Whereas, The Basic Skills Initiative (BSI) funding supports a majority of our student populations and a higher degree of diversity by serving students who are typically underserved, from lower socioeconomic populations, and students of color;
Whereas, A memo dated January 22, 2010 with the subject “Avocational, Recreational, and Personal Development Courses … Some Suggestions” was distributed by the California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office and sought to offer guidance to colleges seeking to comply with language in the 2009-2010 Budget Act, directing that community colleges, to “the greatest extent possible, shall implement any necessary workload reductions in areas other than basic skills, workforce training, and transfer”;
Whereas, The California Education Code and Title5 gives the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges primacy over determining minimum qualifications for faculty hiring and give local academic senates primacy over the equivalency process; and
Whereas, There are legislative attempts to restrict or eliminate the primacy of the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges to establish minimum qualifications and its member senates to establish equivalencies;
Whereas, Need-based financial aid is awarded to students on the basis of financial necessity rather than academic merit;
Whereas, Historically, the vast majority of students have attended public or private nonprofit colleges, and thus need-based financial aid from taxpayer dollars was thought to be an investment in individuals for the good of society and not for the benefit of private investors;
Whereas, California Education Code §78300(c) states,
Governing boards shall not expend General Fund moneys to establish and maintain community service classes. Governing boards may charge students enrolled in community service classes a fee not to exceed the cost of maintaining community service classes… and shall maintain uniform accounting procedures to ensure that General Fund moneys are not used for community services classes;
Whereas, The recommendations (as of September 30, 2011) of the California Community College Task Force on Student Success (established in response to Senate Bill 1143, Liu, 2010) do not apply specifically to enabling the success of English as a Second Language (ESL) students, with ESL only tangentially mentioned in the context of basic skills;
Whereas, The responsibility for adult education in California is inconsistently applied throughout the state, in some cases being assumed by the K-12 system and in others by community colleges;
Whereas, The K-12 system has shifted millions of dollars in adult education funds to support other K-12 categorical programs that had experienced deep funding cuts, leading to a transfer of more than $400 million out of adult education programs;
Whereas, California Education Code §76370 states,
Whereas, Need-based financial aid is awarded to students on the basis of financial necessity rather than academic merit;
Whereas, Historically, the vast majority of students have attended public or private nonprofit colleges, and thus need-based financial aid from taxpayer dollars was thought to be an investment in individuals for the good of society and not for the benefit of private investors; and
Whereas, What is known as the “50% Law” is a reference to California Education Code §84362(d), which states that “There shall be expended during each fiscal year for payment of salaries of classroom instructors by a community college district, 50 percent of the district's current expense of education”;
