Students

Whereas, After the second full year of AB 705 implementation for math and English, local outcomes reveal that while more first-time students are attempting and completing transfer-level math and English courses, growing and alarming equity gaps persist, particularly for students of color [1];

Whereas, Many colleges no longer offer English courses below transfer level or math courses more than one level below transfer which limits the options of students seeking additional preparation in transfer-level math and English courses; and

Whereas, The ongoing military coup in Myanmar has wreaked untold violence and devastation and has caused enormous psychological, emotional, and physical distress for citizens or born nationals of Myanmar, many of whom study within the California Community Colleges system;

Whereas, The military coup has caused personal and economic hardship for these students due to the shutdown of many Myanmar businesses, freezing of bank transactions, looting and destruction of citizens’ homes, and kidnapping, imprisoning, and murder of Myanmar citizens; and

Whereas, Student voice is critical to the hiring process, and California Education Code’s equal employment opportunity provision implies support for the participation of students to ensure the community college work force is “continually responsive to the needs of a diverse student population by ensuring that all persons receive an equal opportunity to compete for employment and promotion” (Ed. Code §87100 (a) (3));

Whereas, The Academic Senate for California Community Colleges has advocated for inclusive college campuses through resolutions, rostrum articles,1 and presentations;

Whereas, A 2019 report by the Gay and Lesbian Straight Education Network (GLSEN), a nationally recognized resource for collecting data on school climate for LGBTQ+ students, revealed that 6 out of 10 LGBTQ+ students felt unsafe at school because of their sexual orientation and 4 out of 10 because of their gender expression2;

Whereas, Faculty have both the freedom to select the course materials they deem most appropriate and the responsibility to consider the cost burden as they do so;

Whereas, The Academic Senate for California Community Colleges has promoted the goal of faculty diversity for decades [1];

Whereas, The Academic Senate for California Community Colleges’ paper A Re- examination of Faculty Hiring Processes and Procedures (2018) [2] promoted faculty diversity and included “the creation of ‘grow your own’ programs seeking to hire students who attended California Community Colleges” as a district measure for promoting equal employment opportunity;

Whereas, California’s community colleges serve a diverse population of students, some of whom have emotional and/or environmental circumstances which may interfere with their ability to achieve their academic goals, as well as disenfranchising them from engaging in normal societal privileges and activities;

Whereas, Colleges have an obligation to assist all students in their studies and in achieving their educational goals, and students have a reciprocal responsibility to make satisfactory progress;

Whereas, Most state and all federal financial aid sources have criteria for need and as well as satisfactory academic progress in order to maintain eligibility; and

Whereas, Currently, eligibility for a Board of Governors Fee Waiver only requires that students demonstrate financial need;

Whereas, Restrictive and inadequate funding from the state and enrollments caps have forced colleges to seek alternate sources of revenue;

Whereas, Out-of-state and international students pay higher fees that potentially represent additional revenue to cash-strapped colleges and in many colleges are guaranteed enrollment in 12 units; and

Whereas, Many colleges guarantee enrollment in12 units and give enrollment priority to out of state and international students, thereby depriving resident students of access to their local community college;

Whereas, The ever-rising cost of textbooks has become a serious, ongoing problem for the students in the California Community College System;

Whereas, Implementation of H.R. 4127 (2010) will require colleges and faculty to provide detailed information on textbooks on their Internet and printed class schedules and in their bookstores so that students will be able to secure less expensive textbooks for their classes or rent them;