State Sen. Alan Lowenthal discussed concerns and suggestions about the current educational crisis with California’s community, state college and university systems with students, faculty and staff during a town hall meeting on Thursday at The Nugget Pub & Grill.
The meeting was called “Policy on Tap.”
“It is always great when you can have a legislator come in,” political science graduate student Donnie Bessom said. “Because we don’t know what’s going to happen.”
Among the many student concerns, those ranging from vocational training opportunities to student debt, budget cuts and program cuts were among the most discussed.
Lowenthal, who serves as chair of the Senate Education Committee, acknowledged the feelings of discontent many students and educators have toward the government.
“We can sit in Sacramento and read about what teachers and students need,” he said. “But that’s no replacement for hearing directly from our constituencies, for talking one-on-one and hearing individuals express their concerns.”
These concerns are particularly due to California’s $9 billion deficit, which has resulted in major cuts in the educational system.
In the CSU system, for example, there has been a 26 percent budget cut within the last four years, reducing state funding from $3 billion in 2008 to $2 billion this year.
As a consequence, programs have had cuts.
“The Cal Works Program has experienced a 12 percent budget cut within the last five years and we’ve seen a 110 percent increase in homelessness in the Los Angeles county alone,” women’s studies major Michelle Marino said. “That’s just single mothers and children. That is scary, considering that I am a single mother.”
As a solution, Lowenthal endorsed a tax initiative suggested by the governor of California.
Lowenthal said if the initiative passes in November, there would be no budget cuts for the incoming year.
However, if the tax initiative is not passed, the educational system can expect further cuts.
As stated by Lowenthal, the CSU and UC systems can expect to receive a $200 million cut if the initiative is not passed.
The community college system would take a $400 million cut, and the K-12 system $4 billion.
If such cuts are enacted, Cal State Long Beach will freeze spring 2013 admissions.
The educational system as a whole will experience a cut down of classes and hundreds of teachers in every district of the K-12 system will be eliminated, according to Lowenthal.
“General tax payers have to pay for higher education,” Lowenthal said. “If not, we will have to change the standards.”