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San Jose Mercury News

September 13, 2009

Cabrillo: Cramped classes, cuts for disabled and poor students

By J. M. Brown

APTOS -- As fall enrollment reaches a new record, some of Cabrillo College's 17,000-plus students are sitting on the floor or being turned away from packed classes.

That's because the college has cut at least 100 courses to address a 5 percent cut in its base budget. The $3 million loss in state funding agreed upon by lawmakers this spring dropped the 50-year-old college's budget to $59 million at a time when out-of-work residents are seeking new vocational training.

But what college officials hadn't anticipated was that legislators in July would cut an additional $1.2 million for disabled and poor students, as well as programs geared toward keeping students on track to graduate or transfer to a University of California or California State University campus.

"It's horrifying," said Margery Regalado, Cabrillo's dean of instructional development and matriculation, who oversees the Disabled Programs and Services. The department is faced with slashing several part-time jobs and cutting back on non-mandated services for students with psychological and physical disabilities.

Cabrillo's trustees are expected to vote Monday on a final budget, which includes backfilling about 30 percent of the targeted funding siphoned by the state in July. The college is not planning on cutting enrollment or making deep layoffs now.

But President Brian King said Cabrillo will have to look at a variety of options to deal with at least $3 million in cuts expected from the state again next year. The college has already enrolled nearly 1,200 students for which it receives no state funding.

"It's hard to see how we can meet all the needs when the funding declines," King said. "To be looking at $3-$5 million in cuts, it's virtually impossible to do it in a way that wouldn't have an impact on personnel."

Theo Offei, a political science major who serves on the student senate, said "it's disturbing" to see students turned away or crouched on the ground because classes are at capacity. He said students are already dealing with enough obstacles, chiefly a 30 percent increase in fees -- from $20 to $26.

"The students are not being given the education they need," he said.

Offei said he is worried about a fellow student whose physical disability makes it difficult for her to take notes. He said he fears Cabrillo won't be able to hire someone to take notes for her.

Regalado said Cabrillo will continue to provide such accommodations for the college's 1,600 disabled students as required by federal law. But other recommended services, such as learning assessments and math lab, could be curtailed.

"Those aren't required, but they keep people in school," she said.

The targeted state cuts also reduced by nearly two-thirds the funding for a Cabrillo program called matriculation. It helps students with applications, assessment, counseling and future plans.

Another set of programs geared toward helping poor students with bus vouchers, book loans and other aid to stay in school will have its budget cut by a third. "These are our most vulnerable students," Regalado said.

The student senate will host a campus meeting with Assemblyman Bill Monning, D-Carmel, at 3 p.m. Sept. 24 to discuss the budget cuts. The meeting will be in Student Activities Center West, Room 202.