In recent weeks, The Modesto Bee and other California newspapers have reported much about the state fiscal crisis and its effect on student entry into higher education. Sharply rising tuition and fees -- and shrinking class offerings -- mean less opportunity for qualified students to afford and access a college degree.

This may be part of a short-term solution to the state's dwindling resources, but it sets the stage for a long-term economic problem. Why? Statistically, we know that college graduates have more lucrative careers than nondegree holders. Fewer college graduates result in less tax revenue for the general fund.

Second, in our changing economy, California needs more workers who can think critically, who are familiar with information technology, who will be more productive by working "smarter" -- in other words, people who have had some college training.

The foregoing also refers to the more than 1 million students in California's community colleges. While the work these colleges do in preparing students for university education and training them for jobs is crucial to the future of this state, the two-year system is rarely acknowledged.

Even in a community like ours, which has historically supported and taken pride in its local college, few people are aware of how deeply the college affects the economic health of the community and how that impact is diminished when the state undergoes a fiscal crisis.

For example, in the last two years, 17 faculty members and more than 60 support personnel in our college district have retired and have not been replaced. Those 17 faculty members would have taught 85 to 90 class sections, each containing 30 to 65 students, depending on the discipline. Simple math tells us there were 3,400 class seats available in 2001 that were unavailable to students in 2003.

Let me give a specific example, one which goes to the heart of Modesto Junior College's mission.

The MJC agriculture division has a state and national reputation as "the best of its breed." Division instructors have had singular success in attracting students, retaining them and placing them in the work force.

This year, four ag instructors will retire. Only one will be replaced. What are the consequences? Due to the fiscal environment, it is unlikely the college will replace faculty in programs that have low enrollment and are therefore costly to operate. Usually, full-time replacements are hired for general education classes, which have a high student-to-teacher ratio, say a history class with 100 students.

This strategy makes fiscal sense. Does it make instructional sense? Because many technical education and agriculture classes stress a hands-on approach, class sizes are relatively small.

For example, construction technology is a program shared by the agriculture and technical education divisions. Each semester, 20 to 25 students are immersed in a 16-week program for six to eight hours a day, learning basic construction skills. The program's success can be measured by the job placement rate, currently 96 out of 120 students. Many of these students were inexperienced, unskilled and on welfare. Now, they are capable of holding a job and contributing to the economy.

One of its chief missions is work-force training. However, those programs are expensive to operate, and the college has other programs also needing support.

The Yosemite Community College District, which oversees MJC, is considering a general obligation bond for the November ballot. The bond would provide new work-force training facilities, upgrade existing labs and classrooms and, perhaps most importantly, secure the fiscal support necessary to stabilize programs like the one described here.

Community colleges are the gateway through which many unskilled and inexperienced people travel on their way to the work force. MJC should be able to make curriculum decisions based on fulfilling its instructional mission. With the help of the community in November, it may continue to do so.

Neumann is a trustee of the Yosemite Community College District and a retired faculty member from MJC.