As California’s gubernatorial race heats up, Katie Porter has taken a stance that many students at Orange Coast College agree with: community colleges are the crown that holds the jewels of California’s college system.
Porter, who has served in Congress for California’s 45th and 47th districts, respectively, visited OCC on Tuesday to discuss her campaign’s goals with the public, which she believes is the foundation for California’s future.
The gubernatorial candidate wants to continue the work of current California Governor Gavin Newsom, who instituted the California Promise Grant to eliminate tuition costs for eligible community college students.
Porter pointed out that the cost of living at UC’s, like the university she has taught at, University of California, Irvine, is higher than the cost of tuition.
The former congresswoman further emphasized that the community college system allows students to learn more critically than attending a CSU, UC, or Cal Poly university as a freshman.
“If you look at any of our universities and you look at who gets the A’s, it’s community college transfer students,” Porter said.
Porter added that there is a path to a “free degree” through the California Promise Grant and her proposal to eliminate tuition costs for two years at state universities.
Porter believes that community colleges are one of California’s best assets, as they provide students with time to try new things and figure out which career path they want to take.
“We hear a lot about how our UC system is the crown jewel, but I actually think that is sort of a mistaken way to think about it,” Porter added. “I would say that the community colleges are the crown in which we can put the jewels of the UC system.”
Porter also discussed many issues, including the use and future of AI, climate control, the cost of living in California, and the Democratic Party’s need to find a definitive leader.
College Democrats at OCC club president Lewis Gomez worked for Porter on her senate campaign, and after being reached out to by Porter’s staff, set up for her to speak.
During the discussion, Gomez asked Porter about her views on ICE based on his lived experience.
Gomez earned substantial financial aid to a four-year university in New York after graduating high school, but turned it down out of fear for what would happen to his family if he had left them during ongoing ICE raids.
The school’s Democratic club president added that the effects of ICE encouraged him to pursue his college education.
“It’s the entire reason I’m in politics is because I care about my community,” Gomez said.
Gomez wanted to help inform the student body about what Porter could do for them if elected governor.
OCC political science and mass communications major Mia Rivas met with Porter after the talk to thank her and discuss the candidate’s view on insider trading.
“(Porter) was very adamant about not supporting it, and she thinks they should be banned,” Rivas said.
This was an important topic for Rivas, who believed that members of Congress should not seek more money than their congressional salaries.
“It’s kind of preposterous to think that it’s okay to sympathize with representatives on insider trading when there are people who are making less than $20 an hour here, and they can barely afford that,” Rivas added.
Rivas agreed with Porter’s view on community college and her proposed plans if she is elected governor.
“It would also open doors for a lot of people who aren’t even able to consider going to community college or going to college at all,” Rivas said.