April 2, 2002

 

M E M O R A N D U M

 

TO:                  Rosemary Thakar,

Nominee, President of the Board of Governors of the California Community College System

 

CC:                  Nancy Shulock, PhD

                        Center for California Education Studies

 

FROM:            José C. Henríquez,

                        Analyst, California Community College Chancellor’s Office

 

SUBJECT:       PPA 230 Memo Assignment 4

 

 

As you have requested, the following outlines three possible budget request enhancements for the following year.  Along with the enhancement proposals I also outlined some of the possible the issues that may arise.

 

Proposal 1: Request a budget line item to request a study that evaluates the effectiveness of the Articulation Council of California. 

 

Rationale: This body acts as a liaison to the state’s higher education institutions to develop guidelines on program articulation.  This coordination aids in student transfer rates between the California Community College and the University of California and the California State University.  With state lawmakers increasingly focusing on community college transfer rates onto 4-year institutions and an increase in student enrollment because of Tidal Wave II, the CCC System should evaluate whether the current level of coordination between us and the UC and CSU is adequate to meet current and future demand.  Without this evaluation it is unknown whether the three higher education systems require greater or lower levels of coordination.  The stakes are high, since an efficient inter-institution coordination has the following benefits:

 

• Direct budget savings for the state and its citizens
• Reductions in academic program duplication and better use of existing facilities
• Improved quality of academic programs through opportunities for greater specialization
• Enhanced opportunities for constituents to pursue higher education
• Increased economic benefits for the population in general through a highly educated and skilled workforce

 

Issues:  Any budget request for this study will encounter a number of problems and resistance:

 

• It is reasonable that the study could be performed by some other institution and not necessarily by the CCC System.  The California Postsecondary Education Commission or a private/public consortium (such as an academically-driven policy paper) could be the most efficient, cost-effective way to perform this task.
• The Department of Finance may deny the request given the reason above and/or because of the state’s current fiscal situation
• The UC and the CSU, for academic and institutional reasons, may resist any effort for greater coordination

 

Proposal 2: Seek additional funding for the hiring of permanent transfer coordinators at any community college that has a low transfer rates and that currently does not currently have a coordinator

 

Rationale – Transfer coordinators educate, counsel and provide resources to any community college student who seeks a transfer to 4-year institutions.  With the increased attention by policymakers on community college transfer rates, it behooves the CCC System to provide as many resources to its students in order to achieve this goal.  Students who want to transfer to a CSU or UC but who attend colleges without a transfer coordinator may encounter the following problems:

 

• They may lack a plan to accomplish their educational goals
• They may be unaware of what community college courses transfer to their 4-year institution of their choice
• They may be unaware of the financial costs of their institution of choice and unaware of the various financial aid available
• They may be unaware of the application deadlines, documents and forms that are needed for a successful transfer

 

Issues: Any request for this budget enhancement will encounter the following problems:

 

• Resistance by the Department of Finance given the current fiscal constraints encountered by the state and the possibility that this function may be absorbed by other entities within the community colleges in question
• Students and constituents may question the rationale for increased bureaucracy in light of rising student fees

 

Proposal 3 – Seek increased funding for deferred infrastructure maintenance

 

Rationale – The CCC System faces a backlog of $1 billion in infrastructure needs.  This need places the CCC System in a precarious situation should it continue to be deferred for several years.  It will not allow for the community colleges to meet the needs of its student population while making it difficult to compete against private educational institutions.

 

Issue: This proposal will continue to encounter resistance by the Department of Finance given the current fiscal constraints encountered by the state

 

Please feel free to contact me at 916-636-7156 if you have any questions regarding these proposals.