In an attempt to correct the state's huge fiscal problem, Gov. Gray Davis has suggested a significant increase in tuition for California's community colleges.

We expect that this increase in fees (from $11 a unit to as much as $24 a unit) will dramatically drop the number of students who attend community colleges. Based on history, the number of students who leave or do not enter the system could be as high as 200,000. Experience also shows that these students will primarily be Latino and African-American and the first in their families to attend college.

These are students who are starting on the path to college degrees or seeking vocational training to lead them to better paying jobs. In both cases, everyone wins when they receive that education. We know that earning a two-year degree will increase lifetime earnings to $1.5 million. Earning a bachelor's degree increases that figure to $1.9 million.

Almost half of all students who earn bachelor's degrees in California start at community colleges.

California has three higher education systems. Only two, the University of California and California State University systems, can raise their tuitions by a vote of their respective governing boards. The state Legislature determines the cost of attending local community colleges by setting the price per unit of instruction. This anomaly in public policy creates more problems than it solves.

When the UC and CSU higher education systems were faced with the pending budget shortfall this year, they responded by raising tuition immediately. They did this knowing that any increase in tuition and fees would remain within the CSU and UC systems.

Still waiting

The community colleges are still waiting for an increase that must be passed by California legislators. However, any increase for the community college system will become a part of the state's general fund, not the local community college budgets.

As a result of increased fees at CSUs and UCs, more of their students will turn to community colleges. This will come at a time when community colleges have been ordered to reduce their budgets by about 10%. Class offerings and other services have been significantly reduced.

How will these increases affect students?

Ironically, the students who are eligible to receive federal financial aid may not be adversely affected by the increase. The students who will most feel the pinch are those who have jobs and whose parents are middle-income wage earners.

The question remains -- on whose backs are we attempting to create more revenue for the state? The governor understands that creating barriers to education should be last on any agenda.

In difficult budget times, people flock to education. The education they receive helps the economy in the long run. Their earning power (and thus their taxpaying ability) is dramatically increased, and their demands on the state's welfare system are dramatically decreased.

We need to take a look at revising the way community colleges are funded. A small fee increase may be in order, but that increase should come directly to community colleges -- not be buried in a state budget. Balancing the state budget on the backs of students is not the answer.

Frank Gornick is chancellor of the West Hills Community College District.