Santa Monica College

Santa Monica College's plan to offer some high-demand classes at a premium cost received a boost Thursday with the announcement of a $250,000 donation to support scholarships for students who qualify. The donors are businessman Daniel Greenberg and his wife, attorney and civic activist Susan Steinhauser, two longtime supporters whose previous giving has centered on the Broad Stage of the Santa Monica College Performing Arts Center. The two-year college approved a plan last week, believed to be the first of its kind in the nation, that would offer core education classes such as English and math at a cost of about $200 per unit, alongside state-funded courses.

A new $12.3-million building is set to rise next to the Eli and Edythe Broad Stage in Santa Monica, allowing the organization to expand its cultural offerings and host more events. On Wednesday officials with the Broad will announce the new wing, with construction on the two-story structure expected to begin next year and be completed in 2014 at the earliest. The new complex, which will be situated on the east side of the Santa Monica College Performing Arts Center, comes at a time when the Broad is looking to expand its programming.

Nearing midnight and with the sting of pepper spray in the air, Santa Monica College trustees wondered how their plan to offer a selection of higher cost classes this summer had come to be so misunderstood. For many on the eight-member panel, which includes a humanities professor, an ACLU board member and a college counselor, the plan was conceived as a progressive response to drastic state funding cuts and was intended to increase access and allow more students to graduate and transfer.

Nearing midnight and with the sting of pepper spray in the air, Santa Monica College trustees wondered how their plan to offer a selection of higher cost classes this summer had come to be so misunderstood. For many on the eight-member panel, which includes a humanities professor, an ACLU board member and a college counselor, the plan was conceived as a progressive response to drastic state funding cuts and was intended to increase access and allow more students to graduate and transfer.

Faced with deep funding cuts and strong student demand, Santa Monica College is pursuing a plan to offer a selection of higher-cost classes to students who need them, provoking protests from some who question the fairness of such a two-tiered education system. Under the plan, approved by the governing board and believed to be the first of its kind in the nation, the two-year college would create a nonprofit foundation to offer such in-demand classes as English and math at a cost of about $200 per unit.

Santa Monica College has named several people to newly created administrative posts. Norma Camp, assistant dean of staff developments and grants, will coordinate faculty retreats and conferences and work to secure grants for the college, President Richard Moore announced. Brenda Parker, appointed assistant dean of student services, will oversee financial aid, the health center, women's center and programs for disabled students and economically disadvantaged students.

Full-time student enrollment at Santa Monica College reached a peak during the fall semester with 5,275 students, 27% of the total student body, enrolled in 12 units or more of classes, according to Gordon Newman, dean of admissions. "The kinds of programs we offer in business, data processing and technology-type fields are extremely attractive to students coming out of high school today," he said.

Thousands of dollars in scholarships have been awarded to students at Santa Monica College, officials announced. The Santa Monica Kiwanis Club has presented $600 scholarships to Gayle Fann, Leslie Gay III, William Larson, Janet Martin and Rose Vasquez. The Santa Monica Patrons Assn. has given $500 awards to Alejandro Calvo, Jane Cooney, Ruth Ann Kokelaar, Suzanne McEachron, Joseph Menditto, Sidney Reece, Vladimira Skwor, Elena Terwilliger and Mark Verge.

The head of California's community college system on Wednesday asked Santa Monica College to put on hold a controversial plan to offer higher-priced courses this summer while the legality of the program is determined. Chancellor Jack Scott said he made the request in a call to college President Chui L. Tsang during which he also expressed concern about a student protest in which several people suffered minor injuries when a campus police officer discharged pepper spray at a Board of Trustees meeting Tuesday evening.

Santa Monica College has received a $250,000 unsolicited earthquake recovery grant from the J. Paul Getty Trust, a Santa Monica-based arts foundation. The funds will be used to replace damaged equipment and books in the art department and library, as well as for repairs in the connected Santa Monica College of Design, Art and Architecture. The college suffered $26 million in damage from the Jan. 17 earthquake.

The head of California's community college system on Wednesday asked Santa Monica College to put on hold a controversial plan to offer higher-priced courses this summer while the legality of the program is determined. Chancellor Jack Scott said he made the request in a call to college President Chui L. Tsang during which he also expressed concern about a student protest in which several people suffered minor injuries when a campus police officer discharged pepper spray at a Board of Trustees meeting Tuesday evening.

About 100 students protesting a plan to offer high-priced courses at Santa Monica College this summer tried to storm into a meeting of the college's Board of Trustees on Tuesday evening. A handful of protesters suffered minor injuries as campus police tried to prevent dozens of chanting students from disrupting the meeting during a public comment period. Several were overcome when pepper spray was released just outside the meeting room as officers tried to break up the crowd. Two people were taken to a hospital.

In love with '42' Re " A Texas domino effect ," Column One, March 20 How enjoyable to see your front-page story. I am a Los Angeles native who met and married a West Texan in 1945 during World War II, and through him and his family, I learned to play "42. " Every other year we went to Big Spring, Texas, to visit his family - and our social life there consisted of spending hours playing the game. I still have the box of dominoes marked "Texas 42" that my father-in-law gave us 65 years ago; the box is held together with masking tape.

Santa Monica College's plan to offer some high-demand classes at a premium cost received a boost Thursday with the announcement of a $250,000 donation to support scholarships for students who qualify. The donors are businessman Daniel Greenberg and his wife, attorney and civic activist Susan Steinhauser, two longtime supporters whose previous giving has centered on the Broad Stage of the Santa Monica College Performing Arts Center. The two-year college approved a plan last week, believed to be the first of its kind in the nation, that would offer core education classes such as English and math at a cost of about $200 per unit, alongside state-funded courses.

Faced with deep funding cuts and strong student demand, Santa Monica College is pursuing a plan to offer a selection of higher-cost classes to students who need them, provoking protests from some who question the fairness of such a two-tiered education system. Under the plan, approved by the governing board and believed to be the first of its kind in the nation, the two-year college would create a nonprofit foundation to offer such in-demand classes as English and math at a cost of about $200 per unit.

BOOKS Physics on the Fringe With Margaret Wertheim Pick up a new perspective on physics from the internationally noted science writer whose work focuses on the relationships between science and the wider cultural landscape. Wertheim has written three books dealing with the cultural history of physics, including "Pythagoras' Trousers," and the relationship between physics and religion. Santa Monica College, 1900 Pico Blvd., Santa Monica. 11:15 a.m. Free. (310) 434-4303. http://www.smc.edu.

Jasmine Delgado is one of the lucky ones. With advice from an older sister, the Santa Monica College student developed a plan that has helped her enroll in the classes she needs to transfer next year to a four-year university. But many California community college students lack the motivation, guidance and resources to reach that goal. So, for the past year, a statewide task force has been studying ways to help them get there. The panel held its first town hall meeting this week at the L.A. Area Chamber of Commerce, attracting a packed audience of educators, community members and students who were given an overview and the chance to comment on draft recommendations that will be presented to the California Community Colleges' Board of Governors.