OCC students will pay 60% more for...

OCC students will pay 60% more for classes

Now that Gov. Gray Davis has signed the state’s 2003-04 budget,

the Coast Community College District can say for certain that

enrollment fees are rising 60%.

The fee increase takes place immediately, district officials said

in a press release late Monday afternoon. Students registering for

the fall semester that begins Aug. 25 will pay $18 per unit, an

increase of $7 per unit.

A full-time Orange Coast College student taking 15 units will pay

$105 more per semester, officials pointed out.

The state Legislature sets all enrollment fees at the state’s 108

community colleges. The additional revenue will return to the state’s

General Fund to assist with the $38-billion budget deficit, officials

said.

Those students who have already registered for classes at $11 per

unit will be billed to make up the new difference.

Meanwhile, state community college funding was cut 9.4%, or about

$254 million, officials said.

OCC Foundation raises $5.1 million in 2002-03

Surpassing last years total by 8.3%, the Orange Coast College

Foundation raised $5.1 million in cash and in-kind gifts for the

2002-03 academic year. At about $1.6 million, cash donations were

down 17.3% from the previous year.

However, in-kind gifts were up 26% from last year’s total of $2.75

million. In-kind gifts included the 88-foot luxury yacht “Bella” from

Orange County entrepreneur Milan Panic and 36-acre Rabbit Island in

British Columbia, donated by Southern California yachtsmen Henry

Wheeler of Downey.

Since its establishment in 1986, the foundation has received more

than $35 million in gifts.

Wine tasting will benefit foundation

The Earth Resource Foundation and the Newport Beach Bacchus

Society will host an organic wine tasting event from 6:30 to 10 p.m.

today.

The cost is $30 for members and $50 for nonmembers. Proceeds go to

the foundation’s youth programs.

The event will take place at Capri Blu Restaurant at 1617

Westcliff Drive, Newport Beach. For more information, call (949)

645-5163.

Surf film will debut at Regency Lido Theater

Director Dana Brown’s surf documentary “Step Into Liquid” will

premiere Friday at the Regency Lido Theater. The film, made by the

son of legendary surf filmmaker Bruce Brown, brings footage from such

disparate places as Wisconsin to Vietnam and tries to explain why

people get hooked on surfing and why it is more than just a pastime.

The premiere, featuring the director, will be held at 7:45 p.m.

Friday, with additional showings that day at 11:30 a.m. and at 1:30,

3:30, 5:30 and 9:50 p.m.

After the premiere, there will be a “Q&A;” session and after-party

at the Newport Beach Tennis Club. For details about the premiere,

call Lyndon Golin at (818) 224-3825.

In addition to the film, there will be the Robo Surf mechanical

surfboard sponsored by Foster’s Lager. The machine will be in

operation from 5 to 10 p.m. Friday and 2 to 8 p.m. Saturday. The ride

will cost $1, which will go to the nonprofit Boarding for Breast

Cancer.

All invited to pray at Wednesday meeting

All are invited to attend an hour of prayer and testimonial at

noon Wednesday at the Second Church of Christ, Scientist. The church

is at 3100 Pacific View Drive in Corona del Mar.

Four will receive the UCI Medal

The UCI Medal, UC Irvine’s highest honor, will be given to Marian

Bergeson, Philip DiSaia and Elizabeth and John Stahr in an award

ceremony in November.

“The dedication and support from these outstanding individuals

advances the mission, spirit and vision of the university in myriad

ways,” Chancellor Ralph J. Cicerone said in a press release.

Bergeson, former secretary of education for California, has been

an advocate for UCI at the local, state, regional and federal levels.

The Newport Beach resident also helped establish the neonatal unit at

the UCI Medical Center and served on the College Of Medicine’s Dean’s

Community Advisory Board.

DiSaia is a professor of radiological sciences and obstetrics and

gynecology in the College of Medicine. He is also chief of gynecology

and gynecologic oncology at UCI Medical Center and is recognized as

“the ultimate authority” on gynecological oncology. He has been at

UCI since 1977.

Stahr was a UCI Foundation trustee from 1987 to 2001, and

Elizabeth has been a UCI foundation ambassador since 1999. The couple has also supported the Chancellor’s Club, Humanities Associates,

men’s crew, ArtsBridge, the UCI libraries and much more since they

got involved with UCI in 1964.

The UCI Foundation hosts the UCI Medal Ceremony.

Proceeds go to the UCI Regents’ Scholars program and graduate

fellowships. For more information, call (949) 824-1810.

-- Tom Forquer