Subject: Instruction Notes 02/26/04
From: Jack Turner
Organization: Cabrillo College, Office of Instruction

Instruction Notes
03/25/04

I want to take another opportunity to personally thank all of you who worked on the bond election and took part in the “March in March.” As you will read in the Community College League Update, the community college system still does not have reliable information about next years budget and the level of funding the system is allocated under Prop 98. This creates a significant challenge for the scheduling of classes next fall. I appreciate the efforts of the deans and program chairs in preparing a schedule that allows as much flexibility as possible to anticipate proposed fee increases.

State Budget Update
Post-Rally Focus Shifts to Proposition 98 Split
Sometimes, the headline doesn’t tell the whole story. The Sacramento Bee’s headline “College students protest Schwarzenegger fee plan” paralleled the San Francisco Chronicle’s “Protest over student fees.” However, the old adage about a picture telling a thousand words rings truer than the words found in those headlines…

The above-the-fold photos in the Bee and Chronicle, however, demonstrate that the rally was about far more than the proposed fee increase. “Save our Community Colleges,” “Dreams become reality with education,” “100 students lost,” “Education is a right,” and “Keep the Doors Open” were handwritten signs waived proudly by students. Sure, the fee increase was blasted by students—as was the continued under-funding under Proposition 98.

Los Angeles Times columnist George Skelton understood that, and took the time Thursday to discuss the true woes of community college funding:

State law calls for community colleges to receive a 10.9% split of Proposition 98 funds. But the Legislature each year cuts them a smaller slice so K-12 schools can get more. Schwarzenegger this year is proposing 10% for community colleges, about 90% for K-12.

Each one-tenth of 1% represents $50 million. That's why college instructors at the rally wore red T-shirts with big letters declaring: "It's All About the Split."

George Skelton, Los Angeles Times (3/19/04)

Skelton correctly states that the Proposition 98 split is “esoteric,” but it’s a topic essential for community college advocates to grasp. As the San Francisco Chronicle editorialized in January “The paltry support for community colleges is not the byproduct of a legally imposed formula. Rather it is a choice our elected officials have made.”

Proposition 98 Review
Proposition 98 was approved by the voters in November 1988 to provide a minimum level of funding for K-12 school and community college districts. The intention of the ballot measure—effectuated with various formulaic “tests”—is to keep funding per student constant and to ensure educational entities benefit from significant increases in state general fund resources. Each year, a minimum funding level is calculated based on the previous year’s funding multiplied by the rate of K-12 enrollment growth and an inflation factor, most often the change in per capita personal income. Therefore, if Proposition 98 entities received $46 billion in 2003-04 (roughly accurate) and K-12 enrollment grows by 1% and per capita personal income grows by 2%, the Proposition 98 “pot” will grow by 3%, guaranteeing $47.4 billion for K-12 and community colleges in 2004-05.

Although the Constitution is pretty clear on how to calculate the total Proposition 98 pot, it doesn’t specify the division of funds between K-12 and community colleges. Instead, that division was left to the implementing legislation of Proposition 98, which is codified in the Education Code. Ed. Code sec. 41203.1 provides that community colleges should receive the same share each year of Proposition 98 as they received in 1989-90, which was 10.93%. This is referred to as the “statutory level,” or simply, “the split.”

Unfortunately, that amount was provided only in one year, and the Legislature has consciously chosen to “suspend” the requirement every year thereafter. In the current year, community colleges are provided $650 million below the statutory level. The Governor’s January budget proposal would under-fund community colleges by $428 million. To put that into perspective, the total enrollment fees collected at $26 per unit and with the differential fee for BA holders is $356 million.

In 1996, K-12 and community college organizations signed an agreement to rebase the split to 10.6%. This was in recognition of relatively lower community college enrollments and booming K-12 enrollments. The agreement was incorporated in legislation that was vetoed by then-Governor Pete Wilson.

Eight years later, K-12 enrollments are slowing and community college enrollments are booming. Unfortunately, the share for community colleges has slipped further—from 10.3% then to 10% now. The total loss now exceeds $4 billion.
If the 1996 agreement had been enacted, community colleges would receive $280 million more in the Governor’s budget; had the original law been observed by the Legislature, community colleges would receive $428 million more. This would be enough to fully fund enrollment growth (and bring back the lost students), equalize funding among districts and enhance noncredit funding, and limit the fee increase. As the SF Chronicle editorialized on Tuesday, “Supporting community colleges is not charity,” and students, faculty and staff shouldn’t have to march on Sacramento to get the law enforced. Indeed, “It’s All About the Split.”

Community College Local Bond Measures
For your information, here is a list of Community College Local Bond measures that were voted upon within the last year.

Graduation
Graduation is a celebration of student achievement and more. It is a celebration of all the contributions the Cabrillo Team has made to promote the success of our students. Our students succeed and graduate because of your hard work and caring, passionate heart. Your presence at graduation is greatly appreciated by your students and your peers. Attending graduation is the perfect way to bring the school year to a close.

Please join in the graduation ceremony on the afternoon of Friday, June 4, 2004 by participating in the faculty procession. Everyone in the procession is asked to wear a cap and gown representing his/her graduate school. Your cap and gown will be paid for through the graduation budget.

