College Chancellor gloomy about state community colleges
Community College Chancellor Jack Scott on Tuesday painted a a cloudy picture about student access to classes at the state's two-year colleges.
Scott noted that getting into a community college class is becoming tougher than ever as course sections are expected to be reduced in the 2010-11 school year if funding levels remain the same or are cut even further.
"We are aware that in cutting course sections, access has been severely impacted for tens of thousands of students throughout the state," said Scott.
"Unfortunately, we will never be able to accurately account for all of the students who had to either put their college dreams on hold or abandon them altogether because they couldn't get the classes or training they needed."
Scott noted that getting into a community college class is becoming tougher than ever as course sections are expected to be reduced in the 2010-11 school year if funding levels remain the same or are cut even further.
"We are aware that in cutting course sections, access has been severely impacted for tens of thousands of students throughout the state," said Scott.
"Unfortunately, we will never be able to accurately account for all of the students who had to either put their college dreams on hold or abandon them altogether because they couldn't get the classes or training they needed."
In Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's 2010-11 budget, he proposed $126 million in growth funding for the California community colleges. The funding would allow access for about 60,000 new students, well short of the number of those likely to enter the colleges this fall.
It will be especially difficult for new students who do enter community college this fall.
"Majority of students entering community colleges often begin at basic skills, math, English reading classes and those sections fill up very quickly," Mt. San Antonio College President John Nixon said.
"If the student needs some of those classes before enrolling in another class that can slow them down."
Decreased funding means the school serves fewer students, offers fewer classes and keeps students waiting.
Students can wait two to three years to get the required classes they need, Mt. SAC spokeswoman Jill Dolan said.
At the Walnut campus, officials report 35 students are waiting to add each emergency medical technician class, radiology adds 38 students per year to a waiting list of more than 300, respiratory therapy has a waiting list of 80 students and the psychiatric technician program has a waiting list of more than 200.
"Waiting list for nursing is 986 students," Dolan said. "We have been forced to reduce admissions by a third because of reduced funding."
Many faculty are turning away up to 15 students from every class, even after adding students past the class size limit, she said.
The California Community Colleges is the largest higher education system in the nation, and, after peaking at 2.89 million students in 2008-09 school year, the system is seeing a decline in enrollment.
This is even despite the unprecedented demand resulting from record numbers of graduating high school seniors, the state's high unemployment and students being displaced from the state colleges and universities.
Decline in enrollment, coupled with the decline in revenue, is forcing colleges to be efficient with what they are offering.
The Chaffey College district saw almost 500 less students walk onto their campus this spring.
"We did have less students, but we also decreased the number of course offering this semester," Chaffey College spokeswoman Peggy Cartwright said.
"This semester we offered 1,780 courses, and what we're saying, if we can be efficient with the courses we're offering then we're also saving money and striving to help students and the college work more efficiently."
The school offered 2,031 sections at the start of the spring 2009 term.
San Bernardino Valley College district officials said they are serving about the same or slightly fewer students than last spring.
"As a district, we are serving 9,000 more students today than five years ago with less funding," said Debra Daniels president, San Bernardino Valley College.
Numerous efforts such as budget/spending reductions, one-time federal relief funds, a hiring freeze, early retirements, a healthy financial reserve, energy conversation and more have all been aimed at trying to minimize cuts to student services, course availability and staff/faculty positions, Daniels said.
"This will continue as we await additional budget surprises from Sacramento," she said.
It will be especially difficult for new students who do enter community college this fall.
"Majority of students entering community colleges often begin at basic skills, math, English reading classes and those sections fill up very quickly," Mt. San Antonio College President John Nixon said.
"If the student needs some of those classes before enrolling in another class that can slow them down."
Decreased funding means the school serves fewer students, offers fewer classes and keeps students waiting.
Students can wait two to three years to get the required classes they need, Mt. SAC spokeswoman Jill Dolan said.
At the Walnut campus, officials report 35 students are waiting to add each emergency medical technician class, radiology adds 38 students per year to a waiting list of more than 300, respiratory therapy has a waiting list of 80 students and the psychiatric technician program has a waiting list of more than 200.
"Waiting list for nursing is 986 students," Dolan said. "We have been forced to reduce admissions by a third because of reduced funding."
Many faculty are turning away up to 15 students from every class, even after adding students past the class size limit, she said.
The California Community Colleges is the largest higher education system in the nation, and, after peaking at 2.89 million students in 2008-09 school year, the system is seeing a decline in enrollment.
This is even despite the unprecedented demand resulting from record numbers of graduating high school seniors, the state's high unemployment and students being displaced from the state colleges and universities.
Decline in enrollment, coupled with the decline in revenue, is forcing colleges to be efficient with what they are offering.
The Chaffey College district saw almost 500 less students walk onto their campus this spring.
"We did have less students, but we also decreased the number of course offering this semester," Chaffey College spokeswoman Peggy Cartwright said.
"This semester we offered 1,780 courses, and what we're saying, if we can be efficient with the courses we're offering then we're also saving money and striving to help students and the college work more efficiently."
The school offered 2,031 sections at the start of the spring 2009 term.
San Bernardino Valley College district officials said they are serving about the same or slightly fewer students than last spring.
"As a district, we are serving 9,000 more students today than five years ago with less funding," said Debra Daniels president, San Bernardino Valley College.
Numerous efforts such as budget/spending reductions, one-time federal relief funds, a hiring freeze, early retirements, a healthy financial reserve, energy conversation and more have all been aimed at trying to minimize cuts to student services, course availability and staff/faculty positions, Daniels said.
"This will continue as we await additional budget surprises from Sacramento," she said.
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