Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's plan to shift thousands of freshmen from four-year universities to community colleges next year could benefit Hartnell College students by ensuring them deferred admission to the four-year schools, some say.

Under the governor's proposal, more students would attend relatively low-cost community colleges before taking guaranteed admission to a University of California or California State University campus for their junior and senior years.

But while community college tuition would be waived for newly enrolled students starting next fall, continuing students will face higher bills, with fees increasing from $18 a unit this year to $26 per unit. For students who already have a four-year degree, tuition would cost $50 a unit.

"That is going to have a major impact on Hartnell College, especially with our population of 53 percent Hispanic students, many of whom are farm workers and children of farm workers," said Sallie Savage, director of human relations at the Salinas community college.

Hartnell Community College board trustee Steve McShane said the plan could make students who want to go directly to four-year colleges seek out-of-state alternatives, but that Schwarzenegger's plan also offers a "powerful incentive" to students of limited means.

"College is expensive and this would allow students on the borderline (financially) from having to incur the additional expense for going away to stay home," McShane said.

The state would save money on the deal, but administration officials said it's also part of an effort to make the education system seamless.

Schwarzenegger's plan calls for reducing enrollment at UC and CSU by 10 percent each from this year's levels, which totals about 7,400 students for the two systems.

Then for those students who are eligible for the four-year schools but turned away because of the cuts, the governor's plan would waive their fees if they attend community college.

If they agree, they would be assured of admission to UC or CSU when they complete their two-year community college work, assuming they meet the four-year admission standards.

For the schools, it would mean a little more money for community colleges but less for universities, at least in 2004-05.

The governor proposed increasing state General Fund support for schools from $2.37 billion to $2.64 billion. The total budget proposed for 2004-05 is $6.87 billion, which also includes property taxes, federal, lottery and other funds.

Christopher Luna, 23, who is in his second year at Hartnell, said the governor's plan wouldn't have much effect on him, because he will not benefit from the fee waiver.

But he thinks the governor's plan will help students who have limited funds.

"I personally have friends who went away after (high) school and accrued substantial debt," he said. "This will give an opportunity to someone who might not necessarily afford college to go to a better school if they make a two-year sacrifice" by going to community college first.

The governor's budget includes $1.6 million for UC counselors to work with these students.

"It's just an incentive for them to take that path," said Robert Turnage, the state community college system's vice chancellor for finances and facilities.

But he and others said there are unanswered questions about this proposal. They include the number of students who might participate; the fairness of waiving fees for a new high school graduate, for example, while a single mother is paying them, and how it would affect the longstanding program for students transferring from community colleges to the public universities.

Despite the questions, state Education Secretary Richard Riordan said the governor wants this to be a permanent program as part of the larger effort to improve the mobility of students through the system.

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WHAT IT MEANS
Under a proposal by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, community college tuition would increase from $18 a unit this year to $26 per unit. For students who already have a four-year degree, tuition would cost $50 a unit.