Katherine Acuna / Roundup
The California state budget deficit is once again rearing its ugly head, and funding for community colleges is in the line of fire.
Pierce College will lose funding for some classes and hiring new teachers is severely limited this year. The cancellation of the second summer session will have a major impact on students.
The consequences of community college cuts and higher fees were discussed Wednesday in a meeting of the Political Action Coalition at Pierce.
With fewer teachers and classes, classroom size will increase and diminish the quality of teaching.
Because of the greater influx of students, it will also be harder to get into the few classes available.
This may cause problems for transfer students because if they can’t get the class they need during the semester or in the summer session, they will have to delay transferring.
The possibility of raising tuition was also discussed.
If tuition increased from $30 to $40, or even up to $100 per unit, new and returning students may decide not to go college.
Along with increased fees will come a greater need for financial aid, placing a greater demand on already limited funds.
“Community colleges are a stepping stone between high school and university. To dump all of the cuts on us is unfair,” said Shawn Dean, 18, member of Political Action Coalition.
The Political Action Coalition wants to mobilize and unite students’ voices to be heard and acknowledged by legislators.
“We are trying to educate students about what’s going on with the state budget and how it’s going to affect students here at Pierce,” philosophy professor Zack Knorr said during the club meeting. “If we educate and get the word out, we can prevent that from happening or not be as bad as it might have otherwise been.”
Their goal is to unite the campus to fight higher fees by petitioning and meeting with legislators because student “voices are the most compelling,” Knorr said.
Unfortunately, most young adults are not as active in the political process, a fact legislators take advantage of for their political agenda.
But that voting instinct is getting stronger, according to coalition member Sara Ehsani-Nia, 18, political science major.
“I think Obama has brought a new wave where young people need to be involved in politics, to influence public policy, make a difference and make their voices heard,” Ehsani-Nia said.
Although there were few students in the audience, the coalition’s message did inspire.
Motivated to action, Davis El-Kati, 20, will join the coalition in the upcoming fall semester.
“We need more people active and doing something about this because this is going to affect everybody,” El-Kati said. “If we don’t at least propose some reasonable fix and actively talk to legislators to change, then it’s not going to be. So I really wish that awareness is increased on campus.”
Students interested in signing a petition card can get them at the Associated Students Organization office.
More information about joining the Political Action Coalition, as well as on their paid internship and meetings, is available by contacting Shawn Dean at (818) 799-7157. The club’s Facebook link can be found by e-mailing Sara Ehsani-Nia at s.ehsaninia@yahoo.com or professor Zack Knorr at zknorr@gmail.com.
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Philosophy Professor Zack Knorr (30) speaks about the effects of proposition 13 on the state of California at the Political Action Coalition on Wednesday, May 27, 2009. Knorr says that his goal in speaking is ” ‘…to educate students about how the budget cuts are going to affect community colleges’ ‘What they can do about it is the most important thing’ “. (Aisha Ahal / Roundup)