We certainly hope that Gavilan Community College officials can
find a way to prevent the relatively small cash shortfall that
’s threatening to close the school’s infant day care program. A
closure would be sad indeed.
We certainly hope that Gavilan Community College officials can find a way to prevent the relatively small cash shortfall that’s threatening to close the school’s infant day care program. A closure would be sad indeed.
The program enables students with infants – who otherwise probably would not be able to attend college – to stay in school. That’s important for the students and for their children. Better-educated parents can provide a better quality of life for their families. That’s important to the community, too. Better-educated citizens are more likely to be taxpayers instead of social services beneficiaries.
These are not just starry-eyed assertions. They’re backed up by real data. A study last year by the College Board showed that “investment in higher education has a significant return both for the individual and for society as a whole. … Higher levels of education result in higher earnings for all racial/ethnic groups, … college graduates display higher levels of civic participation than others, and … their children attain higher levels of education,” according to the nonprofit association.
It’s good news that the Board of Trustees Tuesday decided to delay the termination for a month (the program was scheduled to close July 29) while solutions are sought.
The situation is particularly frustrating because the budget shortfall that’s threatening the program is relatively small. As Kristen Munson reported recently, the program cost $197,858 to run but brought in revenue of $168,968, a difference of less than $29,000. That’s really a drop in the bucket for an institution with an annual operating budget of approximately $26 million.
While we understand the need for fiscal responsibility, it’s clear that ending this program is shortsighted and premature. Surely there are grants from nonprofit foundations or other groups that could help. Perhaps a community-minded benefactor could be found to support the program.
Maybe some creative accounting – the program is used to educate nursing and child development students – could be applied to transfer some of the shortfall to those programs.
Remember, when students drop out of Gavilan, the college loses Average Daily Attendance funding from the state. When that loss is factored in, we suspect the difference will shrink even more.
Gavilan student Lisa Castaneda is worried she will have to drop out of school next year if the infant day care program closes.
“I’m trying to educate myself so I can support my kids,” she said in an interview. “What I want is to be able to finish school here at Gavilan and have my baby here.”
Let’s get creative, think long-term and proactively, and find a way to save this important program that provides quality day care, and in turn improves our community in so many ways.
