Voices of the budget crises

San Diego City College instructor Jim Miller collected letters from students, parents and teachers about how budget cuts have impacted their lives. Here is the fifth installment in an occasional series that will share their stories.

DAVID PATACSIL, Student at SDCC

The recent budget crisis in California has affected not only me, but everyone I know in one way or another. Throughout 2008 to 2009, when the budget cuts were really starting to take effect, I found that reality was relentless and unforgiving. At the end of 2008 both my mother and brother, who work as teachers, received pink slips, along with thousands of other teachers across California. Several of my friends and acquaintances who were either starting off their college career or in midway of it, were in the midst of economic decline with increasing classroom size, fees, and decreasing amount of classes offered for their major. Now, at the start of a new decade, things still look bleak. Classes are still full. Increasing fees are especially harsh for those who are unemployed. I’m currently praying for a miracle that I will be accepted at a UC, even though many UCs and CSUs have cut back enrollment drastically. I know there are ways of fixing this crisis that is putting pressure among countless peers, but until the powers that be lay down some regulation and ethical practices for the people of California and the U.S. in general, I feel that this may be ongoing. Perseverance is my strongest ally in this time of uncertain future.

MICHELLE NUNEZ, Student at SDCC

Education is freedom. I believe that it is a privilege that should be accessible to all races, genders, ages, and societies. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case in the current reality. Today we are limited and don’t have this freedom which we are entitled to. We are being restricted. Education is what makes us a better person, makes us competitive and sets us on a good path out in this world. Education makes us grow as a whole. Personally, I have been affected by our current budget cuts and feel deprived of my education. My book grants have been denied and eliminated this semester. This came as a surprise to me since I had always been given this aid, for the past 3 yrs here at City College. This semester the government took away $400, which was what I used to buy the many books required each semester. Frankly, I struggled very much to finally buy them , a total of nine books which came to about $450 out of my humble pocket. What’s worse is that I was notified just weeks before the beginning of the semester and this just resulted in more pressure and stress within me.

VINCE CECCACCI, DSPS Counselor at SDCC

Since Fall Semester started we have cancelled 3 DSPS (Special ED) Learning Disability classes an laid off an hourly learning disability instructor. For this Spring Semester a fourth LD class was canceled, and the "HI-Tech Center for Accessible Computers" Lab has had its hours cut by 25 percent. Test proctoring services have been reduced by more than 50 percent. All these cuts have severely diminished the resources for more than 1,000 students with disabilities we severe each year. Three staff members are retiring early, including myself, to prevent another $200,000 department budget cut. The district wants another $30,000 budget cut by June 1, so the hourly part-time deaf specialist will not return after May 31. Needless to say this is devastating the DSPS services for the students who need and require those services. Feel free to use any of these facts, and good luck on your March.

LETICIA SANCHEZ, Student at SDCC

My name is Leticia Sanchez and I have been forced even before the budget cuts were more profound to move to a different school because I can’t pay the tuition fees and the price of the books. I used to attend SDSU, and now I have to come to City College and save money because the fees were raised and classes were cut. I can’t really even go out and have fun because I have to work endless hours. At the end of the day I have trouble sleeping just thinking that I might not have money the next day to put gas in my car or even eat. Last semester the financial aid office said I did not qualify to receive funds and I was practically in tears and the director said that he would check it again and thankfully he then told me he processed it again and now I could get aid. Basically all these past 2 years have been so stressful with school and it causes me to get sick, I even got H1N1 during thanksgiving last year but thankfully I am here and I am hanging on until all of these problems get better.

JULIE LONG, Student at SDCC

My name is Julie Long and I'm 42. I'm a single parent of two (they're grown now) and I've been working towards a college degree since I had my daughter when I was 19. There were times that I worked two jobs, took classes, and raised my kids...at the same time. I finally have the ability to attend college full time so I registered for six classes. I had to waitlist for every single one. I made it into five out of the six and consider myself lucky. I was the last person to get into one of the classes I'm in, and in all of them I saw so many others turned away because the classes were too full.

SAMMIE SCALES, Student at SDCC

My name is Sammie Scales, and I live in San Diego, California and attend San Diego City College. I am a single father raising my 16-year-old son. I will be the first in my family to graduate from college with a degree. I would not be able to do it without the assistance of city’s support system, from the professors to the tutoring center. With the looming threats to aid for students it will be next to impossible for someone in my situation finish school. With the budget cuts, classes have been very hard to get into and are over-sized with students scrambling for classes. I’m willing to say that those recommending budget cuts have already gotten their education. The cuts that are suggested will not only affect me but my son as well as it sucks the few pennies out of our household. I urge you, please do not do any further damage to Californians who are just trying to make a better life for our families. I do understand the crisis but please understand what struggles the students, professors and staff at the many schools are having.

SARAH VILLEGAS, Student at SDCC

I don’t have children; I’m just a regular college kid with a part time job to support myself and my education. You know, pretty much everyone else. But let me tell you a bit more about my academic past: I used to go to a private four-year university. I was two semesters away from graduation when the recession hit, and halfway through the semester I was informed that my financial aid from the school was revoked. They had to save themselves first. I was allowed to finish the semester owing “only $15,000.” Having nowhere else to go, I had to come back home, and go to community college since I can’t transfer until I pay back my old school. I don’t dislike it, and I do think that right now the fees are fair. But I can’t afford it. Not when I have things like rent, and the fact that I pay a monthly bill to my old school as well. But I cannot, and will not quit. I’ve been in college for roughly six years, without a degree to show for it. I have nothing to show for it, and if the fees keep rising, it’ll stay that way.