When Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger unveiled his budget proposals
this week for the 2006-2007 fiscal year, many in the University of
California community were pleased to find funding to counteract
rising student fees.
But others were disheartened to find that it did not include
funding for the Academic Preparation Programs or the UC Labor
Centers for the second year in a row.
The UCLA Center for Labor Research and Education, formed in
1964, provides resources for students to learn about unions and
workers. The UCLA Labor Center in downtown Los Angeles opened in
2002.
The Academic Preparation Programs are community-outreach
programs that prepare students from economically disadvantaged and
low-income backgrounds to attend universities, according to the
UC’s Web site. Programs under this umbrella include UCLA
Early Academic Outreach Programs, the Center for Community College
Partnerships and the Medical School Outreach program.
Ruth Obel-Jorgensen, organizing director of the UC Student
Association, said the organization will hold a lobby conference in
February, during which they hope to persuade the Legislature to
support the distribution of funds to these institutes.
“Power is in the Legislature and because of that a lot of
lobbying will be done. We are obviously very concerned about this
because it limits accessibility to higher education,” she
said.
She also said more students across the state would be educated
on the issue in order to rally support for the cause.
“And of course, there’s education on the campus that
needs to be done. … The more students we have going to the
Capitol for this cause, the more powerful we are. We need to
educate the campus about why these programs are important and
provide them with an outlet to have their voices heard,” she
said.
H.D. Palmer, a spokesperson for the Department of Finance in
Sacramento, said last spring that the decision to cut funds to the
Labor Center reflects no ideological slant, but rather an attempt
to resolve the state’s budget problems.
As the California economy has been struggling in the past
several years, funding for programs and institutes across the state
has been reduced. Within the UC, the Labor Center has been one area
that has seen a particularly sharp decrease in funding in that
time.
Funding cuts to the Labor Center and Academic Preparation
Programs also come in a year when other areas, such as K-12
education, have seen more money than in the last few years.
Kent Wong, director of the UCLA Labor Center, believes that the
lack of funding for the center is unfair and is a reflection of the
governor’s ideology.
“The governor has acted in a very unprincipled way by
reaching into the university budget and eliminating a program just
because he doesn’t like the research and education activities
that we’re involved in. It sets a very dangerous precedent
for abusive authority on the part of the governor,” he
said.
Janina Montero, vice chancellor of student affairs, said she is
“tremendously disappointed” by the lack of funding for
the Academic Preparation Programs.
“We are hoping the end result will be the same as the last
year or two. … Our programs are strong and we have good
connections to the community and the Legislature,” she
said.
Students who have participated in the programs also expressed
their dismay at the lack of funding.
“I think it’s absurd that there isn’t enough
funding for a program that helps students overcome their personal
difficulties to embrace something as important and noteworthy as a
college education,” said Stephanie Sartori, first-year
student and former participant in the Academic Preparation
Programs.
Jae Pee, a student in the Work, Labor and Social Justice G.E.
cluster, said the lack of funding for these centers would have
repercussions on the local community.
Wong also believes there is a “different political climate
now in California,” and that Schwarzenegger’s defeat in
the November special election has caused him to “(change) his
tone.” He said pressure from state representatives could help
restore funding for the labor centers and Academic Preparation
Programs.
“He is much more conciliatory and now he is trying to make
amends by negotiating with the state’s legislators for a
change,” he said.