IV ews
2 • T he C lackamas P rint
F ebruary 4, 2004
Colleges fight for $10 million
campus
gg..
Distribution of money creates hot topic for local community colleges
Jadon Triplett
T he C lackamas P rint
Although tuition fees are going
up 53 per credit next term, tuition
came extremely close to increasing
up to 58 per credit due to a propos
al for the redistribution of millions
in state funding that was ultimately
rejected.
"There were very angry people
on our side,” said Clackamas
Community College President Dr.
Joe Johnson, regarding the possibil
ity that Clackamas would not
receive any of the 510.7 million that
was recently distributed by the
state’s Emergency Board.
According to Johnson, 510.7
million of state funding was prom
ised to Oregon’s community col
leges.
However, in order for the
money to be received, the college
presidents were required to get
together and work out a solution as
to how the money was to be dis
tributed. The presidents did come
to an agreement on the formula of
distribution, baton Jan./lo, the
State Board of Education rejected
the solution; al||
Oregon’s commrihity colleges
get their money ftom three places:
tuition, state income tax and prop
erty'■w'isvenbf^ As one of the
higher-generating districts when it
comes to property taxes, Clackamas
gets about 52 million more in prop
erty tax dollars annually than the
“average” property tax district, said
Johnson.
The solution that the college
presidents carhe up with was the
same resolution that was agreed
upon several years ago by die col
lege presidents, which was to redis
tribute half of the revenues and
keep the other half This way, CCC
keeps 51 million and the other 51
million is shared by other commu
nity colleges that need more money.
Over the Martin Luther King, Jr.
holiday, Johnson said, the board
reconvened and reversed their deci
sion, accepting the presidents’ plan.
While this is good-news, because PCC and MHCC would have the
community colleges will receive the money ftom their individual taxpay
510.7 million (about 5700,000 of ers’ property taxes as well as a por
which goes td Clackamas) and the tion of the revenue from residents
old funding formula stays intact, the of Clackamas.
The board’s original rejection
issue is unfortunately nowhere near
^represented a belief that Clackamas
being resolved.
Although students won’t have to should have to redistribute about
Qgy an 58 tuition increase, the issue $1.5 million and keep only about
of some community colleges get 5500,000 of its own county’s tax
ting more from their local property revenues. This would have been the
tax districts than other districts is end result had not the presidents of
still a hody debated issue.,
Clackamas, Central Oregon, Rogue
Community colleges located in and Klamath Community Colleges
areas that have lower property taxes ¡responded so negatively to the deci-
(such as Portland Community and |fen.
Mt. Hood Community) wfat less
■ "Since Clackamas taxpayers are
money off property tax revenues paying more, my belief is that they
then wealthier communities (like: should get more,” said Johnson.
Clackamas).
1
While Oregon’s community col
According to Johnson,' the leges did get the 510.7 million, this
administrations of those commuiii- isn’t the end of the conflict. It is
ty colleges generating less revenue more like a postponement of a
believe they should be entitled to highly emotional argument regard
the property tax revenues.; of other ing property tax revenues that,
counties that have higher property according to Johnson, will likely
taxes.
resurface again as early as the next
In other words, schools such as six months.
Crucial time to apply for next year's FAFSA
Karlin Johnson
N ews E ditor
It is once again time for those
seeking financial aid for thé 2004-
2005 school year to apply.
Students
returning
to
Clackamas should have FAFSA
applications turned in by the end
of April, while students transfer
ring to a four-year college or uni
versity should apply immediately.
According to student financial
services, FAFSA applications will
take six to eight weeks to process
at Clackamas.
“They can process in six weeks
at the best of times,” said Mary Jo
Jackson, director of student finan
cial services. “There are a number
of things to check and we have a
fairly small staff.”
With the time it takes for the
applications to process, students
should assure their place by apply-
CORY PRICE C lackamas P rint
ing as early as possible.
“It’s a limited pot of money,”
said Jackson. “There’s an urgency
to apply [for financial aid] for next
year. Students need to look at
applying now.”
After submitting an application,
students’ financial aid will be
issued to them when they need it,
so it is easy to be prepared ahead
of time.
“Even if you fill out an applica
tion, you don’t have to take it right
away, but it’s good to have it
processed,” said Jackson.
A new FAFSA has been issued
for the 2004-2005 school year. The
new aid will not change significant
ly, but for some, more information
will be needed when applying.
FAFSA can be as easy to apply
for as a click of the mouse.
By going to www.fafsa.ed.gov,
students can get information
quickly, apply easily and get an
immediate response.
Computers are available for stu
dent use in Rook Hall and in the
Community Center, from which
students can access CCC’s website
to receive information on financial
aid, get referrals and find a link to
FAFSA.
