By Jair Fuentes
Recent changes at East Los Angeles College have been affecting students, and now a unit limitation requirement may affect winter and summer sessions.
With budget cuts already eliminating programs and cutting classes, students’ schedules have not been exactly what they expected. A pending revision to the Los Angeles Community College District Board Rule 8603 states that students are allowed to register district-wide for up to nine units in both the winter and summer sessions.
However, as of September 25, the ELAC Academic Senate recommended a unit-limit policy which states that all students enrolling in courses at ELAC be held, without exception, to a maximum of five units in winter and eight units in summer. “The idea is to allow as many students as possible to register for intersession classes. By putting in these limits, our college can provide enrollment opportunities for more students,” said Academic Senate President Alex Immerblum.
An ad hoc committee composed of members from Academic Affairs, Student Services and the Academic Senate has scheduled a meeting this Thursday to review exceptions to the policy that the Senate approved to determine how these students can go beyond the five or eight unit limit. Immerblum said, “Unfortunately, our college has had to plan for a reduced winter schedule, especially if Proposition 30 should fail.”
Proposition 30, if it passes, would provide temporary tax dollars to fund state education for the next seven years. “The improvement, adding back more classes, would be significant,” said Immerblum.
Vice President of Student Services Oscar Valeriano said, “We are in rough times with the budget crisis that, even if it passes, every department is still being affected.” He encourages students to register to vote and help with the passing of the proposition.
Students might wonder about certain situations where they need more units to finish or transfer within a reasonable amount of time. At the moment, this is what students can expect. Valeriano suggested that students have a focus and make an educational plan their main priority.
He assures students that this new unit limitation requirement is to help them stay on track with their grade point averages and to give everyone a fair chance to add a class. The next Academic Senate meeting is scheduled for October 9 to determine the final outcome.