Cal Poly Pomona students react to summer school cancellation
Author: Andrew Edwards, Staff Writer
POMONA - Cal Poly Pomona students spent Monday not only dealing with the academic challenges of final exams, but also the knowledge that summer school classes have been cancelled.
"I was too stressed about my test this afternoon to think about it until today," said Johanna, a 22-year-old student who did not want to give her last name.
Johanna said she is majoring in animal health sciences and had planned to take a radiology course over the summer. She was one of about 10 students who set up under a blue canopy Monday outside the campus library to object the class cancellations while keeping their laptops and notebooks close at hand.
Cal Poly officials announced Friday that almost all summer classes have been canceled. Campus officials must cut millions in spending as a result of the state's budget crisis, but Cal Poly Pomona so far appears to be unique among the 23-campus California State University system in its move to cancel summer school.
"To our knowledge, no other campus has done that," said Claudia Keith, CSU's vice chancellor for public affairs.
Cal Poly's online explanation of its decision also reports that it is the only CSU campus to close its state-supported summer programs.
University spokesman Tim Lynch said campus president Michael Ortiz and his top officials had to cut $20 million to $35 million to account for the campus' share of budget cuts. The decision to cancel summer classes came after meetings with other CSU campus presidents that ended June 3.
"The decision to cancel the state-funded summer school was made as expeditiously as possible," Lynch said.
Cal Poly officials expected about 6,600 students to attend summer courses this year. Campus administration reports that the school typically does not receive enough state funding to cover its full summer enrollment.
Students who planned to attend summer courses at Cal Poly are able to take classes at the campus' College of the Extended University, and the campus has announced a survey to find out what classes are in demand.
Extension classes cost $220 per lecture unit and $280 per lab unit.
Saulo Londono, an aide for Assemblyman Curt Hagman, R-Chino Hills, said the legislator "hopes all other areas, from administration to staffing and all other aspects, were looked at before taking this drastic measure."
Students at Cal Poly's sister campus in San Bernardino can still look forward to taking summer classes.
The San Bernardino campus' spokesman said Monday that school officials there have not changed plans to hold summer classes. However Cal Poly students looking eastward in hopes of finding a place in a lecture hall or lab may not be successful.
"We will consider (Cal Poly) students on an available space basis, but our priority will be to our own students," Cal State San Bernardino spokesman Joe Gutierrez said.
Summer school there is scheduled to begin June 24.
It is often difficult for students at California's crowded universities to find room in enough classes to actually complete a "four-year degree" in four years.
Civil engineering student Rocio Portugal, 22, said the cancellation of summer classes at Cal Poly drops her about two quarters behind, and adds further complications to students who planned to spend summertime taking classes required for the classes they planned to take during the fall.
Like other parts of the state government, the 23-campus California State University system's budget is on the chopping block. Keith said it's impossible to know how deep the cuts will be until the Legislature agrees on a budget, but cuts could range from $400 million to $700 million.
Gutierrez said San Bernardino campus administrators have yet to decide how their campus will be affected by cutbacks.
"We're still determining the best and most effective way to deal with the budget," he said.
Staff writer James Koren contributed to this report.
"I was too stressed about my test this afternoon to think about it until today," said Johanna, a 22-year-old student who did not want to give her last name.
Johanna said she is majoring in animal health sciences and had planned to take a radiology course over the summer. She was one of about 10 students who set up under a blue canopy Monday outside the campus library to object the class cancellations while keeping their laptops and notebooks close at hand.
Cal Poly officials announced Friday that almost all summer classes have been canceled. Campus officials must cut millions in spending as a result of the state's budget crisis, but Cal Poly Pomona so far appears to be unique among the 23-campus California State University system in its move to cancel summer school.
"To our knowledge, no other campus has done that," said Claudia Keith, CSU's vice chancellor for public affairs.
Cal Poly's online explanation of its decision also reports that it is the only CSU campus to close its state-supported summer programs.
University spokesman Tim Lynch said campus president Michael Ortiz and his top officials had to cut $20 million to $35 million to account for the campus' share of budget cuts. The decision to cancel summer classes came after meetings with other CSU campus presidents that ended June 3.
"The decision to cancel the state-funded summer school was made as expeditiously as possible," Lynch said.
Cal Poly officials expected about 6,600 students to attend summer courses this year. Campus administration reports that the school typically does not receive enough state funding to cover its full summer enrollment.
Students who planned to attend summer courses at Cal Poly are able to take classes at the campus' College of the Extended University, and the campus has announced a survey to find out what classes are in demand.
Extension classes cost $220 per lecture unit and $280 per lab unit.
Saulo Londono, an aide for Assemblyman Curt Hagman, R-Chino Hills, said the legislator "hopes all other areas, from administration to staffing and all other aspects, were looked at before taking this drastic measure."
Students at Cal Poly's sister campus in San Bernardino can still look forward to taking summer classes.
The San Bernardino campus' spokesman said Monday that school officials there have not changed plans to hold summer classes. However Cal Poly students looking eastward in hopes of finding a place in a lecture hall or lab may not be successful.
"We will consider (Cal Poly) students on an available space basis, but our priority will be to our own students," Cal State San Bernardino spokesman Joe Gutierrez said.
Summer school there is scheduled to begin June 24.
It is often difficult for students at California's crowded universities to find room in enough classes to actually complete a "four-year degree" in four years.
Civil engineering student Rocio Portugal, 22, said the cancellation of summer classes at Cal Poly drops her about two quarters behind, and adds further complications to students who planned to spend summertime taking classes required for the classes they planned to take during the fall.
Like other parts of the state government, the 23-campus California State University system's budget is on the chopping block. Keith said it's impossible to know how deep the cuts will be until the Legislature agrees on a budget, but cuts could range from $400 million to $700 million.
Gutierrez said San Bernardino campus administrators have yet to decide how their campus will be affected by cutbacks.
"We're still determining the best and most effective way to deal with the budget," he said.
Staff writer James Koren contributed to this report.
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