Enrollment for the current semester has taken a 3 percent decrease since fall 2009, totaling 25,000 students with 196 sections eliminated in order to control the excess amount of students, according to the President’s Newsletter released Aug. 30.
This time last year, headcount was 25,699 with 2,230 sections available and 65,321 seats taken. Students now have 2,034 sections available to register for and 60,325 seats to be filled, according to the Daily Resident Enrollment Trend released Aug. 26.
“EC is experiencing a planned enrollment decrease as a result of offering fewer course sections for fall 2009, spring 2010 and fall 2010, which is approximately a 16 percent decrease in sections since fall 2008,” Ann Garten, director of community relations, said.
The state legislature and governor have reduced the college’s funding per full-time equivalent student, forcing community colleges to offer fewer course sections and in turn educate fewer students, Garten said.
Cut classes are causing a ripple effect in other areas of student life.
“The cutbacks are affecting us in many ways and we need to do something about it. Not only do I now have to take an extra semester, but my health care is also being affected because I couldn’t register for 12 units. It’s horrible,” Michelle Soreno, chemistry major, said.
More classes could be added if the legislature and governor fully funded community colleges. Unfortunately, when the state has a budget deficit of $18 million, it makes it difficult, Garten said.
“This issue does make it more challenging to enroll in classes. However, students who apply and register early in the cycle tend to get the courses they need,” Bill Mulrooney, director of admissions and records, said.
Students have an advantage that community colleges in other parts of the state do not have in the El Camino College Compton Center. Students can take courses there if they are unable to get the classes they need at Torrance, Garten said.
Although EC has fewer class sections available, there are more students being enrolled than the state pays for, which means those students have to be funded from the college budget, Garten said.
If the college received full funding for all enrollments exceeding the cap of 19,000, then there would be about $10 million more in revenue from the state, Garten said.
Regardless, students remain optimistic.
“I hope things get back to normal soon. That way, when I need that one last class to finally transfer and graduate, I won’t have to wait an extra semester,” Cesar Rimoldi, photography major, said.
Students can contact local legislators to tell them how budget cuts are impacting their ability to complete college in a reasonable amount of time, Garten said.
“Currently, there is no state budget for 2010-2011, so telling legislators that we need to have the budget resolved now would let us know what our final budget will be and allow us to plan for the upcoming year,” Garten said.