Messagecarried forth in Consultation, in Rostrum articles. Have posted document on our website foreasy referral.
Whereas, The January budget proposed for 2002-03 by the Governor and the Department of Finance would cut some $130 million from the California Community College's base funding, including:
$58 million from CalWORKs (leaving $15 million for child care)
$26.8 million from Matriculation (leaving $44.5 million)
$19.8 million from Telecommunications and Technology Infrastructure (leaving $24.5 million)
$10 million from the Fund for Student Success (leaving $6.2 million)
$8.8 million from the Economic Development Program (leaving $36.8 million)
$5.2 million from the Faculty and Staff Development Program (leaving nothing)
$1 million from the Nursing Program Expansion (leaving $3 million); and
Whereas, These proposed cuts all come from categorical programs that have been designed to ensure that particular college and student needs would be addressed, and the majority of the cuts come from programs-$84.8 million from the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility for Kids (CalWORKs) and Matriculation alone-that provide direct services to students and are designed to assure access and success of students who are among the most vulnerable and most in need of support in their educational endeavors;
Whereas, The Department of Finance recommended in several of these cases that Partnership for Excellence (PFE) funds be used instead, a move that would undo the agreement that PFE funds are to be supplemental in nature and not supplant existing funds/programs; and
Whereas, In a subsequent report the Legislative Analyst's Office supported the Governor's proposed cuts to categorical programs and further proposed the consolidation of funding for categorical programs into Block Grants to "allow community college districts greater flexibility in directing available resources to where they are most needed" including:
consolidation of Financial Aid, EOPS, DSPS, FSS, and Matriculation into a "Student Services Block Grant," and
consolidation of Instructional Improvement, Faculty and Staff Diversity, Part-time Faculty Compensation, Part-time faculty Office hours, Part-time Faculty Health Insurance, and Faculty and Staff Development into a "Faculty Support Block Grant"
Resolved, That the Academic Senate vigorously object to the targeting of categorical funds and programs for reduction or elimination in the Governor's proposed 2002-03 January budget and in the Legislative Analyst's Office report;
Resolved, That the Academic Senate work with the Chancellor's Office and the Board of Governors to secure base categorical funding for these essential programs;
Resolved, That the Academic Senate work with community college students and other concerned groups and individuals to mount an educational campaign designed to educate both the Governor and the Legislature about the importance of categorical funding for ensuring that key needs are addressed at every California community college and the central importance of these funds for student access and success; and
Resolved, That the Academic Senate oppose the Legislative Analyst's Office proposal to consolidate categorical funds into two block grants (one a "student services" block grant and the other, a "faculty support" block grant), thereby effectively ending these categorical programs.