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EL CAMINO COLLEGE
Oct. 4, 2012
Spicing things up with salsa
Propositions 30 and 38: two initiatives going head to head Philip Prins Arts Editor
Philip Prins/ Union Silvia Linares, 21, business major, and Andrew Acosta, 22, finance major, enjoy a post-lesson spin around the dance floor during a Salsa Club gathering. The Salsa Club is one of the largest clubs on campus.
Torrance, California
Two competing tax-increase initiatives aimed at funding state education, Proposition 30 and Proposition 38, will be appearing on the ballot in November, but only one of them benefits the college, Lance Widman, political science professor, said. “Which way you vote is going to depend on what perspective you have as to who benefits (from Propositions 30 and 38), and my perspective is the community colleges,” Widman said. “I’ve worked here forty years, and with that perspective in mind I think that (Proposition) Thirty is preferable to (Proposition) Thirty Eight. Widman said that the main differences between the two propositions were who would be taxed by the initiative and how the revenues from each would be allocated. According to the Legislative Analyst’s Office (LOA), a nonpartisan organization that advises the state legislature, Proposition 38 would raise personal income tax rates for 12 years on anyone making $7,316 or more per year and use the revenues to fund K-12 schools and pay down state debt.
Proposition 30 would generate revenue by increasing the state sales tax by 0.25 percent for 4 years and raising personal income tax for the next 7 years on anyone making $250,000 or more, providing funds to both K-12 schools and community colleges, according to the LOA. Kenneth Brown, member of the board of trustees, said that for him the issue of which tax initiative is better was complicated due to his duties as a board member and the fact that he also had children in the K-12 school system. “With my board of trustee hat on, we (the board) shouldn’t even be talking about (Proposition) Thirty Eight because it doesn’t really help us (the college),” Brown said. “As a father and a community member I’m looking at (Proposition) Thirty Eight going, well if it does the things that its suppose to do the K twelves (K-12 schools) are going to get a bump so I should support this (Proposition 38).” Brown added that he might vote for both initiatives even though he realized that the state constitution would only allow one of them to be put into effect. According to the LAO’s website, “If provisions of two measures approved on the same statewide ballot
conflict, the Constitution specifies that the provisions of the measure receiving more “yes” votes prevail. Proposition 30 and Proposition 38 on this statewide ballot both increase personal income tax (PIT) rates and, as such, could be viewed as conflicting.” A student with a similar situation to Brown’s is Dayna Johnson, 28, political science major, who has a 5-year-old son that started kindergarten at Ramona Elementary School in Torrance this year. Johnson said that Proposition 38 had its strong points in the short term but in the long run she believed that Proposition 30 was the best choice. “Its (revenue from Proposition 38) a lot more money for K through twelve, that’s the good part about it but what happens when he (Johnson’s son) wants to go to college and classes have been cut?” she said. In the end it was Proposition 38’s sole funding of the K-12 system and the financial burden it might put on low-income earners that swayed her towards Proposition 30, she said. “You choose,” Johnson said. “Do you want to pay more taxes and get less benefits or do you want the wealthiest to pay their fair share and we can all benefit?”
Enrollment in state colleges is plummeting Sarah Bremme Staff Writer
Enrollments in California Community Colleges have dropped by nearly half a million students due to continuing budget cuts and course reductions, a college official said in a press conference last Wednesday. Erik Skinner, California Community Colleges Acting Chancellor, began by explaining that part of the problem was an overflow of students trying to get into the system. “These cuts have come at exactly the wrong time,” Skinner said, “California has experienced the largest graduating high school classes in the state’s history over the last couple of years.”
Skinner explained that while students from all walks of life are seeking admittance in community colleges, a “mismatch between resources and demand” means there are fewer sections than ever for these students to enroll in. “Enrollments in the California community colleges have dropped by 485,000 students since 2008 levels, a 17 percent reduction,” he added. Skinner also mentioned his use of a voluntary survey sent to community colleges as an important source of information, including that 70 percent of responding schools reported lower enrollment levels than the previous year. Following Skinner’s summarization of the issues at hand, Dan
Toy, Vice Chancellor for Fiscal Policy, explained the impact that Prop 30’s passage would have on student enrollment levels. “If it passes, community colleges will have received about $210 million in new money,” he said, “some of that new money will go into providing new seats for students.” Vice Chancellor Troy estimated that 20,000 new seats could open up to incoming students if Prop 30 passes – conversely, failure of the proposition to pass would mean a loss of about 180,000 students. Rich Copenhagen, President of the Student Senate for Community Colleges, added to this explanation by mentioning the effect of cutting campus services
as a contributing factor of low enrollment. “All of these different services aim to protect and empower those students who may not have the opportunity to attend college, and we’re cutting those,” he said, “we don’t have enough money to fund them.” Acting Chancellor Skinner and Vice Chancellor Troy added that the future was uncertain as to what may happen to community college system in the coming years. “We really do believe that the most pressing public policy and social issue that California is facing today is ‘are we going to provide access to the next generation to access higher education?’” Skinner said.
