MESA Budget Update

For the first time in five years, the portion of MESA’s funds allocated through the University of California is included in the governor’s proposed 2008-09 state budget. However, MESA may be affected by the deep cuts that the governor has mandated for higher education institutions.

MESA’s UC funding is under a category called UC Student Academic Preparation and Educational Partnerships (SAPEP), comprised of over dozen programs administered by the University of California. Under SAPEP, MESA has been apportioned for $5.188 million in state funds, the same as the current year.

Funding for the individual MESA Community College Program (MCCP) campuses is allocated through the California Community College Chancellor’s Office. The Fund for Student Success category has remained intact and under this category, MCCP receives $2.4 million.

The governor has called for UC to make a 10 percent cut internally. At presstime, UC has not ruled out the possibility that it will include MESA in its funding reduction. MESA’s UC budget has been reduced by 53 percent since 2002 due to state budget cuts. It is also unclear if MCCP programs will be targeted by the California Community Colleges for cuts proposed by the governor for the system.

“We remain optimistic that MESA will weather through,” said Executive Director Oscar Porter. He noted that Governor Schwarzenegger recently announced a proposal to bring new engineers into California (see Director’s Column, page 2). According to the state’s Labor and Workforce Development Agency, California faces a shortfall of almost 40,000 engineers by 2014

“Given this critical situation faced by our state, the need for MESA is greater than ever,” said Porter. “I believe that an investment in MESA is necessary to meet California’s needs.”

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