SACRAMENTO – California Community Colleges Chancellor Jack Scott said in a Wednesday media briefing that he is deeply disappointed over the failure of the state’s elected leaders to place a tax extension proposal on a June ballot.

The 112 campuses are already reeling from $400 million in budget cuts. An $800 million or more “all-cuts” solution would result in denying access to more than 400,000 students – roughly the same number enrolled in the entire California State University system.

“Without a June special election on Gov. (Jerry) Brown’s tax extension proposal, the chance of an all-cuts budget is highly likely,” said Chancellor Scott. “An $800 million reduction would be unprecedented and an absolute tragedy for our students, faculty and staff as well as a deep blow for our economy.”

Joining Chancellor Scott on the conference call were San Diego Community College District Chancellor Constance Carroll, Long Beach City College President Eloy Oakley and Los Rios Community College District Chancellor Brice Harris.

The community college leaders said the millions of dollars in cuts to their respective campuses meant reducing programs and eliminating staff, administration and faculty positions.

A cut of $800 million or more would force some districts to severely decrease the number of classes available in the summer and fall.

“We have an unprecedented student demand for our classes,” said Chancellor Carroll. “This is a catastrophe for us and we’re deeply, deeply disappointed. We will of course do our best, but the bottom line is that students and people trying to train for the workforce will not have the opportunities they should be provided because of this inability to reach an agreement on the governor’s budget balancing plan.”

This is not the first time the California Community Colleges have absorbed significant budget cuts. The system took a $520 million (8 percent) hit in 2009-2010 which resulted statewide in 38,000 fewer course sections being offered and 140,000 fewer students enrolled compared to the prior academic year.

“What we’re going to see is our bright, young students leaving the state to get their education and unfortunately they don’t always come back,” Chancellor Harris said. “We are slamming the door in the faces of students. California’s community colleges have been a beacon for decades and what we’re really seeing now is a slow and painful dismantling.”

While the main budget bill has not been signed by Gov. Brown, last week he signed a trailer bill that increased the fees at all 112 community colleges beginning in the fall 2011 semester from $26 to $36 per unit, a 38 percent boost.

That increase is expected to generate $110 million in revenues that will offset some of the cuts to the community college system.

The Legislative Analyst’s Office recommended that policymakers consider increasing community college fees even further, from $26 to $66 per unit, if an all-cuts budget is approved.

A sharp increase of this magnitude could make it impossible for even more of the state’s most vulnerable students to attend a community college.

“The all-cuts budget is a major blow to our students, particularly students of color and underrepresented students who are the most likely to suffer in this situation,” said President Oakley. “At a time when the state needs to turn out the best skilled workforce that it can in order to get this economy turned around, we are devastating our ability to train that workforce.”

A recently conducted Pearson Foundation Community College Student Survey found that 47 percent of California students have been unable to enroll in needed courses because they were full. This compares to just 28 percent of students across the nation that said they experienced the same trouble.

“It’s not only the students who are hurt by the continued erosion of funding for higher education,” said Chancellor Scott. “The state’s future economy is damaged, too. If just 2 percent more of California’s population earned an associate degree and 1 percent more earned a bachelor’s degree, the state’s economy would grow by $20 billion. We have to remember that funding for higher education in California is not a cost, but an investment.”

The California Community Colleges is the largest system of higher education in the nation. It is composed of 72 districts and 112 colleges serving 2.76 million students per year.

Community colleges supply workforce training, a basic skills education and prepare students for transfer to four-year colleges and universities. The Chancellor’s Office provides leadership, advocacy and support under the direction of the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges.