Colleges Again Seek Funds for Counseling

Community college officials are battling to revive a planned expansion of counseling programs in the wake of Gov. Gray Davis’ veto of more than $7 million earmarked for the purpose.

College leaders had requested the funds to expand Educational Opportunity Programs and Services, a 30-year-old community college academic counseling program and the largest aimed at disadvantaged students. They also sought to more than double the size of a student outreach program called Puente, which focuses on helping disadvantaged students transfer to four-year universities.

Davis vetoed additional funds for both programs, which serve a total of about 84,000 college students, on the grounds that their effectiveness had not been adequately shown, said Edward Gould, a state community college vice chancellor.

Although it is relatively unusual for colleges to resubmit budget requests after a veto, “this is one where the Legislature feels it has enough strength to be looked at again,” Gould said. A bill to restore the additional funds to the current budget will be considered in coming weeks.

A ratio of one counselor to 1,000 or more students is typical at many community colleges. The counseling program lowers that ratio for disadvantaged students to one counselor to several hundred students. It also issues grants for textbook purchases.