In November, the California State Legislature initiated a devastating budget reform expected to strip education funds. The enrollment cuts at both California State University and University of California systems will effect both current and prospective students in a number of ways. The anticipated admittance to more than 250,000 students will be denied access due to the proposed $825 million budget plan, combined with an additional $115 million in state deferrals. “Under the most recent budget proposal by the Governor, in 2009-10, the CSU and the UC face reductions in State support between 16 and 20 percent.”

Governor Schwarzenegger’s proposal to eliminate Cal Grants, a program implemented to provide financial aid to low-income students, will devastate a number of students. Collectively, the three state higher education systems, UC, Cal State and the California Community Colleges, agree that the governor’s annihilation of Cal Grant student aid program would  primarily impact families who generate an income under $60,000. According to the California Student Aid Commission, an estimated 118,000 Cal Grant participants, expected to attend school in fall 2009 will have their grants terminated. At UC Berkeley alone, 6,500 students who benefit from Cal Grants will have to leave school if their aid is removed. It is reported that by 2011, Cal Grants will be completely eradicated.

At the same end, the University of California and the California State University systems will face an even more depressing budget cut, roughly $335 million that will force tuition to be raised. In addition, the CSU will be proposing a number of measures, including a

salary freeze on  the vice-president/chancellor positions, a hiring freeze on ‘non-essential’ positions, termination of all ‘non-critical’ equipment and supplies purchases. Community colleges will also be forced to offer fewer courses during the summer. The Los Angeles Community College District, with nine campuses, is no longer offering a second summer session. One East LA campus already has 10,000 students enrolled.

The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) is expected to cut $131 million more this year and up to $273 million next year. The district has already cut $560 million from this year’s budget and is proposing to lay off up to 2,500 teachers. The district may also have to get rid of summer school, after-school programs, and switch some employees to a 10-month work year. The severity of the cuts in the offing have provoked outrage among educators, students, and parents. In Los Angeles, a group of nine teachers and two community activists have started a hunger strike to protest LAUSD’s plans to lay off 2,250 teachers and increase classroom sizes.

On Monday, June 1, droves of protesters came out to Capitol Hill to raise dissent. A common question raised amongst protesters surfaced: What will the future hold for our youth?  The budget cuts undeniably target minority groups and low-income families. Once these vital social services are denied, how rich and diverse will our college campuses be? Is this a clear attack on people of color and the working class? Most students depend on government funding to aid them through their academic career. A private education comes at a high cost. Therefore, receiving a higher education at a public university often becomes the only alternative.  What is even more alarming, how will our younger generation be effected- the elementary, middle school and high school students? If you think about it, school funded transportation systems transfer students to and from school.  Without school buses, how will elementary students, whose parents can not afford transportation, attend school? On another topic, are we supposed to encourage high school students to join job corps or the military? Will our youth be faced with constant disappointment- “Sorry kid, receiving a higher education is no longer an option. There is no money allocated for you to learn.” In my opinion, this implementation is discriminatory and clearly isolates the “haves” from the “have-nots.” Who will our future leaders be? I do not feel in order to become successful, whether within in or on a monetary level, one needs a formal education. But I do feel receiving one should be inclusive to all.

California State University Los Angeles:

Freshman Applicants:
Fall Quarter 2009 – CLOSED to Freshman Applicants
Winter Quarter 2010 – CLOSED to Freshman Applicants
Spring Quarter 2010 – CLOSED to Freshman Applicants
Transfer Applicants:
Fall Quarter 2009 – CLOSED to Transfer Applicants
Winter Quarter 2010 – CLOSED to Transfer Applicants
Spring Quarter 2010 – CLOSED to Transfer Applicants
Graduate Applicants:
Fall Quarter 2009 – CLOSED to Graduate Applicants
Winter Quarter 2010 – CLOSED to Graduate Applicants
Spring Quarter 2010 – CLOSED to Graduate Applicants
______________________________________________________________________
California State Polytechnic Univesity:
Summer 2009 — This term is now closed to all applicants.
Winter 2010 — This term is CLOSED to all applicants
Fall 2009 Term CLOSED to Undeclared Transfers, Lower-Division Transfers, 2nd Baccalaureates, and Unclassified/Undeclared Graduates.
Closed Undergraduate Programs: ALL
Closed Graduate Programs: Master of Education in Educational Multimedia
***
Sources cited:
WSWS.Org
CA.Gov

via Sarah Wolfson, 21 June 2009 1:28pm | 4 |