October 16, 2009)

By Roe Darnell

California’s economic future requires a better educated workforce. Educating our residents is one of the most important investments the state can make. The higher the quality of our education system, the higher the quality of life for all.

Our communities are heavily dependent on community colleges meeting these expectations. The California Community College system is the largest higher education provider in the world, serving nearly 3 million students a year.

We are a critical link in upward mobility. We know the community believes in our mission to transform people’s dreams into reality. This ultimately creates an economic benefit to our state and our residents.

Modesto Junior College and Columbia College are known for providing opportunities to all students. We are an open-access institution, which means that if you are capable and willing to learn, we will take the responsibility to take you from where you are to where you wish to be — whether that is to transfer to a four-college, obtain or upgrade your job skills, improve basic skills to be able to access more opportunities, or for your professional development.

Over the last 18 months, statewide funding for community colleges has been reduced by $840 million. These cuts, the largest seen by community colleges, come at a time of record enrollment.

For the Yosemite Community College District, those cuts will equal $11 million in 2009-10. On the first day of fall classes at Columbia and MJC, we had more than 20,000 names on waiting lists as a result. In previous years, we responded by offering additional courses. Today, we do not have the state funding to accommodate the demand.

Cuts have reduced not just course offerings, but also counseling, appropriate class placement and programs for poor and disabled students.

The community college system is likely to face sustained budget cuts. Our colleges are working hard to protect our core programs and preserve as many classes as possible in career technical education, transfer and the basic skills needed to succeed in those other areas.

Community colleges are facing four converging areas of enrollment demand: high school graduates, returning veterans, students redirected from enrollment-limited four-year universities and the newly unemployed.

With Stanislaus County’s unemployment rate above

17 percent, technical training that we provide for new jobs is essential. From 2009 to 2014, of the projected top 20 fastest-growing occupations in the Central Valley that require an associate degree or certificate, nine are expected to be in business/technical areas, nine in health care and two in education.

As the University of California and California State University continue to raise fees and limit enrollment, more students will turn to community colleges to complete their first two years of instruction before transferring.

Also, a number of students who have baccalaureate degrees will return to community colleges to obtain the employment training that they need to enter the job market.

Community colleges are accountable. While this is a time of great uncertainty, community colleges are responding quickly to community needs. With locally elected trustees, the colleges have a direct tie to the community that doesn’t exist with for-profit, other nonprofit or four-year institutions.

In addition, the YCCD has established an independent Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee to review expenditures under the Measure E bond. Voters can be assured that their tax dollars are supporting facilities that our communities need.

At Columbia College, the Public Safety Center is completed and the Child Development Center is under construction. At MJC, the auditorium is completed and the ag modular living units, animal facilities and multipurpose pavilion, allied health life sciences building and Science Community Center & Great Valley Museum are under construction or will be by the end of the year.

There is more building to come. The YCCD will continue to reach into our outlying towns as our colleges are transformed to further meet the needs of the community.

Darnell is chancellor of the Yosemite Community College District.

Publication: Modesto Bee