<p>Oy vey.</p>
<p>Fee-hike</a> protesters pepper-sprayed at Santa Monica College | abc7.com</p>
<p>I read an article in my school’s paper about SMC’s proposed fee hike yesterday. It’s absolutely insane… apparently, they’re trying to get away with offering “extra” sections of certain classes when all of the other sections have filled up, and charge a higher rate of $200 per unit rather than $46 per unit for them. So basically, any GE class that students need to transfer will end up costing more than four times as much once the small number of sections available due to budget cuts inevitably fill up each semester. If SMC implements this, it will likely spread to many, if not all, of the CC’s. </p>
<p>How can they even think that this is legal? To offer extra classes to the highest bidder, so to speak? It’s sickening.</p>
<p>That’s what happens when California is broke.</p>
<p>I understand that this allows SMC to hire more more professors and offer more classes, but the plan kind of defeats the whole purpose of a community college. It’s supposed to be a place of equal-opportunity education – a place where any student, regardless of income bracket, race, religion, etc, can educate themselves. If they’re willing to divide students by how much money they make, what else are you they willing to do?</p>
<p>^^I guess close the community college?
Or raise the taxes to alleviate the funding into education.</p>
<p>From what I understand (and my boss is one of the people on the budget committee – mum’s the word), the Board of Trustees have, obviously, already given the green light for the private tuition summer program. The only thing they have left is to figure out the legal mumbo jumbo. If they can cross that bridge, then everything is set. That’s really their only obstacle right now.</p>
<p>The bigwigs at SMC also said that the extra costs are not going to the college, but directly to the state. Most of those costs are also going to the professor’s salary, materials, etc. so there is no profit for SMC.</p>
<p>If they’re a state funded institution, I don’t see how they can legally get away with setting their own fee prices like that. If all of the CC’s have to adhere to $46 per unit, then SMC has to as well. I foresee this getting very messy and ugly for SMC… I would not be surprised in the least if they get taken to court.</p>
<p>I am almost certain there is some loophole. I read that SMC set up some kind of foundation called SMC Transfer and Career something or other… I don’t know the facts for sure but I’m certain that the “foundation” is what is likely to make it “OK” maybe.</p>
<p>I just saw that on the news. I just walked by there today. I’m on campus late tomorrow, it will be interesting if another starts.</p>
<p>The proposal was in the NYT a few days ago. I posted the thread:
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/uc-transfers/1312889-2-year-college-squeezed-sets-2-tier-tuition-nyt.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/uc-transfers/1312889-2-year-college-squeezed-sets-2-tier-tuition-nyt.html</a></p>