With the economy plummeting, it is obvious that students are feeling hopeless because they are going to college with the hopes of not having to struggle financially later in life, but they may lose this opportunity because of financial struggles now.

What’s worse is that programs that are needed and demanded the most are feeling the brunt of all of this.

The Honors Transfer Program, the Financial Aid Office and the First-Year Experience Program, all intended to help students succeed, cannot even attend to all the students in the program due to decreased hours.

Now, with no stimulus-related relief to come to EC or any community college, it is becoming increasingly difficult to build a sensible budget around a lack of money.

No doubt this will cause several student fees to go up in order to garner more revenue. This includes $31 in capital fees international students now have to pay.

While in one sense this is excusable because the money is being used to assist programs that are helpful to students, on a different level, it’s completely inexcusable to pull the much-needed funding out of students’ pockets.

For all we know, struggling students may decide to drop out, which will probably help the budget, but the programs will see a dearth in students, who are the reason these programs exist.

Perhaps EC should cut back on construction instead, as this depletes funding as well.

While it’s not to say that all construction should stop immediately, as there are some projects that are needed at the moment, but new projects that require money not given to the college through bonds or special measures should be delayed.

It’s true that programs with the most money could stand to be cut first, surely there are some programs that are not widely used that could take the cuts better than programs in which many students use.

EC, however, is not entirely to blame as the state of California is also at fault for putting off the task at hand and delaying the creation of an actual budget.

Not only that, but “previous generosity” toward community colleges is preventing EC from getting the funding and care it deserves, and taxes are going to go up to supposedly give back more.

All it means is that not only will students be stuck with financial burdens at school, but financial burdens at home as well.

This is why EC should stay diligent and, even though it is doing what it can, not give in when it comes to frivolous spending.

-See related article on Page 3