Super Tuesday for Our CCs

Even though some of us may be as cynical about politicians' tactics in this election year as the above Non Sequitur cartoon shows, we will be voting on a special initiative on the upcoming Super Tuesday--Proposition 92. If passed, Prop. 92 will give more students a chance to go to college by lowering community college fees and limiting future fee increases. It will also ensure that our community college system receives adequate and stable funding.

As we all know, many educational options are offered by California community colleges, including academic and vocational training programs that may lead to occupational certificates or an Associate of Arts degree.

There are 109 community colleges and many off-campus centers that are administered by 71 districts located throughout the state. These campuses serve more than 1.6 million students every year. Community college campuses are designed to be near the state's primary residential centers and are within easy driving distance for most students.

Community college students often complete the first two years of a university education and, if they meet certain requirements, can transfer to the California State University, the University of California, or an independent institution to complete a four-year degree.

The community colleges also offer remedial instruction in conjunction with the local school districts, instruction in English as a second language, adult non-credit instruction, and support services to help students succeed at the postsecondary level.

In short, community colleges count a great deal, not only in the lives of members of minority groups and those from low-income families, but also increasingly among America's middle class.

In my opinion, the timing of Prop. 92 cannot be better. California's community colleges need to lead among the nation's 1,200 community colleges in order to strengthen themselves, to be relied upon more to win the skills race, and to continue to be key to shoring up the US economy, particularly as we appear to head to a recession year, too.

At the national level, there has been a push--supported by such locally known names as George Boggs, president of the American Association of Community Colleges and former president of Palomar College, and Augustine Gallego, chancelor emeritus of the San Diego Community College District--for two years of college as the minimum standard for all Americans. Passing Prop. 92 would facilitate such a sensible push.

Unlike some other measures on the ballot, Prop. 92 is truly "of the people, by the people, and for the people." It is supported by a broad coalition of business and labor organizations, community college leaders, advocates, local trustees and students, including the San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce, the San Diego Community College District AFT Faculty Guild, local CSEA #707, California Labor Federation, Sacramento Metro Chamber, United Farm Workers, the Valley Industry and Commerce Association, United Teachers Los Angeles, California Church IMPACT, the National Latina Business Women Association, California Federation of Teachers, the South Bay Association of Chambers of Commerce, the California School Employees Association, and the Los Angeles College Faculty Guild.

A rally was recently held on our campus to support Prop. 92. It was hosted by SDICCCA -- the San Diego and Imperial Counties Community Colleges Association, representing the region's six community college districts and colleges: Grossmont-Cuyamaca, Imperial Valley, MiraCosta, Palomar, Southwestern, and San Diego CCD (Mesa, Miramar and City Colleges). Here's a videotape of that rally, if you are interested.

If you need to educate yourself more on Prop. 92, please go to prop92yes.com.

For the condition of our community colleges and the quality of life for those who depend on our colleges, I strongly urge you to vote "yes" on Prop. 92 on Super Tuesday. Let's show that we CARE about this one.

Thanks!