Santa Monica College Shares Nonresidents' Pains

Students from outside California aren't flocking to in the numbers that officials had anticipated, and it's hurting the school's bottom line.

Out-of-state residents pay more than seven times the amount Californians pay to attend the school in the SMC District, which includes Malibu. And they are finding it increasingly difficult to relocate, making it even more challenging to close the school's budget gap, trustees said at their monthly board meeting last week.

In combination with drastic state budget cuts, the dwindling revenue source is to blame for a growing deficit. It is now expected to top $7.6 million by the end of the fiscal year, $2 million above what was forecast when the college's budget was adopted in June.

"We have been relying on nonresident tuition," said Trustee Louise Jaffe. "So this is alarming."

Chris Bonvenuto, SMC's director of fiscal services, told the board that the projected year-end fund balance has worsened in the five months since the college's budget was adopted.

"This isn't something we have normally seen, and it's putting a pretty big dent in our revenue projections," he said.

This spring, it will cost California residents $36 per unit, while nonresidents, both domestic and international, will cut checks for $275 a unit. Tuition is slated to increase this summer by $10 and $20 per unit, respectively.

After years of drastic state budget cuts that have forced teacher layoffs and limited class offerings, Vice President of Enrollment Teresita Rodriguez said, the college can no longer guarantee students 12 units, the equivalent of full-time coursework. That, coupled with Santa Monica's high cost of living, puts the college at a disadvantage, she said. 

"Families are looking at the total cost of education," Rodriguez said.

Bonvenuto said that based on his own estimates, that at the least, midyear state budget cuts would translate to a permanent loss of $1.4 million, plus a one-time hit of $1.8 million. He is still waiting on the official word from Sacramento to learn what the precise figures will be.

"I am completely bewildered and perplexed," he said about attempting to budget without hard figures from Sacramento.