More financial aid will be needed if SMC fee hike goes through
The cost of earning a two-year degree here is on the rise.
If tuition rates are hiked as expected, international students can expect to pay nearly $12,000 to graduate from Santa Monica College. Meanwhile, out-of-staters could pay as much as $10,500 and locals $1,560.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has proposed an $8-per-unit fee hike at all 108 community colleges in California next year. The increase, which comes on the heels of a $7 jump this year, would make each semester unit cost $26 for locals, $175 for out-of-staters and $197 for international students.
“We don’t have any control over it,” said Don Girard, director of marketing for SMC. He added that students with a bachelor’s degree will pay $50 per unit for most classes under Schwarzenegger’s proposal. “We’re beefing up our financial aid office so we can get our students the money they need.”
“We don’t have any control over it.” — – DON GIRARD Director of marketing, SMC
But Girard said even with all the fees factored in, SMC students are still getting a good deal. Even in 2001, studying for two years at a University of California school cost international students $45,000 — and at a private school that figure jumps to $55,000, Girard said. Those figures have surely risen, he added.
Just last year, semester units at SMC cost locals $11. But because of the shortfall in funding from Sacramento, that price was raised to $18. The suggested $26 rate is a part of Schwarzenegger’s proposed budget for next year and likely will be discussed before the budget is adopted this summer.
To transfer to a four-year university or college, students must have a total of 60 units. On average, transferable classes are three units per semester and lab classes count for one or two units. Students from out of state can apply for the lower rate after living in California for one year.
Teacher and student groups have complained that the rising cost of attending SMC — coupled with the loss of six academic programs this year — has gentrified the 26,000-plus student population. They accused president Piedad F. Robertson of acting too quickly to cut the popular automotive program, among others, and thereby disproportionately affecting minority and male students, they said.
College officials have maintained throughout that they did their best with an unruly budget scenario — and hope to restore as many classes and programs as possible.
In the meantime, Kelly Hayes-Raitt, spokeswoman for a group called “86 the Trustees — Put the Community Back in our College” said that although Latinos make up 24 percent of the student body, they made up 40 percent of those majoring in the cut programs. And although males make up 42 percent of the total student body, 60 percent of those majoring in the cut programs were male. She added a hike in next year’s tuition will further target many students who are already struggling.
1D2,“The tuition hike is going to disproportionately affect lower-income students, especially when it gets piggy-backed on to last year’s tuition hike,” Hayes-Raitt said. “I hope our board of trustees can rise to the challenge and make it possible for lower income students to continue to come to Santa Monica College.”
Don Girard
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on February 2, 2004. Read the original PDF.