The per unit enrollment fee is established/controlled by the State Legislature, NOT by MJC. The State Legislature recently approved a State budget revision that included a fee increase to $26 per unit for all California community colleges effective for the 2009 fall semester. While these fees are collected by the college, this money must be sent back to the state (minus a small percentage for processing). Therefore, the MJC budget is NOT directly enhanced by fee increases, as is sometimes assumed by students or the public. However, the State budget revision does specify that the money from this particular fee increase will be used for California community colleges rather than being dumped back into the state's general fund. It is also important for students to understand that while they may pay $26 per unit, this is NOT what it actually COSTS to provide the education they are receiving. The taxpayers of California significantly subsidize the cost of public education in the state for both K-12 and college education, including CSU, UC and community college educations (see FTES funding below).
The largest portion of MJC's state funding is determined by the college's number of Full Time Equivalent Students (FTES). The FTES number is not the same as the number of students attending MJC, but rather a formula based on a several of factors. MJC currently expects to finish the 2008-09 fiscal year with 15,794 FTES. Despite community colleges having the highest undergraduate enrollment, we are the lowest funded public education system per FTES in California. In 2007-08, funding per FTES at California Community Colleges was $5,891 as compared to $7,571for K-12, $12,293 for CSU and $18,508 for UC. Although this disparity in funding per FTES has improved in recent years, it still costs the state over twice the amount to educate a CSU student and more than triple to educate a UC student as compared to community colleges!
It is important note that community colleges are not funded the same way FTES for K-12 schools are funded. A K-12 school's FTES is the exact same thing a the number of students they have enrolled, not a formula. In stable financial years the state provides community colleges with funding for FTES growth up to a certain established limit. This growth funding is usually capped around 2% - 3%. If there are unused growth funds left at the end of the year, (due to some colleges not growing), then those colleges whose growth exceeded the established cap can apply for additional money to help cover this additional growth. However, with the economy in crisis, community colleges throughout California are experiencing growth and the state is offering NO growth money to community colleges for 2009-10. MJC grew by an estimated 4% in 2008 - 09, exceeding the 2% state growth cap, and leaving the college with an estimated 2% in unfunded growth. The additional 326 unfunded FTES equate roughly to $1.5 million in unfunded growth at MJC!
The new facilities construction and modernization projects scheduled at MJC over the next five years are funded through the Measure E Bond that was approved by voters in November 2004, as well as some earmarked "scheduled maintenance funds" from the State. These college facilities are needed more than ever with MJC's growing enrollment. The challenge that will be faced by the college and the district, as these projects are completed and come online, will be meeting the staffing needs to secure, service and maintain the new buildings.
