“Congratulations! You’ve just won the golden ticket!” Each year, thousands of golden ticket-shaped mailers are sent to residents within the West Valley Mission Community College District’s (WVMCCD) service area. The WVMCCD service area includes Saratoga, Los Gatos, Campbell, Alviso, and parts of San Jose and Sunnyvale.
The golden ticket refers to the free tuition offered by West Valley and Mission. Indeed, given the rising costs of tuition and other expenses such as housing, free tuition is, in fact, a golden ticket-worthy occasion.
The California College Promise Program is what allows West Valley to offer free tuition via the Community Grant for the first year and the Viking Promise Grant for the second year. Through this program, West Valley allocates funding to offer two years of free college to first-time students. While this is undoubtedly an important measure in removing barriers to access, it is not without its faults.
Currently, students must first pay tuition fees before being reimbursed. Because the state requires community colleges to charge $46 per unit, West Valley currently cannot directly waive tuition fees. Though West Valley boasts ample financial aid resources and skilled financial aid officers, bureaucratic hurdles at the statewide level often prolong the reimbursement process. Additionally, many students faced difficulties trying to navigate the FAFSA or CADAA, which is especially exacerbated for ESL students. Furthermore, the program is primarily meant for first year students coming straight out of high school. Thus, growing demographics of older adult learners or non-traditional learners are unable to receive free tuition.
The solution to this issue comes in the form of AB 3158. It is a landmark bill that directly allows West Valley College to waive tuition directly rather than having students pay and then be reimbursed. AB 3158 eliminates the challenging and often cumbersome nature of the current reimbursement process and expands the populations that are able to receive the grant.
Assemblymember Marc Berman authored and championed the bill. After Governor Gavin Newsom signed it into law, district staff organized a press conference, which was held on September 30th. The Chancellor’s Chief of Staff, Cade Story-Yetto, headed these efforts.
Many West Valley faculty, staff, and administrators were present. Board of Trustees members Adrienne Grey, Mary Lynne Bernald, and Bob Owens also attended. Chancellor Bradley Davis, Board of Trustees President Anne Kepner, and Assemblymember Marc Berman spoke at the event. Perhaps most importantly, many students were at the event, holding signs saying “Free college for every student” or “Education without barriers.”
As student trustee, I was honored to be given the opportunity to speak at the press conference. In this role, it is my job to speak not only to my own experience as a West Valley student, but also the broader experience of my constituency, namely the West Valley College student body.
The accessible and affordable education I am now receiving at West Valley has truly changed my life. I went from being told I would amount to nothing to thriving and excelling under the guidance of the West Valley community. However, what I am most excited for is not just what this legislation means for me, but for all the other student groups that make up my constituency. For the incredible parenting students working day and night to forge a new path for their families. For the first- generation college students striving to earn a degree while navigating higher education. For housing insecure students struggling to make ends meet and balance their expenses with the rising cost of tuition.
AB 3158 is a significant victory for all these students. Its passage has made this clear; regardless of your background there is an accessible, affordable, and high quality education waiting for you here at West Valley.
(This article originally appeared in Issue 1 of The Helm)