Besides the budget crisis, the public should know a second storyline is unfolding at Delta College: the reshaping of the college’s mission without much reflection by faculty and staff.
The state budget crisis has become an opportunity to jettison support services for Delta’s most vulnerable students. This summer, the Economic Opportunity Programs and Services and Disabled Student Programs and Services suffered reductions of 31 percent because of cuts in state funding for the programs. Despite carrying over $10 million dollars from the most recent fiscal year, the college used none of that money to help students in these programs.
Although some funding has recently been restored, the college appears to be hedging on its commitment to ensure educational access to all students.
The current round of so-called “strategic” budget cuts have been focused on basic skills — reading, ESL, developmental writing — services for the college’s most vulnerable students.
Of course, judicious cuts to all programs are a financial necessity. However, balancing the budget by slashing these programs so deeply does a disservice to the majority of our students.
Roughly 38 percent of Delta’s students read at or below the sixth-grade level, and another 46 percent read between the sixth- and ninth-grade levels. Without a sound core of support services, many of our students won’t have a reasonable chance of success.
With more “strategic” cuts expected in the spring, the college will soon help many fewer students looking for an educational second chance.
• Sam Hatch is a San Joaquin Delta College faculty member.
Remember exactly who on the state board of education (and has #2 spot in Sacramento). When the State declared they would go insolvent what did they do. The Board of Education gave up the funding. Right? At least on paper they did.
Now pay close attention to how this shell game works. First, look at what happened just south of Sacramento. In other words right under your noses. Lodi and Tracy got NO Measure L money. None? Someone on the State Board of Education is playing a shell game with your money?
BLUE have to make the state of California appear not to be failing financially? Right? Remember this is a blue state, boys. And when Big Blue runs for Congress we wouldn't want a little thing like "insolvency" to pull the rug out from under 'em?
Now, would we.
The state budget crisis has become an opportunity to jettison support services for Delta’s most vulnerable students. This summer, the Economic Opportunity Programs and Services and Disabled Student Programs and Services suffered reductions of 31 percent because of cuts in state funding for the programs. Despite carrying over $10 million dollars from the most recent fiscal year, the college used none of that money to help students in these programs.
Just seems like things gets harder for the disabled!
Temporarily disabled!
CN
CN
Shouldn't high schools graduate students with a 12th grade reading level instead of having Delta and other places of "higher learning" teaching students remedial skills they should already have? Maybe I'm looking at this too simplistically.
All I know is when I graduated in 1974 my classmates and I were expected to have 12th grade skill levels or we didn't graduate. And..... if you hadn't mastered these skills AND excelled at them (meaning got good/excellent grades), then you simply didn't get into college. It was a privilege to attend college and you worked your butt off throughout high school for a chance to be accepted into college.
Maybe we need to get back to the basics-- study hard, master the necessary skills, graduate with good grades, go to college. It worked once upon a time!