San Francisco City College COMPLETELY cuts Summer Program!

Thousands of students who expected to make up missed courses or simply move their education forward will have to put those plans on hold this year because City College of San Francisco is canceling its popular summer session.

The cost-cutting move has angered many students who say they were depending on summer school this year in particular because the college cut hundreds of courses during the fall and spring semesters, and they have been unable to get into basic classes they need.


"It's messed up," said Giselle Rouede, 18, who wants to be an emergency medical technician. She tried to take the EMT course in the fall, but it was full. It was full again this semester, so she planned to take it over during the summer.
"I was really disappointed," Rouede said. "If people want to be educated, they should be able to take classes."


College trustees axed the $4 million summer school program to help close a budget gap expected to top $12 million. 

Few alternatives

Other community colleges in Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin and San Mateo counties say they have no plans to cancel summer classes. But with priority given to those already enrolled, will there be room for San Francisco students?


For the spring semester alone, the San Mateo colleges have a waiting list of 13,400 students. Many of them will be competing for available summer classes.

Statewide problem

Summer school is the traditional way for students to make up courses missed during fall and spring, but the state's budget crisis has forced community colleges to slash courses in every session.


Statewide, community colleges have had to give up funding in the current academic year for 95,250 full- and part-time students out of about 2.9 million, according to the state office of community colleges.


Community colleges lost 8 percent of their budget this year, or $520 million, the college office reported.


"Virtually every district is curtailing enrollment somehow," said Scott Lay, president of the Community College League of California, an advocacy group. Some are cutting back courses year-round. Others are canceling whole sessions in summer or winter. And some, like City College of San Francisco, are cutting both.




This is worse than it seems on the surface. City College is the "step up" for so many immigrant and poor people. This is where they learn English or vocations. This is where people who can't afford a four year college take their first two year's of courses. This kind of cut is a huge blow to social mobility, human potential and the American Dream. This is another sad day, indeed.