NLBWA–SACRAMENTO SUPPORTS COMMUNITY
COLLEGE STUDENTS

Link: http://www.prop92yes.com

November 11, 2007

SACRAMENTO – The Sacramento chapter of the National Latina Business Women Association voted to endorse the California Community College Initiative – Proposition 92 – which will be on the February 2008 statewide ballot.

“Community colleges strive to advance California’s economic growth by continuously improving the state’s workforce and providing a gateway to a better life for millions of Californians,” said NLBWA-Sacramento President Katrina Salazar. “Many of our future Latina businesswomen will get their start through the community college system. Proposition 92 will help ensure community colleges continue to offer affordable and accessible education for recent high school graduates and those returning to school.”

Currently more than 800,000 of California’s 2.5 million community college students are Latino, African-American or Asian-American.  In fact, over 70 percent of all Latinos enrolled in college in 2003-04 were at a California community college and 60% of the student population is female. 463,420 Latino students attend community colleges compared to 25,518 at UC and 88,445 at CSU. Students who earned a vocational degree or certificate saw their wages increase almost 90 percent after earning their degree.

Established in August of 2004, the Sacramento Chapter of the National Latina Business Women Association (NLBWA-SAC) was created by a group of business women and community leaders to meet the needs of the growing ranks of Latina entrepreneurs, executives and professionals. This group of Latinas account for the fastest growing segment of small business in the United States.

Proposition 92 makes a commitment to community colleges, ensuring they receive adequate and stable funding. The measure guarantees a stable system of independent public community college districts and Board of Governors; requires minimum levels of state funding that grows along with the student population, and lowers fees to $15 dollars per unit and limits future fee increases to no more than the cost of living.

The National Latina Business Women Association - Sacramento joins a broad coalition of business leaders, including the Sacramento Metro Chamber and Santa Clara Chamber of Commerce, as well as community college leaders, advocates, local trustees and students – including the California Federation of Teachers, the Community College League of California, the Faculty Association of California Community Colleges, the California School Employees Association and the Los Angeles College Faculty Guild - in supporting the Community College Initiative

For more information on Proposition 92, please visit www.CaliforniansForCommunityColleges.org