Social, Political, and Legislation Trends Affecting PVCC

Jon Storslee, CIS Facultyjon.storslee@pvmail.maricopa.edu

Paul Dale, Vice President, Learning Support Servicespaul.dale@pvmail.maricopa.edu

Shirley Green, Dean of Studentsshirley.green@pvmail.maricopa.edu

Maricopa Demographics

Maricopa County Birth Rates, (Ages 15-44) 2000, Per 1000

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

Non-Minority

Minority

Maricopa County K-12 Student Enrollment 1999-2000

Minority42%

Non-Minority58%

Arizona Population: 2000-2040

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

4.5

2000 2005 2015 2025 2035 2040

Non-Minority

Minority

Mil

lio

ns

What does this mean to Maricopa?

• The county gained 700,000 new residents since the 2000 Census

• Reasons for growth include: weather, job opportunities, and cheaper housing

• Phoenix moved into fifth place ahead of Philadelphia as one of the nation’s most populous cities

What does this mean (cont’d) …

• Colleges in the areas with the largest growth need to keep up with educational demands of new residents– East Valley (Queen Creek, Gilbert,

Chandler)– West Valley (Avondale, Buckeye,

Goodyear, El Mirage)

Political Overview—Uh Oh!

• State Budget Deficit

• MCCCD in the News

• State Government Leadership

Education Legislation

House Passes H.R. 3043• House passed its Labor, Health and Human Services,

and Education spending bill (HR3043)– Significant funding for student financial assistance programs– Raises Pell Grant maximum by $390 to $4,700– Increases funding for TRIO and GEAR UP programs– No Child Left Behind, adult education, international education,

Hispanic Serving Institutions, and Historically Black colleges and universities also received increased funding

• What does this mean to Maricopa?– Will increases in Pell Grant awards be sufficient?– How does legislation (i.e., No Child Left Behind) impact financial

aid opportunities for Maricopa students?

America’s Partnership for Nursing Education Act of 2007

• Bill would increase the number of nursing instructors at US colleges and universities

• Would provide at least $2 million per year to increase nursing instruction

• What does this mean to Maricopa?– The bill would use state and federal funds

to help staff nursing school faculties.

Advanced Technological Education (ATE) Program

• Legislation passed would fund the ATE program at the Bush Administration’s requested level of $51.62 million

• What does this mean to Maricopa?– How will the increased funding impact

services for these programs?

Accreditation and Transfer Rules• Education Secretary Margaret Spellings is drafting

rules which focus on accreditations and transfer• Legislators want the Secretary to refrain from

developing new regulations until the Higher Education Act is reauthorized

• Secretary Spellings counters that the process does not create new rules nor circumvent the legislative process

• What does this mean to Maricopa?– How could the proposed recommendations related to

transfer to four-year institutions and accreditation impact Maricopa?

MCCCD’s ACE Program

• Provision in an energy bill would provide $1 million to MCCCD’s ACE program

• A Representative opposes the earmark arguing that the funding proposal is attached to a bill that has nothing to do with education funding

• What does this mean to Maricopa?– There may be more scrutiny of the ACE program’s

effectiveness

State Oversight of Community Colleges

• 2007 Legislature debated whether to bring back a state agency to oversee Arizona’s community college districts (abolished 5 years ago)

• What does this mean to Maricopa?– It is unknown how an appointed state

board may balance the interests of large urban districts vs. small rural districts

Maricopa Government Bill Summary

• Budget: The JLBC and OSPB budgets recommended full funding for community colleges

• Dual enrollment: The bill passed with reporting changes, IGA template modifications, and modifications to admittance options

• Firearms bill: HB2457 provides that this state, a county, a city or town, or any other political subdivision of this state cannot prohibit an AZ POST certified peace officer from carrying a firearm

Immigration

Proposition 300

• Nearly 5,000 people in Arizona have been denied in-state college tuition, financial aid, and adult education classes

• What does this mean to Maricopa?– Some believe this proposition may negatively

impact MCCCD’s enrollment, FTSE, and specific programs

– What resources are needed to implement and maintain systems to comply with this legislation?

English Is Official Language

• A largely symbolic measure emphasizing the importance of learning English and conducting state business in that language

• What does this mean to Maricopa?– ESL programs may experience increased

enrollment as more people find it necessary to learn English

Immigration/Employer Sanctions

• This bill (signed by the Governor) now affects Maricopa only as an employer in this state by requiring the use of the Basic Pilot Program

Climate

Maricopa Scrutiny Continues

• Editorial depictions of the scrutiny Maricopa is under politically, publicly, socially, and legislatively continue

• Biased reporting showcasing faults of community colleges while distancing faults of university system

Summary

• Some populations adversely impacted by state legislation—impacts PVCC enrollment growth

• Opportunities with federal legislation

• State funding a concern

• Do more with less

• Higher levels of accountability and scrutiny