A Slashed Budget Yields a Skinny 2011-2012 Course Catalog at SPSCC

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When the statistics of the future budget cuts at South Puget Sound Community College were dropped on campus in early March, students hardly knew what to expect. Many feared the rumored tuition hikes, loss of favorite professors, or for many high school students, the end of the Running Start program.

While most of these symptoms have yet to appear as a result of the campus-wide belt-tightening, students and faculty got their first look at the effects of the budget when the 2011-2012 annual course offerings where released. Previously (with the mild exception of Summer quarter) most courses had at least three or more different class times, and were offered multiple times throughout the academic year. Now, if these classes exist at all anymore, they are only offered at two times of the day on average, and many are only available one trimester per year. This has put a serious crimp in the plans of students with less flexible schedules, and Running Start students who need certain specific classes to graduate.

One recent example of this dilemma was the news that reached the students of a College Algebra class a few days ago. Their class was being dropped. While they would still receive credit for passing the class, the already limited transferability of the course was stifled. Those who were planning to transfer to many four-year universities would have to re-take the pre-requisite course for pre-calculus all over again.

Unfortunately with funding as low as it is, there was no recourse for the school administration to take but to cut classes. The maintenance of all of the buildings have been optimized to save as much energy as possible, and all of the major sources from which extra income can be raised is being taken advantage of. However, the school could only economize so much before having to make this difficult decision. While many students are surprised and somewhat annoyed with the meager course offerings for the upcoming school year, many are taking the cutbacks in stride; appreciating the concerted efforts of the administration in these hard times.

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