With a two-tier plan at Santa Monica City College possibly being implemented, students on campus are worried that EC will follow if it is approved.
The two-tier proposal would offer certain high-demand classes for a higher price when the regular classes have filled up.
The estimated cost will be $200 per unit for the two-tier plan. Community college students currently pay $36 per unit and students will see a rise in unit fees from $36 to $46 this summer.
Joshua Casper, EC student trustee, said that at the time, no such plans seem to be in the works.
“President (Tom) Fallo is very fiscally savvy, so that might be an option he might like, but he’s also going to make sure it’s a legal option before he does anything like that, so I think until that issue is resolved, I don’t see it happening here” Casper said.
Many students at EC are outraged by the possibility of such classes, which is said to be a step toward privatization of our public education system and is viewed by many as inequitable, favoring certain students based on their economic status.
“To offer courses at a different price totally at the cost to the students, basically erodes the basic foundation of public education. Public education is supposed to be the great equalizer, something that’s accessible to one regardless of economic status,” Robert Dewitz, a psychology and American Sign Language major, said
EC students worry that if SMC does successfully implement this plan,
it opens the possibility that EC might follow suit.
“The problem is that they may try to do it (at EC),” Ed Keenan, psychology major, said. “They’re issuing the same type of complaints as they were issuing in Santa Monica—they don’t have enough money, they want to cut winter quarter, the teacher’s union is asking for too much money.”
Some students have began voicing their opinion on the subject, emailing the board of trustees.
“I voiced the opinion in an email to the trustees that it would be a very bad idea,” Andy Bradford, geography major, said.
Bradford heard of the two-tier classes from trustee William Beverly and trustee Ray Gen, and neither seemed to be in support, he said.
“I think (the board of trustees) has looked at it, and said it wouldn’t be legal, and wouldn’t be a good idea,” Bradford said.
The nonprofit classes would be made available to students after the state-funded classes are full, and would feature in-demand classes, such as English or math, that are required for many students to transfer to a four-year institution.
The decision to create higher-cost classes was based on student need.
This is a temporary solution for students who are unable to get into courses in which they need to transfer to a four-year institution. This plan has been met with a lot of opposition.
However, students and educational experts have “questioned the legality, equity and practicality of the plan,” the L.A. Times reported.
Student’s like Kenji Donville, 22, film major said that although this proposal will give students another option to enroll in classes, it is costly and doensn’t think that students can afford them.
“I don’t think it’s a very good idea, a lot of us have a hard time as it is affording a regular priced class so if you have something that is more expensive,” Donville said.
With the recent announcement of CSU’s freezing enrollment, other students think there is no point in even proposing this as they won’t have anywhere to transfer to.
“It wouldn’t be beneficial, you have to wait (to transfer) anyway so you might as well just wait,” Diana Toledo, 22, dance major said.
