Students

Resolved that the Academic Senate oppose the concept of student fees as the source of funds for state financial aid.

Whereas, Students redirected from UCs and CSUs will not, as proposed, pay community college fees, a situation that will further impact the ability of the California community colleges to provide adequately funded education to its students;

Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges work with all appropriate agencies and the Legislature to ensure that redirected students pay all appropriate community college fees, unless they qualify for Board of Governors' (BOG) fee waivers.

Whereas, Students redirected from the University of California and California State University will already pay lower fees than they would at the redirecting institution;

Whereas, Waiving fees could increase a tendency to displace traditional community college students in favor of non-paying, redirected students;

Whereas, The state is considering raising fees again to defray some costs of education at community colleges; and

Whereas, Waiving fees for only redirected students violates principles of equity among students;

Whereas, The Governor's proposed budget calls for approximately 7,000 University of California and California State University-eligible students for the 2004-05 academic year to be redirected to community colleges;

Whereas, The redirected students will be funded out of the 3% growth money in the Governor's proposed budget;

Whereas, The inclusion of the funding of these redirected students in the 3% growth funding could potentially displace funding for traditional community college students; and

Whereas, Governor Schwarzenegger has proposed in his 2004-2005 budget that California Community Colleges (CCCs) absorb 7,000students who would normally be attending the University of California (UC) and California State University (CSU) systems;

Whereas, This proposal is essentially an unfunded mandate and may result in fewer offerings and services to students already attending California community colleges and therefore may increase the already existing gap between the resources available to UC and CSU students and those available to CCC students; and

Whereas, The Governor's Budget for 2004-05 proposes to "redirect approximately 3200 University of California (UC) eligible and 3800 California State University (CSU) eligible students to first attend community college and then guarantee them transfer as juniors to a UC or CSU";

Whereas, There is concern expressed by community college transfer directors and other faculty that the redirected transfer students will have priority over the traditional community college students for the transfer slots in the CSUs and UCs; and

Resolved that the Academic Senate assess the feasibility of providing workshops to local campuses as resources for faculty development on the success components of the Student Equity Plan.

Resolved that the Academic Senate urge local senates to work with their local Associated Student Body organization in the CalSACC educational campaign in these areas:
1. student fees, no increase;
2. maintain 1/2 cent sales tax for educational purposes;
3. maintain the Proposition 98 split, and

Resolved that the Academic Senate urge local senates to support CalSACC efforts in these areas by encouraging their Associated Student Body participation in the CalSACC Conference and Lobby Day in May, and

Whereas the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges is committed to improving the retention, completion, and transfer of historically underrepresented students, and

Whereas Business Administration is the transfer major of choice for community college students, and

Whereas it is a California Community College primary role to prepare students for upper division access to the University of California and the California State University, and

Whereas the U.S. Department of Education has promulgated new financial aid regulations which fundamentally conflict with the open access mission of the California Community Colleges, and

Whereas the California Community College system is the largest community college system in the nation and the regulations would create a disproportionate burden on the state system, and

Whereas the Chancellor's office has run a simulation of the probable outcome of the regulations and found that 75 percent of students tested would be denied financial aid, and