During November City College (CCSF) faculty, staff, students were on the streets asking San Franciscans to pass Propositions A and 30. Voters overwhelmingly passed both. Now the CCSF folks are going to be at BART stations Jan. 9 and 10 to remind people that the college is open and registering students for classes.
The college has to meet enrollment numbers set by the State in order to maintain its programs and get full state funding. The current Board of Trustees and Administration have not done the traditional work needed to assure full enrollment.
Passing out information at BART stations was the idea of Foreign Language Chair, Dr. Tom Blair. On Wednesday, Jan. 9 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., CCSF employees will be at Powell, Montgomery and Embarcadero; on Thursday, Jan. 10, at Balboa, 24th and Mission and Civic Center.
Most CCSF locations are near BART stations and many students from all parts of the Bay Area use BART to get to the college. In the last two years large numbers of Bay Area veterans have attended CCSF and are greeted by a new Veterans Center at the main campus, in Cloud Hall (BART Balboa Station).
The Center was completed in three months in order to be open when the first new vets arrived. With no money for the project, a group of vets from past wars asked for and received donations to create the Center.
Current trustees and administrators have done little to advertise that CCSF is open and accredited. Chancellor Thelma Scott-Skillman, was quoted in The SF Examiner, “If I were a student, I would be questioning if this is a real school and will the doors be open beyond June 30,” Scott-Skillman said. “But our doors are open. It’s not business as usual. We are making reforms and putting things in place that will make the institution more efficient, effective and responsive for years to come.” (Sfexaminer/2012/12).
The employees feel that “business as usual” was why San Franciscans voted for Propositions A and 30. The Chancellor and Board of Trustees have ignored this new revenue source. They have cancelled CCSF's online newsletter, “City Currents,” that was available to the public online, with listings of programs and reports; they have closed the Public Affairs office, leaving no one to do publicity and answer questions. They have cut counselors so that both new and continuing students have limited access to help with their education plans and transfer procedures.
At BART stations Jan. 9 and 10, San Franciscans will be reminded that the great contribution they can now make to CCSF is to register for Spring classes that begin in January. To get full State funding, the college needs to have the same number of students enrolled in the coming Spring 2013 semester as were enrolled in Spring 2012.
Students may enroll at CCSF at any time at CCSF.edu, “Apply Now” link, and then follow the prompts. If students want to take just one or two courses, and not pursue a degree, they should answer in such a way that to avoid taking math and English placements tests.
Comments