Students who wish for the
application process to go quickly
can also obtain their own electron
ic pin number which can be used
again and again each year for
online applications and informa
tion.
Pin numbers will help students
with federal websites, viewing loan
information or documentation.
To get an electronic pin number,
visit www.pin.ed.gov.
“Application [for a pin number]
is simple, and you will get an e-mail
or mail response,” said Jackson,
who recommends the online appli
cation process.
Questions about FAFSA or
other financial aid can be answered
in Rook Hall, or contact Jackson at
ext. 2702, or e-mail maryj@clacka-
mas.cc.or.us.
AU reports are
taken from
CCC’s campus
safety incident logs.
Summaries are edited for
clarity, not content.
1-27-04
11:30 a.m.
Advised an officer of dam
aged light pole in Barlow
parking lot.
1-27-04
2:05 p.m.
Staff member reported see-
ing a transient in Rook
Hall. Unable to locate.
'
1-28-04
10:29 a.m.
Student reported a car
rolled out of gear, blocking
drive lane-in Community
Center parking lot.
1-30-04
8:01 a.m.
Retrieved Honeywell fire
trouble message from
Department of Public
Safety cell phone, advised
an officer.
1-30-04
9:40 a.m.
Staff member reported
juveniles in Café, possibly
Under the Influence of
Intoxicants (UII).
Welding students use their skills to create utilities and art pieces
Shannon Armstead
T he C lackamas P rint
With seasoned teachers and a
new training facility, the Clackamas
Welding Program offers its students
fresh opportunities to perfect their
art.
The welding center used to be
located in Barlow Hall, but just shy
of a year ago was relocated to an area
behind Clairmont Hall, where the
students were given more equipment
and more room in a new building.
“Clackamas has a very appealing
new building,” said welding student
Kevin Kauffman.
The original welding .facility at
Barlow was not built to accommo
date more than 10 students, whereas
the new facility can accommodate
about 30. The college employed stu
dents in the department to build new
welding booths, as well as some
other equipment.
“Two students and one teaching
assistant finished the booths in about
two weeks,” said welding student
Rian Gilligan.
Gilligan
began
attending
Clackamas a year and a half ago and
took part in the process of creating
die new welding center.
“I came in last summer and built
some tables and custom dividers that
some others and myself came up
with,” he said.
As well as hiring students to
update die building, the college also
hires students for equipment upkeep.
“I was hired ’to work on any
repairs that need to be made on the
equipment,” Gilligan said, “f am
training] to be someone who can
maintain the whole shop. I really
appreciate the ability to be able to
work and go to school at the same
time”
Gilligan decided to obtain a for
mal welding education after having
been employed in the mining and
paving industries.
“This program has created disci
pline in me,” he said, “and it creates
a gateway for those who are apart of
it to receive real success in life.”
Students in the welding depart
ment are at different levels and are
learning various specialities.
.Glenn Ellis discovered the bene
fits of welding skills in his search for
employment
“I went to the employment office
and they told me they would figure
out something for me to do,” Ellis
said. “I went home and told my wife
I waiited to learn how to weld. When
I went back to the office, the woman
said she thought I told her I wanted
to weld. I hadn’t [told her that] but
that is what I wanted to do.”
According to the students, the
teachers in the welding program
strive to bring about the best aspects
of their students, giving them real
insights into their field with patience
and encouragement.
“Teachers will stay with you after
class hours, they know you and you
know them, and they want to keep
getting you where you are going,”
said student Stephen Tomlinson.
CORY PRICE C lackamas P rint
Student Jes^e Seilards practices a vertical weld during Gas Metal Arc Welding and Flux
Core Arc class, better known as Wirefeed. Seilards is a first-year welding student.
“I fed like I know my instructors
as individuals and they know me. I
fed I should give them a positive
image back, that what, they are doing
is making a difference,” said Gilligan.
“When [my project] looks bad,
[my teacher] does not criticize, she
just tells me what went wrong and
how to fix it,” said Tomlinson.
Students in the wdding program
seem to enjoy the sense of cama
raderie and support from fellow
classmates.
“This place is awesome. I love the
environment here, the teamwork.
Everyone is friendly; there is no crit
icism going around. Everyone here
is here because they love it,”
Tomlinson said. “When you- start
[wdding], you start-paying attention
to everything metal Do you know
that Krispy Kreme's chairs are wdd-
ed?”
Wdding isn’t just a profession for
many of the students; it’s art
“I’m taking wdding to make
more money, but also because it is
artwork. I plan on building some
thing that someone will pay a million
dollars for;” said Ellis.
According to Tomlinson, it can
also be a land of meditation or
stress-relief
“I come here, go into my booth
and as soon as I pull the [protec
tive gear over my face], all my
problems disappear,” he said.
“Sparks start flying and it’s just me
and the metal.”