Education doesn’t come cheap. In fact, more students are finding themselves paying high tuition costs for overcrowded classes at several state colleges throughout the nation. Most students find themselves well acquainted to large class sizes and student loans. Some students have fallen to the harsh economy by enrolling in community college rather than major universities based on financial constraints.  

Higher education in California is not a stranger to this new trend in overcrowding at many of its colleges and universities. Due to state budget cuts in higher education, San Francisco State is now offering 3,173 course sections, 12% fewer than two years ago. From the university administration’s point of view, that is not as bad as it might have been: over $1.5 million in federal stimulus money prevented more draconian cuts. This cut is detrimental, forcing students to be enrolled full time to keep financial aid, and take courses that might have little to do with their progress toward graduation.

Many students are actually being put on waiting lists for classes that they need in order to graduate. Some students are forced to take higher level classes that they might not be ready for, causing some to suffer with their grades. Taking any class you can get into just to stay enrolled is no recipe for excelling academically.

This spring at San Francisco State, cutbacks have largely ended the opportunity for community college students to move into the state university system, which enrolls 433,000 students. This academic year, the university lost $38 million in state support. Student fees are 32% higher. The school also plans to reduce enrollment more than 10% for the 2010-11 academic year.

Hundreds of lecturers lost their jobs; faculty and staff salaries were cut by 10 percent. Furlough days made the university’s schedule a chaotic patchwork of canceled lectures and shortened office hours. The cutbacks have enraged students.

Next year, students may face a further increase in fees. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s proposed budget for 2010-11 includes a 10% fee increase for students at the California State University’s 23 campuses. He also proposed restoring $305 million to the state university system.

More later  . . . . .

This 355 word summary was digitally distilled by Clips’ Assistant Editor Alyson Cohen from a 1,215 word article entitled “Students face a class struggle at state colleges” from the New York Times, on 1-23-10.