Please order your cap and gown by doing the following:

1. Go to the Cabrillo Book Store and ask for Christina or Mark.
2. Provide your name, the name of the college of your highest degree, your height and weight.
3. Order your cap and gown by Friday, April 16, 2004 (the sooner the better).

Question about graduation? Call Sesario Escoto at extension 6525.

Spring Forum
Do not miss this years Spring Transfer Forum with Professor Paula Powell
The Forum will be on Tuesday, March 30th from 11:00 -12:40 at the Cabrillo College Horticulture Center Room 5005.

Paula Powell is the Director of the African American Resource and Cultural Center at UC Santa Cruz. She is a nationally recognized public speaker, civil rights activist, historian and educator, and is currently teaching African American history at Cabrillo College.

Professor Powell will specifically address how transfer students can prepare for the “next level.” She will focus on self-assessment, planning, and the implementation of specific strategies to achieve success in education. This event is open to the entire Cabrillo community. Join Us!

Sponsored by the Cabrillo Transfer Center. For more information call the Transfer center at 479-6385. If you have special transportation needs please call the DSPS office at 479-6379. Please announce this event to your classes. If you'd like to bring an entire class, please contact Donna Mekis at 479-6385 to make arrangements. Please call us if you would like flyers put in your mailbox.

Financial Literacy Classes
The Fast Track To Work staff, in collaboration with the Financial Aid Department and the Santa Cruz Community Credit Union, will be offering two 1-unit classes in Financial Literacy to the entire Cabrillo student body. The classes will be held on Saturdays, from 9am-6pm, room 804A. Section 38584 will be taught by Claire Rubach and will be held Sat April 17 and Sat May 1. Section 38585 will be taught by Shelly Skye and will take place on Sat April 24 and Sat May 8. The classes will cover topics such as understanding your relationship to money; credit, credit cards, and debt; banks and other financial institutions; saving money; creating a spending plan; and student financial aid at Cabrillo. These classes could be a great benefit for students, not only helping them immediately in their choices about money, but assisting them in the many complex financial matters one faces in life.

Save the Date
Please save the date and join us for the unveiling and installation of an original sculpture of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by artist and Emeritus Cabrillo College Art Instructor Barrington McLean --Wednesday, April 28, 2004, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., outdoors in the Cabrillo Quad in front of the Theater. Music, refreshments and reading. Original artwork commissioned and event sponsored by George Ow, Jr.

Fulbright Scholar Program
A new Fulbright season is upon us! The 2005-2006 Fulbright Scholar Program competition is opened. The traditional program is offering lecturing, research and lecturing/research grants in over 140 countries. Copies of the Awards Catalog are available in the Instruction Office (100 Buliding) or please contact ssharp@cies.iie.org or 202-686-6242.

TLC & Staff Development News
Fall 2004 Flex Week Proposals are now being accepted.
The Staff Development Committee welcomes proposals for Fall 2004 Flex Week. We’re looking for activities that demonstrate and re-confirm our commitment to excellence in teaching. Please consider sharing with your colleagues, through panels or individual presentations, the many ways you work with students. Criteria for approval

To submit a Fall 2004 Flex Week Workshop proposal:

1. Fill out the online form at http://www.cabrillo.edu/services/tlc/staffdevforms/flexworkshop_fall04.htm
2. OR download the form in PDF format and print it out http://www.cabrillo.cc.ca.us/tlc/staffdevforms/wrkshp_info_fall03.pdf
3. Or walk to the mailroom (Staff Development rack) or TLC (rm 1095) to pick one up

The deadline for Fall 2004 Flex Week proposals is Thursday, APRIL 15, no exceptions.

Fall Flex Week is Monday, August 23 – Friday, August 27. Remember, Thursday is Division/Department Day and Friday is All College Day.

Take the Staff Development 10 Minute Survey
http://www.cabrillo.edu/services/tlc/staffdev/sdsurvey02.html
Your input helps with Flex planning and shapes the TLC services offered.

Dreamweaver Publishers
Have your web pages moved to the new .edu server and you need help with the FTP settings? Go to http://www.cabrillo.edu/services/tlc/webpublishing/index.html

Adobe Free Online Training for Educators
http://www.adobe.com/education/training/main.html
Each course features voice and text narration and animated visuals. Click on “Register to view free introductory courses.” Includes Photoshop, Acrobat, Illustrator and In-Design

Microsoft Office for Home
http://msca.foundationccc.org/order1.asp
Faculty and staff may obtain Microsoft software work-at-home media (CD-ROM) through the Foundation for the California Community Colleges.

California Virtual Campus (e-Conference April 19-30, 2004)
Online Instructional & Student Support Services

Attend this CVC conference from the comfort of your own computer. No waiting in airport lines or driving freeways. No messy paperwork to fill out. Just point your Web browser to: http://econf.cvc.edu It’s FREE & EASY TO ATTEND!

New for 2004:

• 5 keynote speaker Web casts, including:
  • Carol Twigg, renowned author and researcher
  • Robin Wingard, noted instructional designer
• 11 sessions highlighting college support programs
• Plus encore presentations of sessions from the very successful 2003 CVC Online Student and Instructional Services Conference