Letter to students unable to get into classes

Dear DVC student,

In order to balance the state budget, unprecedented cuts have been made to our funding, resulting in limits to the number of courses we are able to offer and the services we are able to provide to our students.

We are very sorry that you are unable to get into the class(es) you need or receive the services that we were able to offer in the past. Please understand how frustrating it is for us to limit our course offerings and services at a time when more students are coming to our campus seeking a college education than ever before.

The California Community College system has lobbied valiantly for our students' rights to a college education, but the state has chosen to make deep cuts to our funding anyway. Now we believe it is in your hands. If every student who has been negatively affected by these budget decisions stands up and makes their voices heard, we believe it will make a difference.

Please call, write or contact via website your local and state representatives and tell them your personal story about how this devastating budget decision has negatively affected your progress toward meeting your personal educational goals. They will listen to you.

This state budget crisis is expected to last several years, and it is expected to get worse before it gets better. There are possibly even deeper cuts ahead. If enough students speak up, we will come out of the next round of cuts without further damage. It is never too late to make your voice heard.

Your participation will make a huge difference in helping the state decision makers understand on a more personal level what a tremendous asset our community college system is to the future economic health of our state.

Contact information for your state senator and legislators are listed on the back of this letter. Also, Congressman George Miller, who is very interested in higher education and is one of DVC's most distinguished alumni, has also expressed an interest in hearing from you so he can share your stories on a Federal level as conversations continue about Federal stimulus monies and how these might be spent to best help our economy.

To find the names of senators and legislators representing other cities and counties, please visit:  www.leginfo.ca.gov/yourleg.html

Representatives for Diablo Valley College's zip code:

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