Spring 2015
Committee:
Legislative Affairs Committee
Whereas, there is a unknown yet substantial amount of students across the state that are facing or experiencing homelessness or a financial crisis while attending courses in the California Community College system that may drop, fail, or withdraw from classes in an attempt to rectify their situation,
Whereas, it is in the best financial interest of the student, the state government, and the federal government that a student receiving scholarships, the Board of Governors Fee Waiver and/or Federal Financial Aid Grants complete their coursework in the recommended amount of time as well as to produce higher educated workforce that will, over their lifetime, earn and proportionally pay more into state and federal tax system, strengthening infrastructure across the state,
Whereas, students experiencing a housing/financial crisis are more likely to pursue basic and fundamental support such as finding showers, finding food, securing storage, etc. rather than focusing on their coursework thus failing, dropping, or withdrawing from coursework, potentially wasting their time and money as well as the money of the government, and
Whereas, Community Colleges use funds received through tuition and fees drawn from enrolled students to fund programs, courses, and facilities throughout the campus as deemed necessary by the college, however a student may be denied access to these facilities since they are not enrolled in coursework requiring said facilities (such as being denied access to showers and lockers since they are not enrolled in a physical education department course).
Let it be resolved, that the Student Senate for California Community Colleges advocate for an emergency support program facilitated by Extended Opportunities Programs and Services (EOPS) that would allow any students enrolled in a California Community College facing a financial/housing crisis the opportunity to shower in locker room facilities maintained by that college without the requirement of enrollment in additional coursework,
Resolved, that the Student Senate for California Community Colleges work with California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office to create an intake process for said program that will be implemented and facilitated by EOPS departments requiring students enrolled in said program to sign a Conduct and Liability contract as well as provide enrolled students with community resource information,
Resolved, that said program will cover access to shower facilities for current semester only and students will be required to make progress toward their educational goals while maintaining enrollment throughout the semester (verified by EOPS through student progress reports), and
Resolved, said program will record and provide limited data (in compliance with FERPA) on the number of students utilizing this program, the grades they received and the cost analysis for facility usage.
Whereas, it is in the best financial interest of the student, the state government, and the federal government that a student receiving scholarships, the Board of Governors Fee Waiver and/or Federal Financial Aid Grants complete their coursework in the recommended amount of time as well as to produce higher educated workforce that will, over their lifetime, earn and proportionally pay more into state and federal tax system, strengthening infrastructure across the state,
Whereas, students experiencing a housing/financial crisis are more likely to pursue basic and fundamental support such as finding showers, finding food, securing storage, etc. rather than focusing on their coursework thus failing, dropping, or withdrawing from coursework, potentially wasting their time and money as well as the money of the government, and
Whereas, Community Colleges use funds received through tuition and fees drawn from enrolled students to fund programs, courses, and facilities throughout the campus as deemed necessary by the college, however a student may be denied access to these facilities since they are not enrolled in coursework requiring said facilities (such as being denied access to showers and lockers since they are not enrolled in a physical education department course).
Let it be resolved, that the Student Senate for California Community Colleges advocate for an emergency support program facilitated by Extended Opportunities Programs and Services (EOPS) that would allow any students enrolled in a California Community College facing a financial/housing crisis the opportunity to shower in locker room facilities maintained by that college without the requirement of enrollment in additional coursework,
Resolved, that the Student Senate for California Community Colleges work with California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office to create an intake process for said program that will be implemented and facilitated by EOPS departments requiring students enrolled in said program to sign a Conduct and Liability contract as well as provide enrolled students with community resource information,
Resolved, that said program will cover access to shower facilities for current semester only and students will be required to make progress toward their educational goals while maintaining enrollment throughout the semester (verified by EOPS through student progress reports), and
Resolved, said program will record and provide limited data (in compliance with FERPA) on the number of students utilizing this program, the grades they received and the cost analysis for facility usage.