For Colleges, a Grim Lesson in Economics : Education: Students will pay more for tuition but have fewer courses available. Many will take longer to complete a degree, officials say.

LONG BEACH AREA — For college students, the 1992-93 state budget offers a costly crash course in the economics of recession. Funding cutbacks mean that students at Cal State Long Beach and area community colleges will pay more for classes and have a harder time finding classes to take.

Administrators predicted hardship rather than calamity, but they added that they are uncertain exactly how state funding cuts will filter down to campuses. An earlier wave of cuts has already resulted in layoffs and slashed programs at Cal State Long Beach.

At the Cal State school, tuition will rise 40%. And students will be paying more for less.

As a result of cuts earlier this year, departments have merged, library hours have been shortened and class offerings were reduced by 7%. The college laid off more than 150 employees, including about 80 part-time instructors.

“The four-year degree has basically become the six-year degree because the students can’t get the classes they need to graduate,” said Toni Berone, public information officer for Cal State Long Beach.

The tuition hike marks the second time that the sagging economy has pinched senior Russ Henson. This summer, he lost his job as a computer operator. He plans to sell his car to raise money to stay in school.

Junior Danielle Davis will take out a loan to get by. “I won’t have to drop any classes,” she said, “but buying my books is going to be a real problem. I’m also trying to find a job, but it’s really hard.”

Returning community college students will see their fees rise from $6 to $10 per unit beginning in the spring semester. The fees for most students who already have a college degree will increase from $6 per unit to $50 for each unit. Typically, students take 12 units.

The $50 fee will directly affect nurses, police officers and aerospace workers who need retraining courses, said Beth Fernandez, spokeswoman for Rio Hondo College, which serves the Whittier/Pico Rivera area.

The increase will be a significant hardship for many of the 6,000 students at Compton College, said school President Warren A. Washington. He noted that many students are unemployed or only work part time while in school. Many have families to support and spend hundreds of dollars on books.

“Those who want to go to college--and more and more want to--won’t be able to because of financial considerations,” Washington said. “The mission of the California community college system is open access to all. The increase of these fees is now creating a closed door.”

Washington predicted that Compton College would have to turn away students because it cannot offer enough classes. The scheduling problems could prevent some students from starting college, he said. And returning students may have to go to school an additional year to complete required courses.

To help, some teachers have volunteered to accept more students, as many as 35 to 40 in some classes.

“They keep cutting classes and raising fees,” said Joe Sanchez, a Cal State Long Beach sophomore. “I don’t see how I’ll make it all the way to graduation.”

Community correspondents John Pope and Kim Frick contributed to this article.