0920_September Comstock's Magazine September 2020 | Page 38

EDUCATION “(The increase in community college enrollment) partly reflects students at four-year colleges and universities who are not sure whether they’ll have a residential experience in the fall and recognizing that if it’s going to be an online experience, the value of community college courses is very high.” BRIAN KING CHANCELLOR, LOS RIOS COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT significantly in California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s revised 2020-21 state budget. In January, more than $18 billion was earmarked for colleges and universities when the state had a comfortable surplus. That changed when the pandemic battered the economy and created a projected $54.3 billion shortfall. The revised budget in May looked very different, including deep cuts in higher education funding from current levels, pulling $1 billion from community colleges, $376 million from UC and $404 million from CSU. King expected at least a 10 percent cut in the district’s budget from the previous year and was planning accordingly. He says roughly 90 percent of Los Rios’ operating budget comes from the state, so any cut in state funds is significant. “Our planning parameter was to be proactive, and if additional revenues came, we’d be able to spend those very effectively,” he says. Duncan was planning for similar cuts at Sierra College. “We normally run cyclical in opposition to the economy,” he says. “When the economy is bad, everybody wants to go back to school, and that’s when we often experience cuts. Our goal is to do our best to try to accommodate the students that come our way.” In Newsom’s final budget — which took effect July 1 — spending for community colleges was preserved at current levels, though much of the funds will be deferred until the next fiscal year, a tactic that was last used during the Great Recession. “We can work with that,” says Duncan. “A deferral is easier than a cut because the money is still coming, just later. But it also puts a little pressure on us to manage cash flow.” The UC and CSU budget cuts will only be offset if federal funds are approved. Despite the shift to remote teaching, neither community college administrator expects online learning to supplant face-to-face instruction. “It’s a great supplement. It helps people with their schedules, and some people learn better that way, or at least can meet the course objectives that way, but it by no means is going to replace face-to-face,” says Duncan. King concurs: “There are just some courses that can’t be converted to online, things like nursing simulation labs and automotive and welding labs; they don’t work the same when taught remotely.” Students like Graf are counting on that. He tested the online format with an elementary statistics class he took over the summer at Sierra College and says he misses the in-person interactions. “Online classes are difficult because you don’t get that same connection with the teachers and your classmates,” he says. “It’s been a challenge, for sure.” But he’s happy to save a little money this year and get some of his general education requirements out of the way, with an eye on attending UC Riverside next fall. “By then, hopefully everything will be back to normal,” he says. Laurie Lauletta-Boshart has written for Dwell, ESPN, The Wall Street Journal, Sports Illustrated and others. Online at www.wordplaycommunications.com and on Twitter @laurieboshart. 38 comstocksmag.com | September 2020