WHEREAS, On March 20, 2025, the current federal administration issued an Executive Order to eliminate the United States Department of Education (DOE), a move that threatens to dismantle a key institution responsible for administering federal financial aid programs such as Pell Grants, Federal Work-Study, and subsidized student loans which support hundreds of thousands of California Community College students [1];
WHEREAS, Eliminating the Department of Education would jeopardize the proper administration of funding for essential services and programs guaranteed by the Higher Education Act of 1965, including Title IV federal financial aid, TRIO programs [2], and student support services critical to community college students, particularly low-income, first-generation, undocumented, and minority students, further threatening enrollment and completion rates across California’s 116 community colleges and 1 non-credit college of continuing education [3];
WHEREAS, This proposal aligns with a broader pattern of policies at the federal level, aimed at reducing or withholding funding from educational institutions that support diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, undermining efforts to support historically marginalized students and directly contradicting California’s commitment to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion across the California Community College system [4]; and
WHEREAS, An erosion of federal support for education not only threatens the financial stability of California Community Colleges but also risks exacerbating existing educational inequities, reducing access to higher education for California’s most at-risk student populations, and impacting the state’s workforce development goals [5] and economic blueprint [6]; Now, therefore, let it be
RESOLVED, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges explore legal action or join existing legal efforts to oppose the closure of the United States Department of Education, and to report back to students at the next Advocacy Academy on its findings, recommendations, and any actions taken in defense of students’ access to federal educational resources;
RESOLVED, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges make reasonable efforts to engage in legislative visits with federal policymakers at least twice annually, once in the fall, and once in the spring, to advocate for the protection and expansion of federal financial aid and federal services critical to the success of California Community College students; and, let it be further,
Resolved, that the Student Senate for California Community Colleges will actively collaborate with national organizations engaged in federal advocacy for students, such as the United States Student Association (USSA) [7] and the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) [8], by attending and sponsoring their legislative conferences such as the USSA National Legislative Conference held annually in March [9], and the HACU Annual Capitol Forum held annually in April [10], to strengthen California Community College student voice at the federal level; and
RESOLVED, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges expand its organizational capacity to support expanded federal advocacy efforts, legislative outreach, and legal initiatives aimed at protecting federal aid and federal education resources for California Community College students, by creating new staff positions and hiring additional employees as needed.
Ctitations:
[1] Presidential Action: Executive Order to Close the U.S. Department of Education https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/03/improving-educa… powering-parents-states-and-communities/
[2] Federal TRIO Programs offered by the Department of Education - Background https://www.ed.gov/about/ed-offices/ope/trio#trio-programs
[3] Higher Education Act of 1965 https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/COMPS-765/pdf/COMPS-765.pdf
[4] U.S. Department of Education Launches “End DEI’ Portal https://www.ed.gov/about/news/press-release/us-department-of-education-… tal
[5] California Community Colleges - Strong Workforce Program
https://www.cccco.edu/About-Us/Chancellors-Office/Divisions/Workforce-a… pment/Strong-Workforce-Program
[6] California State Economic Blueprint
https://jobsfirst.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/Economic-Blueprint.pdf
[7] United States Student Association - Background https://usstudentassociation.org/about/history/
[8] Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities - Background https://www.hacu.net/hacu/hacu_101.asp
[9] United States Student Association - National Legislative Conference https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=20…
[10]Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities - Annual Capitol Forum https://www.hacu.net/hacu/Capitol_Forum3.asp