October 11, 2018
NEWS
New funding may slash future money
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Story and graphic by steven matthews Viking Staff Long Beach City College has a new state funding formula that could have devastating effects on the school in the future. The funding formula is unlikely to affect currently enrolled students. However, it will affect students in the future but it’s too early to determine what those effects will be. Governor Jerry Brown signed a new funding formula into law in May that changes the way the state gives funding to the 100+ community colleges within its borders. Originally, the formula gave a base allocation of funds based on full time enrolled students while the new formula will contain three factors for fund determination: amount of full time students, amount of low income students and student success. According to a statement put out by the California Department of Education, “The Budget proposes a new funding formula for general purpose apportionment that encourages access for underrepresented students, provides additional funding in recognition of the need to provide additional support for low-income students, and rewards colleges’ progress on improving student success metrics.” This in turn changes the goal for LBCC from ensuring a high enrollment count to ensuring high graduation numbers. LBCC President Reagan Romali formerly served as President of Harry S Truman College, one of the city colleges in Chicago where she saw a three times increase in graduation rates during her tenure there. “My plan is to do the same thing here,” Romali said in an interview. “Find ways to help students complete faster and there’s a plethora of ways to make that happen.” “There could be core-requisites offered, there could be tutoring support offered, a redesign of the registration system to make it easier and faster, or there could be online courses, weekend courses,” Romali said. Romali also acknowledged that even though these are all strong ideas, that im-
plementation is a different story. “Ideas are wonderful, and execution is priceless. It’s up to us to make sure that we really execute those for the students, so that we’re continuing to up our game every year, to get better and better.” “So do I think we can make it? Yeah, absolutely. I have complete faith in the students and employees of the college, so yeah, we’ll make it. Absolutely.” The LBCC vice president of student services, Marlene Dunn, also remains optimistic for the funding change. The Chancellor’s office for California community colleges ran budget simulations for the new formula based on this year’s
tentative budget and they determined they would result in a $10 million loss in school revenue, if it were implemented today. In this case, the hold harmless clause will hold the state funding for LBCC to the level it is now for three years while the school transitions to the new formula. “There’s a three year hold harmless that we lobbied, very strongly for, up and down the state, with some other college CEOs and we were successful in getting that three year hold harmless, which is effectively a three year phase in,” Romali said. For the school year 2018-2019 70% of the funding will be the base allocation, 20% will be supplemental funding for low income or
disadvantaged student count and the final 10% will be based on student success. For 2019–2020 the amounts will change to a 65% base, 20% supplemental and 15% based on student success and the final transitional year will put the allocations where they are supposed to be with 60% base, 20% supplemental and 20% based on student success. Every district will be expected to adopt goals that are aligned with the vision of the new formula by Jan. 1, 2019 and there are plans to create a 15-member Funding Formula Oversight Committee to evaluate and review the implementation of the new formula and goals.
Students participate in Voter Registration Day Story by Sydney Fredericks-Selby Viking Staff
LBCC offered two stations for students to register for the midterm elections as a part of National Voter Registration Day at both campuses on Sept. 25. Voter Registration Day allows eligible citizens help get registered to vote. The city clerk’s office teamed up with the Long Beach Unified School District
within the Long Beach High schools. The mayor Robert Garcia, included higher education institutions as well. The station to vote for registration at LAC was in front of the E Building and in front of the student union at PCC. Field deputies from the mayor’s office and volunteers from LBCC were coordinating the event. Executive assistant and scheduler from the mayor’s office Isaac Romero explained why it is important to vote for the midterm
elections. There is a big push to try and go get as many people to vote to cause awareness,” Romero said. “Right now is the time come and get registered to vote.” The midterm elections determines who will control the House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate as well as having a Governor’s race. The midterm election propositions are focused on bonds, taxes, healthcare, housing, labor and animals.
“We did run into a lot of people that were not registered that were looking to get registered. Mostly everybody was registered,” Romero said. LBCC student Carlos Correa, registered as a voter at LAC and will be participating on voting on Nov. 6 because she believes there should be a change in office. “I think there should be equal pay,” Correa said. “I know that women work just as hard as we do.”