CSUN University News Clippings

2 O.C. colleges cut 400 classes, affecting thousands

(September 8, 2009)

College Life Blog
By Gary Robbins
Published: 9/5/09

About 400 classes have been collectively canceled for the fall semester at Santa Ana College and at Santiago Canyon College in Orange, affecting thousands of people looking to do everything from get job training to earn transfer credits to four year schools to take a basic course in mathematics.

The Rancho Santiago Community College District (RSCCD) has been making slashing cuts under pressure from the state community college chancellor’s office, which has ordered all schools to reduce spending to help the state resolve its huge budget deficit. The classes were eliminated before the fall semester began on Monday.

And the cutting isn’t over.

The Rancho district recently learned that it must cut an additional $15 million in the current fiscal year, and a trustee says that will make it necessary to eliminate more class sections and to fire some teachers in a district that serves about 56,000 students.
Students at Santiago Canyon College in Orange.

Students at Santiago Canyon College in Orange.

Phil Yarbrough, a Rancho trustee, said new class cuts could be announced as early as Sept. 14, and made official about a month later the district adopts budget plans.

“I’m going to that meeting not with a scalpel, but with a meat cleaver,” says Yarbrough, who has taught economics at both colleges in the Rancho district.

“Our options to save classroom instruction are limited. We’ve already made the easy cuts. There are only hard cuts left to make.”

Such cuts would affect spring instruction.

Rancho already has been getting inquiries from Cal State Fullerton students, who have been looking to pick up courses to replace the loss of up to 150 class sections at their own school in recent weeks.

“Cal State Fullerton students are welcome here but they should not assume they can find the classes that they are looking for,” says Judy Iannaccone, a district spokeswoman.
The continuing cuts also “challenge our district’s ability to fulfill its mission of preparing students for transfer to four-year colleges, earning professional certificates and performing job training to help displaced workers in Orange County,” adds Laurie Weidner, executive director of public affairs and government relations.

“We are a key to economic recovery.”

Publication: Orange County Register