Meta-majors program, a program that helps students earn credits toward their degrees, will continue even though there is low student enrollment and budget issues at El Camino College.

Some adjustments have to be made to the program, including in-person counseling, in response to low enrollment.

“I am having to reduce some money in counseling because with the lower student enrollment, there have been less counseling appointments,” Dipte Patel, dean of counseling and student success, said during the Tuesday, May 7 Academic Senate meeting.

Student enrollment and interest for meta-majors will affect future adjustments, depending on which majors students are more interested in studying and which majors students are less interested in.

“We will keep student services based on student demands,” Patel said.

Academic Senate President Charlene Brewer-Smith who is also a cosmetology professor, said after the meeting there are still enough students enrolling in her classes.

Cosmetology classes are not taught online and must be attended in person but budget reductions are still affecting those courses too.

“There are 120 students currently enrolled in cosmetology classes and sometimes I am having to ask students to bring their own paper towels or napkins instead of the school providing it,” Brewer-Smith said.

Vice President of Finance and Special Projects Josh Troesh said after the meeting that the Academic Senate is trying to make sure that students would not feel the full impact of the budget issues the college is facing.

“As we are working through this financial challenge we are trying to minimize the negative effects on students,” Troesh said.

One of the proposals being thought of is combining or merging certain programs that offer students the same kinds of services.

“If one program offers more or less the same services as another program on campus, it could be more effective to merge them together under the same leadership,” Troesh said.

The meta majors programs as described on the El Camino website states, “Meta-majors are sets of programs designed around seven broad subject areas to let you explore your options while earning credits in courses required for any degree you choose.”

The seven subject areas of the meta majors include business, creative arts, industry and technology, health and community wellness, behavior and social sciences, languages, composition, journalism, and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

During the meeting, Vice President of Academic Affairs Carlos Lopez shared some statistics and predictions for community colleges.

“Enrollment is down at many urban community colleges and by 2030 it is predicted the 17 to 24 year age range of students will shrink,” Lopez said.