San Diego’s Community College students will have about 1,100 more classes to choose from for the fall semester. Community College District officials are adding the classes even though they don’t expect any significant funding increase this year.
The colleges are adding basic skills, general education and technical training classes for the semester that starts August 23. The additions go part of the way toward replacing the 1,900 classes the district has cut in the last two years.
District spokesman Richard Dittbenner said the additional courses will help the students trying to take the district’s most in-demand classes.
“For example, at San Diego City College this fall, they’re offing 17 entry level biology classes; they are all filled and there’s 135 students on the waiting list,” he said.
He said the district turns away about 10,000 people interested in enrolling in its most high-demand courses each semester.
Money for the courses is coming from one-time cost savings in non-instructional areas. It isn't certain the additions will outlast the current funding opportunity.
“We’re hoping that the amount of growth revenue from the state will catch up with this. The governor’s budget plans for an increase in growth and we’re hoping within two years that will catch up. If not, we could be looking at a very different picture,” Dittbenner said.
District officials expect an increase in enrollment this school year but no significant increase in their state funding.
