Santa Monica College Finally Commits Itself to Accepting More Local Students

Santa Monica College just announced priority enrollment at SMC for Santa Monica and Malibu residents and local graduates, effective the winter semester which commences Jan. 3, 2017. This is probably due to local pressure.

The school, which dropped "Junior College" from its name in 1998, seeks "a diverse student body." Which means they routinely accept people from Taiwan, reject SamoHi graduates, and expect the community to believe this is a good thing.

Samohi's last president was also from Taiwan, evidencing the internationalist bent of the College Board of Trustees. They just don't think of it as a junior college. They have much greater ambitions than that.

SMC has a $345 million bond measure on the November 8th ballot, to pay for facilities improvements at Santa Monica College (SMC). The College website says the money is needed so SMC "can better meet the needs of our community." Which community is that, exactly? Just 4% of SMC students are Samo high graduates. It's interesting timing, to say the least.

As shown in the Artists Rendering, mostly the $345 million would go to build a new studio for KCRW, which views itself as a regional NPR station. KCRW does not employ any students, except perhaps as fund raisers.

$345 million is rather a lot of money for a local bond measure. In comparison, the City of Santa Monica spends around $530 million a year, which is also lavish even by Lefty California City standards.

SMRR and the usual internationalist suspects are supporting the measure. Opponents say SMC has in recent years received enough bond money, which is funded through property taxes assessed to people who live in the community college district that includes Santa Monica, Malibu and surrounding unincorporated areas. Which means mostly Santa Monica residents pay for it.

The program is the first phase of a Santa Monica College Promise program, with a planned launch date of fall 2017, to help students reduce the expenses related to their first year at SMC.

"To enroll in credit classes and qualify for priority enrollment in winter 2017-for which enrollment begins in early December-students must have applied and completed pre-enrollment orientation, assessment and educational planning by Nov. 22, 2016. Current residents of Santa Monica and Malibu are eligible; F-1 visa students are not. In addition, graduating seniors and alumni of santa monica high school, Malibu High School, Olympic High School, St. Monica Catholic High School, Crossroads School, New Roads School, Pacifica Christian High School, and Lighthouse Academy-regardless of home address-are also eligible," says the school.

"Santa Monica College has always been a tremendous asset to the Santa Monica and Malibu communities," said SMC Superintendent/President Dr. Kathryn E. Jeffery. "By giving local students and graduates priority enrollment, SMC will continue to build upon decades of commitment to provide our communities the highest quality in postsecondary education, reflecting the values of open access and educational equity that we are all so proud of."