GCC’s Dean of Student Services Jewel Price, recently appointed to the Association of California Community College Administrators (ACCCA) in June of 2004, would “like to see students pay less” at Glendale College.

Having applied voluntarily and then being appointed by ACCCA’s board, Price is new to the association. Attending only a few meetings thus far, her role on the board is to give perspective on community college student services to the association for all of California.

As an elected member, Price will be given an opportunity to build upon her administrative skills, which she will then be able to use at GCC.
The association holds events for its board members including annual conferences, budget workshops, short-term administrative courses and mentor programs.

By being a member of ACCCA Price will be working with fellow board members to improve community colleges throughout California.

ACCCA is the premier association for community college administrators. It provides leadership development to administrators and advocates public policy and legislation for the benefit of all 108 California community colleges.

Having 30 years of experience in student services, Price supervises the matriculation of academic counseling, international students, student employment services, the transfer center, the career center, and the adult re-entry center at GCC “I manage the budget [and] personnel evaluation,” said price.

Price’s position, for her three-year elected term, is to address issues facing community colleges in California and then finding, with other board members, a solution to those problems. “It’s [problem solving] really for the benefit of California colleges,” said Price. “They [ACCCA] advocate for the position they feel is best,” Price said when commenting on the association’s purpose, “We have a lobbyist.”

Such issues that are brought to the attention of the organization are problems that arise in California colleges through budget cuts or major internal problems.

The organization’s board is a 16 to 18 member body in which members are elected by other board members for to three-year terms. “There are a series of meetings to attend throughout the year,” said Price.

The board includes members that represent positions found in a community college from presidential representatives as well as business and human services.

ACCCA is comprised of a culmination of different representatives. Each representative is in charge of giving feedback to the association about their field. Together, they are able to review all the different sectors that make up a community college, from business to presidents, and then go to work trying to find problems that can be fixed.

The Board operates on the recommendations of the executive that consists of, the president, president-elect, 2nd vice president and immediate past president.

The organization for administrators is also involved in the California legislature. This year it ensured that the 2004-05 budgets for community colleges kept its $80 million in equalization funds proposed by Schwarzenegger’s January 2004 state budget “It [ACCCA] watches reduction of fees and gives perspectives.”

The equalization bill set for 2004-08 will allow all colleges to receive equal funding per full-time student. Currently, all community colleges receive unequal amounts of funding.

The highest funded college district receives more than $8,000 per full-time student whereas the lowest funded district receives around $3,600.
When cuts are placed on colleges the decrease in funding per student for the higher budgeted districts versus the lower budgeted districts is not proportional.

Whereas the district with more money per full-time student will receive less of a cut in funding, those districts that already suffer from low funds, per full-time student, will have to suffer a far greater cut.
The money for the bill, supported by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, is carved out of the California State Budget.

According to ACCCA’s Web site, ACCCA’s future goals include the strengthening of internal processes by carrying out more efficient reports for the association, strengthening and clarifying advocacy efforts, and ensuring the development of effective California community college leaders.

To learn more about the association visit www.accca.com.