Jeff Sandstoe / Roundup
Jack Scott, California Community College chancellor, discussed the impact of the state budget crisis in a telephone press conference.
“I think that life-long learning is an important thing,” Scott said, though he noted that California expects its community colleges to focus on teaching basic skills and transfer courses.
Scott recommended that all colleges re-evaluate their courses and cut “non-essential” classes. Suggested courses to be removed varied from photography to adult education.
California’s community college budget has been cut by approximately 8 percent, making cutting available classes one of the only feasible options, according to Scott.
While many classes have been cut during the Fall 2009 semester, Scott noted that enrollment has increased by 3.07 percent. Scott accredited this to students wanting “quality education at a reasonable cost.”
However, he said this enrollment increase conflicts with “enrollment caps” that community colleges face.
Colleges receive funding for students up to their “enrollment cap,” but do not receive additional funding if this number of students is exceeded.
California community colleges currently have 150,000 more students enrolled than they receive funding for, according to Scott.
Scott also addressed a new “universal assessment tool” that should be developed within the next few months and be implemented by the Fall 2010 semester.
“It doesn’t make sense to have 110 different assessment tools for each of the 110 colleges,” he said.
Colleges were urged to not solely depend on state funding, but to find other means of raising capital.
Scott suggested reaching out to business and alumni as one possibility.
“Don’t just sit and moan,” Scott said. “Be innovative and creative.”
