Forty-four courses in eight disciplines have been cut from the
Gavilan College course offerings for the spring semester, saving
the school $120,000.
GILROY – Forty-four courses in eight disciplines – covering subjects from bowling and fencing to English composition and biology – have been cut from the Gavilan College course offerings for the spring semester, saving the school $120,000.
The move affects 250 to 300 students who already signed up for the now-cancelled course sections during spring registration, which began Dec. 9. Affected students will receive letters informing them of the change and advising them of their options in registering for alternative classes.
Students who choose not to register for an alternative class can have fees for the cancelled classes refunded, college officials said.
Incoming President Steve Kinsella said the cuts will only affect part-time teachers, who will be laid off or not rehired for the spring semester. Kinsella said full-time instructors won’t be let go because they are, by contract, required to teach a certain amount of units each semester.
“There’s no cost savings if the school cuts classes taught by full-time teachers,” Kinsella said.
The recent cuts are a cost-saving measure in light of Gov. Gray Davis’ proposal earlier this month to slash $215 million from the state’s community college budget. The cuts save Gavilan roughly $120,000 during a time in which the school will spend nearly $1 million of its reserve funds this year to offset the revenue shortfall.
“I’ve never heard this level of doom and gloom before,” social science department head Mark Levine said. “It’s unprecedented, in my 31 years in education, to have an increase in enrollment and a decrease in classes.”
Levine, who as a department head was charged with recommending which classes to cut, said he suggested removing only those class sections that had low enrollment numbers and alternative sections available.
Gavilan offers about 500 class sections – regularly scheduled meeting times for courses – each semester.
“I don’t think any (cut) was suggested that didn’t have another section available,” Levine said of the social science department’s cuts.
The list of class sections no longer offered is posted on the college’s Web site and at the registration desks at Gavilan’s Gilroy, Morgan Hill and Hollister campuses.
Students with questions should call the Admissions office at (408) 848-4735.
Class sections no longer offered are online at www.gavilan.cc.ca.us/current/cancel.html
