Once again, history is repeating itself with plans to increase the EC unit cost, not for non-degree students, but for students with a bachelor’s degree or higher, from $18 per unit to $50 a unit.

In 1992, history shows that the $50 fee for degree holders went into effect, but the fee was eliminated in 1996.

Vice president of administrative services Victor Hanson said that when the $50 went into place in 1992-93 the enrollment dropped to 24,327; and prior to its implementation it was 25,273.

Hanson said that it appears that there was some impact by the $50 fee during the period of time that it was in place.

“From our office, it appears that it will have an impact in the future as well, should it be put in place this coming school year,” Hanson said. “We would anticipate that we might lose some enrollment.”

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger asked for this proposal in his preliminary budget plan for 2004-05.

“First of all, it is not El Camino who decides what the fees will be,” business manager Pamela Fees said.

Fees said that this proposal was made in January but it is based on a number of assumptions and during the next couple of months those assumptions are going to be revisited; by May there could be more changes in the state budget.

“So right now, everybody is still analyzing whether or not it would go into effect,” Fees said. “But if we would say that based on the projections made in January everything stayed constant, it would go into effect this fall semester.”

Fees also said that if everything stayed the same with these assumptions, there could be a number of changes in the next couple of months.

“It’s not a guarantee that it’s going to happen, ” Fees said.

It is very likely that EC would not have any notice about any kind of fee increase until very close to fall registration, Fees said.

She is hoping that this would not happen again because it would make it inconvenient for many students.

If the proposal does go into effect, students who have a bachelor’s degree or higher like Terri Bouffiou, 50, will be affected in more ways than one.

“I think education is as important when you’re older as when you’re younger,” Bouffiou said. “If you have a B.A. already and you are going back to college, you are more focused.”

Bouffiou who has a master’s of business administration, has met people who have engineering degrees but are taking Spanish classes because they want to progress in their job.

“Likewise, there are health care workers who have a degree and are also taking Spanish because they want to do a better job in the community,” Bouffiou said. “Like me, because I want to do my job better.”

Bouffiou, who is in an executive development program for the postal service, is a communications manager. And in order for her to complete the program she has to take 15 college units.

“I’ve spent a lot of money getting educated; I believe in getting educated.” Bouffiou said.

“So I will spend what it costs, but not everybody has that luxury,” he said.

“I just don’t think it should be more expensive just because you already have a degree.”