This just kicked me in the butt Community colleges cut classes for budget
Shortfall spurs DCCCD to cancel May mini-term, one summer session
01/29/2003
By LINDA K. WERTHEIMER / The Dallas Morning News
Thousands of Dallas County Community College District students won't get to take classes this summer or during a mini-semester this spring because of state budget cuts.
The seven-college system plans to cancel one of two summer sessions and eliminate a popular three-week mini-semester in May in response to state leaders' orders to cut 7 percent from its budget, said William Wenrich, the chancellor.
"I understand the state has a fiscal problem," Dr. Wenrich said. "Not to fund the kind of programs we offer is like eating your seed corn. If you want a prosperous economy, you have to have trained people. We're the people who do that."
The move will affect students at the district's seven colleges, according to the college district. Typically, 4,800 students sign up each year for the so-called Maymester, a semester that offers a three-hour credit course over three weeks. About 15,000 sign up for the second of two five-week summer sessions. The mini-semester has been offered for more than a decade in some of the seven colleges.
Dr. Wenrich, who said he also will impose a hiring freeze of administrators and nonteaching employees and travel restrictions, delivered the news by e-mail to the staff and faculty late Monday. He, like other chancellors and university officials around the state, was told to submit a plan for budget cuts by Feb. 6.
The community college district has to cut $7.4 million of the $105 million it received from the state for fiscal 2003, which runs through Aug. 31.
District officials are still figuring out the numbers, but they think cutting the summer and May classes and other measures should add up to the required amount, Dr. Wenrich said. The district also will reduce certain purchases, he said.
Gov. Rick Perry, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and House Speaker Tom Craddick jointly ordered the budget cuts last week, saying their goal was to save an estimated $700 million in the remaining seven months of the fiscal year. The state faces an estimated $9.9 billion revenue shortfall during the next biennium.
Universities statewide, including the University of Texas System and Texas A&M University, have announced hiring freezes and travel restrictions this week. In the Dallas-Fort Worth area, for example, the University of North Texas announced Tuesday that it would freeze nearly all vacant faculty and staff positions.
Like the community college district, UNT will curtail travel, President Norval Pohl announced in a letter on the school's Web site.
Community colleges appear to be the only institutions planning cuts that directly affect students, said Don Brown, the Texas higher education commissioner.
Dr. Brown said he is hearing from other community college leaders that they plan to reduce summer offerings.
"If they have to do that, that really hurts the education of our people," Dr. Brown said.
Students said summer and May classes help them juggle family and work with their education.
Raquel Gaines, 24, was planning to take courses during both summer sessions at El Centro College in downtown Dallas. Ms. Gaines, a single mother, has three children ages 3, 5 and 7. She works as a receptionist between classes. Her goal is to become a nurse.
"I'm trying to provide something better for my children. The quicker I get out, the quicker I get a career," she said.
Frank Gonzalez, who's in the radiology program at El Centro, said he had been counting on the Maymester and summer sessions this year. A pest-control salesman, his business is heavier during the fall. The 27-year-old Little Elm resident said he needs to take as many classes as possible during the summer and spring semesters.
"It's going to be a downer," he said. "I want to try to get everything out of the way I can."
Professors said they also are disappointed by the college district's decision, for the students and for themselves.
A professor making $50,000 can make $6,650 extra a year by teaching in the second summer session and the May session, said Ken Alfers, a Mountain View College professor and president of the Dallas County Community College Faculty Association.
Dr. Alfers planned to teach a U.S. history class in May.
"I'm disturbed, and the faculty as a whole are disturbed with what has led up to this cut," he said. "I lay a lot of this blame at the state level."
E-mail lwertheimer@dallasnews.com More later, when I get the chance... It is currently VERY frantic around here...
Thanks: --> to Lia, my sensei, who has inspired me to draw again. I
wouldn't be doing this without your support, Domo Arigato!
--> to Talon, for sending me her fabulous fics, inspiring me with her writing to draw my first
illustration for a story and actually liking what I drew.
--> to Dasia, for her words of encouragement when drawing her original chara.
--> to Joules, a wonderful epic fic writer, for liking my art enough to want to post them with Talon's
and her own stories.
--> to Lutra, the other half of the epic team, for being so supportive.
--> to Jacque' & Becca Raddittzu, we met on eBay as bidder and sellers and now we are face-to-face
friends. You showed us the real DBZ with your fansubs. It's all your fault the house is full of
doujinshi! *LOL*
:: welcome to bakayaro onna's mindless ramblings, rants & raves :: 