Thomas Schmit/ Union Data provided by by the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s office.
Public memorial service for John Bogert
New California Community Colleges Chancellor
Victor Liptzin Thomas Schmit
Thomas Schmit
Staff Writer News Editor
NEWS LINE
In honor of long-time Daily Breeze columnist John Bogert, a memorial service will take place in Marsee Auditorium at 1 p.m. on Oct. 7, Daily Breeze Digital Managing Editor Toni Sciacqua said. Bogert, who was well known throughout the South Bay area for writ-
By Monique Judge
ing his five-times-weekly column for the last 28 years, was actually a former EC instructor, Dean of Humanities Tom Lew said. “John Bogert briefly taught feature writing right here at El Camino back in the late ‘80s, although he certainly came back regularly afterwards as a guest speaker for many journalism classes,” Lew said. Carol Baker, a close family friend of the Bo-
gert’s, felt it was only fitting that the memorial be held on campus. “He really was someone who was just a born educator and mentor in so many ways, in addition to just being a terrific columnist, so it is a really good fit,” Baker said. However, despite his status as a former instructor, the decision to hold the memorial on the EC campus came about for more practical reasons, Sciacqua said.
“It’s a nice coincidence, but the main driving influence was the amount of space, because there’s been a tremendous amount of interest from the community in attending a public memorial” Sciacqua said. Bogert’s column was well known for the strong responses and letters it inspired in his numerous readers, many of which he would share publicly in his column. [See Bogert, page 2]
News Editor
Following the retirement of former Chancellor Jack Scott earlier this month, the California Community Colleges (CCC) Board of Governors announced the unanimous selection of Brice Harris as his replacement last Thursday. In a press conference held at the CCC Chancellor’s Office in Sacramento, CCC Board
of Governors President Scott Himmelstein introduced Harris as the 15th chancellor of the CCC system. “Brice Harris is the right person at the right time to lead the California Community Colleges. I’ve known and worked with him for many years, and he is widely respected within the college system,” Himmelstein said. Harris previously served as the Chancellor
of the Los Rios district for 16 years, where he lead the efforts behind two local bond measures and helped established a fourth college, Folsom Lake, in his district. The Los Rios District also includes American River, Cosumnes River, and Sacramento City colleges. Harris expressed his hope that his leadership would see the continuation of efforts begun under former Chancellor
UC Applications Workshop
CSU Applications Workshop
Nursing Information Workshop
Fall Graduation Application Deadline
For students interested in applying to the University of California system, there will be a UC workshop today from 1 to 2:30 p.m. in Social Science 213. Further information may be obtained by contacting the Transfer Center at 310-660-3593, ext. 3408
Students planning to apply for admission to the California State University system may want to attend the informative CSU Application Workshop taking place Tuesday from 1 to 2:30 p.m. in Social Science 213. Interested persons may call 310-660-3593, ext. 3408
Interested in a career in nursing? The counseling department will be having a Nursing Information Workshop on Friday from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. in the Distance Education classroom. Interested persons may contact the counseling department for more information.
Finishing your program and ready to graduate? Completed the requirements for your certificate? Remember, the deadline to apply for Fall 2012 graduation is Thursday. Interested persons may contact Admission and Records for more information.
Scott. “The Board of Governors and Chancellor Scott have charted a path for improved student success through the Student Success Task Force. Those twin opportunities, increased access and increased student success, will certainly be at the heart of what this system continues to do under my leadership, as it has under Chancellor Scott’s,” Harris said.
UC San Diego Tour Students interested in transferring to the University of San Diego can take advantage of the tour of that campus happening Friday. A bus will depart from the Shops Building promptly at 8 a.m. and return at approximately 6 p.m.. Reservations are required in order to attend. To sign up, visit the Transfer Center located in the Student Services Building, first floor.