Data is a definitive force when it comes to legislation, but when your legislation affects real people, what happens to the outliers?

Under AB 1705, non-transfer-level math and English courses have been eliminated in the hope that more, though not all, students will transfer or graduate faster. There may be data behind this claim,  but students are now expected to fit the data instead of being supported by it. AB 1705 is a bill that undermines the purpose of community colleges — to provide for all types of learners — by removing student and teacher autonomy, prioritizing transfer rate speed instead of learning, and limiting access to foundational courses. In prioritizing efficiency, AB 1705 disregards the complexity of the student body it affects.

California community colleges serve a diverse population from working parents and first-generation students to recent high school graduates and people thinking of changing careers. According to the textbook Governing California in the Twenty-First Century, “About 80 percent of California’s 3 million college students attend a University of California (UC), California State University (CSU), or community college campus, with 44 percent of the total attending community colleges” (Michelson et al. 7). California community colleges are cheaper, easier to enroll in, and, in general, just more accessible. All these qualities make community colleges the best option for people to start their journey in higher education. 

After over 30 years of attending my students' graduations, I recently had the profound honor of witnessing a commencement ceremony like no other. As my term as FACCC President was coming to an end, I was thrilled when the California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office extended an invitation to attend the Rising Scholars graduation at the California Rehabilitation Center, celebrating the achievements of incarcerated students from Norco College and other community colleges across the state.

On the day of the ceremony, we arrived hours early, leaving our phones behind in our cars. As I waited to enter the enclosed yard where the outdoor event would be held, I met dedicated faculty who had made the long drive from colleges like Palo Verde to support their Rising Scholar students. 

A perspective I have adopted is a line from one of my favorite artists, Supaman, that “Everything traditional was once brand new”. Growing up, the thought of empowering California Community College faculty never crossed my mind, and if you had told me I would be doing so in the future, I likely would have laughed at you. Having no belief that I could one day attend college, I whole-heartedly posited that college was not for people like me. Although a few relatives of mine have attended four-year universities, neither of my parents have and I assumed that I would follow in their steps. As a teenager, I attended five different high schools and had no aspirations to pursue higher education, let alone earn my GED. Prior to enrolling at Sierra College, I worked as a night-shift caregiver and provided care to an in-home patient, often working over 100 hours a week. I am proud of the work I did and know that I made meaningful contributions to people’s livelihoods, but it came with a cost. 

I often slept only two hours a day and stayed up for 48-hour stretches. The implications of my work became increasingly more pronounced, leading me to question if it was sustainable. One morning after working a twelve-hour shift, I took my car into the shop to have it serviced. While waiting, I struck up a conversation with a man next to me. We discovered that we had the same name, were both Native American (although from different tribes), and had many common interests. We hit it off and soon became friends, having conversations often. In one of our exchanges, he mentioned he attended Sierra College and encouraged me to consider enrolling. I laughed and told him that college was not a place for people like us. Despite my skepticism, he insisted that I should look into attending, sharing that there was a support program for Native American students. Although unconvinced, I cared deeply about what he said and held on to his suggestion.

On March 7, 2024, hundreds of faculty, students, and community members marched through Sacramento to demand a more just and equitable education system in California's Community Colleges.  In preparation for the march, dozens of dedicated employees worked tirelessly to obtain approval and coordinate its organization. I collaborated with AFT 1521 student-interns to speak in several sociology classes to engage students and encourage their participation. For me, this event began in the early hours of the 7th, when I met with over one hundred students and faculty at Burbank Airport before traveling to Sacramento. I was thoroughly impressed by the AFT 1521 student-interns who took charge right away in the morning, handing out boarding passes and shirts to everyone before we went through security.