Santa Rosa Junior College President Dr. Frank Chong plans to re-introduce approximately 420 new classes to the school’s curriculum for the upcoming fall 2013 semester and beyond.
“The timing is going to be better now,” Chong said. “The Doyle scholarship and the Doyle trust are coming back.”
The incorporation of new classes and scholarships targeting high-demand general education classes is promising for future students. The scholarships are a complement to the new sections, helping students pay for their books and fees.
“I’m really happy about the new classes,” said SRJC student Scott Corder. “My major required a lot of classes that were really hard for me to get during my time here. So it will be a lot easier for me and other students in the long run.”
Despite the inherent positives from adding the new classes, there were a few drawbacks to the process.
“We have a system called ‘hits after close’ which lets us see the most popular classes students search for after a class closes,” said Mary Kay Rudolph, SRJC vice president of academic affairs. “This helps us determine the demand for the classes, so it will help students get the classes they need.”
The system gives students more opportunities to take the classes they need to graduate, however SRJC will not see as many elective classes added.
“We are focusing on classes geared toward certification, majors, transfer, job skills and basic skills,” Rudolph said. “We will see more classes for students, and fewer classes for the community member, such as P.E. classes.”
The new classes are a direct response to the passing of Prop. 30. The proposition passed last November, providing California schools with additional funding after severe amounts of budget cuts to education in 2009.
“We will be adding 7 percent back to the schedule, or about 420 courses, since the deficit we cut the course schedule by 25 percent,” said Associated Students president, Jessica Jones. “More courses will be added in the basic skills section. The administrators have reviewed the survey drafted by the Associated Students on what courses students had difficulty getting in as well as reviewed the closed class report.”
The faculty executed a plan designed to help students graduate, but the student body is responsible for laying out the foundation of the act. SRJC continues to rebuild after a harsh period of cuts. The restoration of classes gives a brighter outlook on the future.