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
Whereas such a result would have a significant negative impact on our students, our mission, and student equity,
Resolved that the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges urge local senates to participate in a systemwide response to the proposed regulations on ability-to-benefit by providing information such as:
1. Students' successful achievement of educational goals whose entry-level skills would have made them ineligible for financial aid under the proposed regulations;
2. Comparative completion rates for full- and part-time students as well as for financial aid and non-financial aid students;
3. Any disproportionate effect on different groups of students;
4. Names of those who would be prepared to provide compelling testimony in support of the community college response during the December public comment period, and
Resolved that the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges direct the Executive Committee to work with the Chancellor's Office in framing and presenting responses to the federal ability-to-benefit regulations during the December 1993 public comment period, and
Resolved that the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges direct the Executive Committee to solicit and receive supporting information and argumentation from local colleges, senates, and others who may be of assistance on the ability-to-benefit issue. M/S/U DISPOSITION: Executive Committee, Chancellor's Office, local senates, CEOs, Financial Aid Officers