MORE ON: community colleges

California's community college districts spend tens of millions of dollars on administrative positions that could be consolidated or shared by districts a short drive away, even as budget shortfalls have forced reductions in core academic functions. + read more

If some of California’s 72 community college districts could consolidate their bureaucracies, millions of dollars could be saved and redirected to pay for additional class sections and student services. + read more

To get a better idea of possible savings that could be achieved by consolidating executives at geographically close community college districts, we chose to dig in deeper on a group of 16 districts.  + read more

Cash-strapped colleges seem to take every opportunity to rustle up funding from donors for naming rights – College of the Desert recently named two buildings after two different donors, and City College of San Francisco even attempted in 2009 to get donors to sponsor individual classes. ... + read more

A small but growing number of California community colleges have stopped participating in the federal loan program, cutting off these borrowing options for students out of fear that rising student loan default rates could lead to sanctions. Some 16 colleges have stopped disbursing the loans,... + read more

The accreditation commission that has threatened to sanction City College of San Francisco has cited the fact that 92 percent of the college’s spending goes to salaries and benefits as a main factor in its financial problems – and community college district officials attribute the high... + read more

As constrained budgets and course cuts have made it harder for many students to get the classes they need, the California Community Colleges are taking further steps toward rationing course offerings and focusing resources on students who are pursuing degrees, certificates, transfer or career goals... + read more