SB 1143 Discussion Board

 The proposed legislation will add:
The fee requirements … shall be waived for any student who:

• identifies a degree, certificate, transfer, or career advancement goal,
• meets academic and progress standards, including a maximum unit cap, as defined by the Board of Governors,

Under current rules students may receive fee waivers for any educational objectives, including “formulate career interest,” or “educational development.” The proposed legislation does not permit such students to receive fee waivers.
Under Education Code §70901(A) of the Education Code and Title 5 Regulation §55033, all students who do not meet standards of academic progress standards are subject to being placed on probation and dismissed.  The proposed legislation directs the Board of Governors to specify additional criteria to be met by students receiving BOG fee waivers.
 In current law, there is no maximum unit cap for any student.
 The proposals will put additional requirements on students applying for fee waivers that are not asked of students who can afford to pay fees.
 There are few more facts that we need to consider to understand the actual consequences of this proposal.
 1) California residents who pay fees are subsidized, that is, the fee doesn’t cover the full cost of instruction. So fee-paying Californians will continue to be subsidized for taking courses to “formulate career interest,” or “educational development” or any goal, not just the goals listed in the proposed legislation. Fee-paying Californians will continue to be subsidized beyond the unit cap or if they are not meeting academic progress but have not been dismissed.
2) The poorest students cannot enroll in classes without fee waivers with the result that these students will be denied access to classes when their fee waiver is denied.
3) Putting together 1 and 2, we see that this proposal will definitely result in the following situation. Student A and student B both want to take a class to formulate career interests. Student A is well off, he will enroll in the class, pay fees, and California taxpayers will subsidize the cost. Student B is indigent. Student B’s request for a fee waiver will be denied. Student B cannot pay the fees herself (that’s why she applied for the fee waiver). Student B will not get the same opportunity that the taxpayers are subsidizing for Student A.
 On November 5, the ASCCC in plenary session resolved that the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges recognize that recommendation 3.2 (as of September 30, 2011) of the California Community Colleges Task Force on Student Success will have the same effect as establishing different academic policies for students based on their differing ability to pay fees; … and Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges oppose recommendations that establish different academic policies for students based on their differing abilities to pay. (07.03.2011)

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