Don't strangle the future with cuts to junior colleges

By Roe Darnell

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At a time when the state's economic crisis is deepening and the financial fortunes of many families have worsened, Californians must recognize that community colleges are essential to lasting economic health.

In our personal budgets we are seeking ways to reduce spending without making it impossible to recover from this crisis. This means we spend less on discretionary items. It also means we preserve our ability to generate income. The state must do the same. As legislative leaders tighten the state budgetary belt, they must support the essential economic recovery engine -- community colleges.

Community colleges strengthen our economy by providing a trained and educated work force. The need for such strength has never been greater. As we face a technology-intensive world with increasing unemployment, enrollment demand at community colleges continues to increase. With the Yosemite Community College District's enrollment at over 24,000 and a budget of over $100 million, the district's two colleges have experienced significant growth.

Modesto Junior College and Columbia College face a projected enrollment growth of 14 percent this year.

This growth is in areas essential to our economic stability. Our colleges are training 157 percent more students in firefighting, 88 percent more in welding. Enrollments are also increasing in agriculture, computer electronics and machine tool technology.

The latest proposals from the state describe possible substantial cuts that will cause our colleges to deny access to almost 3,000 students who need new job skills. Added to the efforts we've made to cut in areas with the least impact to students, the belt-tightening would turn into choking.

Community colleges have a long history of belt-tightening. We offer significant benefits to the state by supplying higher education, basic skills and work force training at a fraction of the cost of other higher educational institutions. Community colleges consistently receive half of what the California State University system receives per student and one-third of what the University of California gets. Yet we are the nation's largest educational system.

Our community colleges offer significant savings to students on undergraduate fees: roughly 20 percent of what it costs a student at CSU and 8 percent at UC.

Proposed midyear cuts to community colleges could mean as much as a $5 million to YCCD. This will negatively impact our ability to support work force training programs, certification in nursing, related health professions and adult continuing education to increase employable skills.

As we work with our legislators to resolve the issues faced by California, let's help them remember that the best solution is one that helps support a strong economy. We all look at our personal situations and ask how to invest to secure our households and futures. Our legislators should ask the same question.

We advise the state not to harm the greatest asset in its portfolio -- its investment in community colleges as the economic engines of the state.

Darnell is chancellor of the Yosemite Community College District.