Meeting Notes - January 28, 2014
1) Approve the Notes from November 12, 2013
Watson reviewed the notes which were approved as read.
2) Review of Preliminary State Budget 2014-15
Governor's 2014-15 State Budget For Higher Education
CCC Chancellors Office Summary
Chancellor Thor's Budget Message
Watson shared a handout from the District Budget committee and reviewed the information.
State Chancellor Brice Harris calls the governor’s budget proposal the best in recent memory for community college students. This is good news for us as we continue to address our district’s anticipated structural deficit, projected at $5 million to $6 million for 2014-15. We face this ongoing challenge because of our enrollment declines.
We’ll keep you updated as we analyze what the governor’s budget proposal means for Foothill-De Anza. Meanwhile, here are some key line items affecting community colleges, including funding increases over the prior year:
- Proposition 98 guarantee – An 11.4% year-over-year increase, to $61.6 billion, in the K-14 minimum funding guarantee, plus $3.3 billion in one-time funds. Most of the one-time dollars would be used to pay down existing obligations from funding deferrals in previous years.
- Increased access – $155.2 million to increase student access, a 3% increase, with priority given to districts “identified as having the greatest unmet need in adequately serving their community’s higher education needs.”
- COLA – $48.5 million for a 0.86% statutory cost-of-living increase, which Vice Chancellor Kevin McElroy reports would bring approximately $1.4 million to Foothill-De Anza.
- Student success – $200 million for the Student Success and Support Program (formerly matriculation) and closing access and achievement gaps for underrepresented students. Additionally, the governor proposes reallocating up to 25% from select categorical programs to meet the needs of underrepresented students as identified in Student Equity Plans.
- Equipment & maintenance – $175 million split evenly between instructional equipment and deferred maintenance.
- Innovative education – $50 million in one-time funds to reward UC, CSU and community college campuses for using innovative higher education models that increase the number of students who earn bachelor’s degrees, increase the number of bachelor’s degrees earned within four years, and ease transfer through the state’s higher education system.
- Deferrals – $235.6 million to pay down funding deferrals plus $356.8 million in one-time monies for this purpose.
- Proposition 39 – $39 million for energy-efficient projects and workforce development.
Additional information and analysis can be found using these links:
Office of the Governor (press release) http://gov.ca.gov/home.php
California Department of Finance (budget documents)
Community College League of California (summary)
http://www.ccleague.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageID=3829
California Legislative Analyst’s Office (fiscal outlook) http://www.lao.ca.gov
The governor’s proposal is just the start of the state budget development process. Changes undoubtedly will occur over the next six months as the Legislature weighs in. It will be important for all members of our college community to engage in advocacy efforts supporting the governor’s budget as there will be pressure from many quarters to divert dollars to other priorities.
Quick News
DASB requested more information on how the Honors Program works at De Anza with a view to either expand or terminate funding for this program. Many other Colleges (Foothill & West Valley) have more robust Honors Programs with transfer agreements in place. The DASB would contact Rowena Tomaneng to discuss this matter.
Hieu Nguyen is moving to the new Online Education Initiative grants position
Sirisha Pingali is in the FHDA grants monitor position
Free tax service available organized by the Outreach Department.
Present: Bryant, Gerard, Goodwin, Mieso, Watson, DASB Student. Apologies from Jeanpierre & Cruz.