Community college enrollment increases due to state budget crunch, among other factors

BARSTOW • Student enrollment is on the rise at Barstow Community College, according to college officials.

Currently, student enrollment for the spring 2009 term is up 20 percent from last spring, according to Heather Porter, BCC admissions records and financial aid manager. Overall enrollment increased by 10 percent for the 2007-08 school year compared to 2006-07.

Officials attribute the increase to several different factors, including state budget cuts that make it harder to get into four-year schools in California, as well as an overall flagging economy.

"It's been a combination of things," said Curt Mitchell, vice president of administrative services at BCC.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's recently released budget for 2009-10 listed funding cuts to help close the budget gap, including cutting funding for the University of California colleges by $65.5 million, according to the UC president's memorandum to UC regents and chancellors.

California State University schools said that they would be forced to slash enrollment by 10,000 for the 2009-10 school year due to the state's fiscal crisis.

Michelle Lopez, a counselor at Barstow High School who advises 11th grade students and is also a part-time evening counselor at BCC, said the increasing difficulty of getting into California schools has some college-bound students worried.

"My students aren't sure they'll have a seat at a UC or CSU," said Lopez.

Lopez said she's seen a growing number of students deciding to take college credits even before graduating from high school.

A growing number of high school students are using the opportunity to take up to 10 tuition-free credits at the college to get a jump start on fulfilling general education requirements, Lopez said, allowing some to transfer to four-year universities as third year college students upon receiving their high school diploma.

"It's helping them start even now," she said.

Out of the 1,700 students at BHS, Lopez estimated about 200 are also taking classes at BCC.

The overall economy is taking a swipe at four-year university enrollment as well.

Lopez noted that community college is simply becoming a more affordable option for many families.

Mitchell agreed:

"With the economy being the way it is, people come back to school to receive additional [job relevant] training," he said.

Barstow Community College is one of 110 California community colleges that serve 2.6 million students each year, according to the state community college Web site.

Teresa Healy, assistant superintendent of educational services for Barstow Unified School District, said she expects the full effect of the California state school cuts to reach Barstow's college-bound seniors in the spring.

"We'll see it when the acceptance letters come back," Healy said.

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