By Lauren Garcia / Asst. News Editor
( Khai Le/Online Editor)
By Lauren Garcia / Asst. News Editor
California colleges have taken a huge hit when it comes to funding.
Students are also finding it more difficult to get the essential classes necessary for their success.
According to Gregory Gray, Riverside Community College District chancellor, as of the second week of school, 189 sections of classes have been cut from the Riverside campus, 89 from Moreno Valley and 53 from the Norco campus for the fall session.
Over the course of the fall, winter and spring sessions, 1000 total sections will be eliminated from all of the campuses combined.
“Each campus has done a marvelous job coping with the budget cuts,” Gray said. “Although, if additional cuts come we won’t be able to absorb them as well as we did these cuts.”
Accompanied by these reductions was a set of goals.
“These cuts should create the least amount of disruption possible for the students. We need to try our best to continue as normal and avoid layoffs of the staff,” Gray said.
“We are doing the best we possibly can,” Gray said. “Patience is definitely a virtue.”
When it comes to student services, every part is being evaluated.
“We are trying to do everything to meet the student’s essential needs,” said Edward Bush, vice president of student services. “The students need to be supported while any barriers keeping them from being successful be eliminated.”
During the 2010 and 2011 school year, 32 to 64 percent of the categorical funding can expect to be cut, said Bush.
This will affect the most vulnerable students, such as those involved in the Extended Opportunity Programs and Services and Community or Academic Progress programs.
As for transfer students, it is going to be a difficult journey as well.
CSU colleges will only accept applications starting on Oct. 1 and will stop accepting them any time after Nov. 30.
Students may only apply for the 2010 fall term.
Both UC’s and Cal States have cut back on freshman admissions by approximately 50 to 75 percent along with an approximate reduction of 25 percent in transfer student admissions, said Clarissa Andrews, educational advisor in the transfer center.
“It’s killing us,” Andrews said “It’s really tough right now.” .
RCC has lost representatives from UC Berkeley, UC Davis, Cal State Fullerton, Cal State Poly Pomona, Cal State San Bernardino and UCLA has cut back its visits by 50 percent.
Andrews also said that if students do not declare a major when sending in an application they will not be admitted into the college.
“Students must meet the general education requirements and low division requirements just to have a chance at transferring to a UC or Cal State,” Andrews said.
A Transfer Career Center Job Fair will be held on Terracina Street at RCC from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Over 200 employees and career representatives will be there to support students.
Csumentor.edu has a helpful “transfer checklist” available for students looking to transfer from a community college.
Bush, Gray and Andrews offered similar advice to students, especially those planning to transfer.
Make sure you register as early as possible and pay all fines on time.
See counselors and make sure you are not taking unnecessary classes. Also, identify the school you want to transfer to, and claim a specific major.
The counselors also recommend that students talk with transfer representatives of the college they wish to attend, which will help in the creation of a personal timeline.
“We need to keep our chin up, stay positive and continue moving forward,” Gray said.
Although many cuts have affected RCC, the administration is doing all they can to aid students through the transfer process.